MOONSPELL - Darkness And Hope
September 18, 2001, 23 years ago
(Century Media)
Portugal's most famous import has revisited the goth metal staple of mid-career albums like Irreligious and Sin/Pecado, but not in a monotonously dreary Pete Steele/Type O Negative drone. 'Firewalking' sees frontman Fernando Ribeiro growling as forcefully and aggressive as anything since Wolfheart. 'Nocturna' borrows a page from the 21st century Paradise Lost book of Depeche Mode worship, although Moonspell didn't dispense with the guitar break. A haunting whispered delivery is accompanied by prominent keyboards and an Eastern rhythm on 'Devilred', one of the tracks the band makes available for downloading off their website (www.moonspell.com). Bearing no resemblance to anything on this platter, or the back catalog, the ballad, 'Ghostsong' is painfully out of place. The sexual 'Made Of Storm' is uptempo and catchy, as is the final original Moonspell cut, 'Than The Serpent In My Arms'. The American version will include a cover of Ozzy Osbourne's 'Mr. Crowley', while the European release contains 'Os Senhores Da Guerra', a tune written by countrymen, MadreDeus.
