:: Moonspell - Under Satanæ

Moonspell

Although having made a name for themselves with the release of their full length debut ‘Wolfheart’ in 1995, Portuguese gothic/black metal act Moonspell had built quite a considerable underground following in the years prior. Both their demo ‘Anno Satanæ’ (1993) and their debut EP ‘Under The Moonspell’ in 1994 garnished a lot of attention in the underground scene. In the downtime between releases, having released their seventh full length album ‘Memorial’ in 2006, Moonspell have decided to delve deep into their archives for inspiration for their next release. Rather than simply re-releasing their earlier works, Moonspell have re-recorded their pre-Century Media releases, with the guiding hand of renowned producer Tue Madsen. But unlike some act’s recent attempts to re-record or re-image the past, Moonspell have actually managed to created a classic with ‘Under Satanæ’.

Working in reverse chronological order, the band start off proceedings with their ‘Under The Moonspell’ E.P., by way of the middle-eastern influenced instrumental ‘Halla Alle Halla Al Rabka Halla (Praeludium/Incantatum Solistitium)’. The stunning build up is only just the beginning, with the equally expansive ‘Tenebrarum Oratorium (Andamento I/Erudit Compendyum)’ further building upon the monumental introduction. After a brief acoustic interlude (‘Interludium/Incantatum Oequinoctum’), the band pick up where they originally left off with the towering ‘Tenebrarum Oratorium (Andamento II/Erotic Compendyum)’, before concluding with the slower paced/spoken word ‘Opus Diabolicum (Andamento III/Instrumental Compendyum)’. The short instrumental piece ‘Chorai Lusitânia! (Epilogus/Incantatam Maresia)’, which coincidently is the only track on the album not re-recorded for this release, draws the tracks from the E.P. to a close.

The three tracks lifted from the band’s ‘Anno Satanæ’ demo, namely the chanting ‘Goat On Fire’, the intense ‘Ancient Winter Goddess’ and ‘Wolves From The Fog’, bring to the fore blacker elements of the band’s earlier and far more primitive direction compared to their current sound. But it’s the surprise inclusion of ‘Serpent Angel’, a track originally recorded when the band was known as Morbid God, that Moonspell fully unveil their early black metal roots and influences.

Aside from the fact that almost all of the tracks on this album are near impossible to find these days, what really makes this album a classic in its own right is the fact that none of the songs sound dated or cliché. The combined influences of black metal, middle-eastern themes and the tribalistic drumming, with the huge orchestral keyboards and Ribeiro stunningly diverse vocals only enhance the listening experience that is ‘Under Satanæ’.
Although this isn’t the official follow up to ‘Memorial’, ‘Under Satanæ’ is every bit as essential as the band’s former releases, both for the old school fans and newcomers alike.