With a career that has spanned a quarter of a century, at this stage Moonspell need very little introduction. They have garnered a strong, almost cult-like, following (especially in mainland Europe) due to their gothic, melancholic yet immediate brand of metal which has never been afraid to revel in a sense of theatre and pomp. At this late stage of their career, and following the successful Extinct, which was arguably their most immediate and anthemic album to date, it wouldn’t be surprising that a follow up would tread a similar path. Instead, latest album 1755 (both Napalm) is an unexpectedly adventurous affair.

Conceptually based on the devastating earthquake that hit their homeland of Portugal in the namesake year, 1755 is an example of widening their prowess in order to further set a scene and time frame. Their dark strain of metal retains much of their catchy, keyboard-driven, powerful best but is further bolstered by even further theatrical elements; namely more prominent orchestration and choral passages throughout; whilst the use of more traditional instrumentation encapsulates its historical aspect. Whilst this adds a larger, more captivating sound, Moonspell manages to keep a sense of rage intact; balancing the huge scale of the event and the destruction and devastation it caused. Fernando Ribeiro perfectly alternates between venomously spitting and seething to more seductive and smooth vocals which, coupled with singing entirely in Portuguese, shows they aren’t about to rest on their laurels just yet.

Managing to tread a fine line between grin-inducing, fist-pumping grandeur and the darker threads of melancholy and anger has been a calling card for Moonspell since their inception, 1755, far from losing that aspect, is as effective at this emotional and ultimately fun style as at any point in their career. That it is married with wider boundary-breaking in its conceptual background, and thus its increased range to match shows that Moonspell, rather than a band playing it safe when it would be forgivable to do so, show as much intensity and fire as they have ever done.

 

8.0/10

CHRIS TIPPELL