It’s been five years since Moonspell released their previous record, Hermitage, but the Portuguese pioneers have finally returned, as Gothic and darkly romantic as ever. Encompassing themes such as Baudelairian love, guilt and redemption, the thirteenth studio album, Far From God (Napalm Records), is driven by shadowy figures such as vampires, werewolves and other such creatures of the night, not to mention a healthy measure of symbolism.
Photo credit: Chantik Photography by Sonja Schuringa
Things get off to a suitably enigmatic start with “Cross Your Heart,” a brooding yet uplifting opener with jangling chords and deep pulsing basslines, frontman Fernando Ribeiro commanding the proceedings with his unmistakable deep baritone voice. First single “Far From God” is what would happen if you put Type O Negative in a churchyard with Sisters of Mercy and Bauhaus, the hymn to vampiric love enhanced further by atmospheric keyboards from Pedro Paixão.
Bassist Aires Pereira leads the way into “Biblical,” a methodically paced cut that really gets to unfold its blackened wings around the halfway point, the guitars looming larger and Ribeiro’s voice acquiring a harsher edge. Featuring Spanish violinist Alicia Nurho, “The Great Wolf in the Sky” is one of the album’s undisputed highlights. Haunting and instantly memorable, the song bridges the past and present and boasts particularly vicious broken-glass vocals on its muscular “Lobo, lupus, wolf, ulv, likos, varg” refrain.
Pereira and drummer Hugo Ribeiro open “Your Promise of Light” before the tenebrous and distantly menacing guitars of Ricardo Amorim allow the song to open up into one of the record’s more powerful and dramatic statements. “For the Love of Mortals” and “Our Freedom to Fall” are both great examples of understated dark romanticism, the latter leaning further into the band’s heavier nature with a killer riff, the fastest drum work on the record, and even a couple of Gojira-style pick scrapes.
The perfect way to bring things to a close, finale “Reconquista” is another heavy cut with shades of Paradise Lost. Including self-referential lyrics such as “Under the spell – under the moon,” one section is presented in Portuguese while singer (and no relation to bass player) Ribeiro uses his harsher, gravelly tones for most of the track while Amorim supplies a stunning guitar solo, of which there frankly should be more.
Fragile in places, formidable in others, it’s difficult to imagine a more openly Gothtastic record in 2026 than Far From God. Blending all aspects of the band’s sound while suggesting more and varied avenues to come, this is one to enjoy from the bottom of your maudlin, mournful souls.
Buy the album here:
https://lnk.to/Moonspell-FarFromGod
8 / 10
GARY ALCOCK
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