Credit where credit is due, Portugal’s Moonspell has had one of the most stable line ups in metal, with the core of the group going back to 1995 and before. Only the bassist is the new fish within the band and 2012 sees them releasing their tenth full length, their first in four years since “Night Eternal” an album I consider as one of the bands best achievements to date. Self proclaimed dark metallers Moonspell has been associated with the gothic metal genre as well for as long as I can remember which maybe be a good way to attract new fans but in reality Moonspell offer music that is far heavier and sinister than the goth genre ever proffers in metal.
Before I go into the musical content of “Alpha Noir” I need to clarify that the whole package is to be released as a double album with the other disc being titled “Omega White” and offering an apparent contrast to the music on “Alpha Noir”. Despite the editor doing his damndest to obtain the second album, it appears it is to be released as a bonus album on the limited editions. So this review is based entirely and only on the “Alpha Noir” disc which begins with a gentle build up, something that Moonspell has done plenty of times before. As the tune progresses a double kick wafts in right before an unexpected raw thrash riff comes in. The demonic but rich roar of Fernando is excellent and comes more to a harsh bark once the body of the song is underway. Initial thoughts had me thinking this is very like “Wolfheart” on the melody, a feature that pops up with regularity on the album. The Mediterranean nuances are always prevalent in Moonspell’s music, with the guitar hooks, keyboards and vocal textures adding depth and power equally.
The tune most likely to be the single is “Lickanthrope” and begins predictably with wolves howling as yet again the song is thrash led with a great riff, very accessible but heavy enough to appease stalwart Moonspell fanatics. There is always a dominant dark edge hanging around like the proverbial stranger stalking in a doorway. The choral riff is an ear grabbing feast of catchiness and melody. As ever Moonspell has some blackness in their music that first appears on “Versus”, the underlying riffing tones signal where this band actually came from in the mid 90s. The title track offers some bounce in its structure that will give the modern Moonspell fans something to nod their head to without actually headbanging. This album is different to “Night Eternal” in that the songs are much thrashier based, with “Opera Carne” containing a riff not too far off Testament, I kid you not. The crunch is excellent as is the drop in pace. The upbeat nature continues into “Love Is Blasphemy” a good tune that will stick in your memory if you allow it. Bands like Moonspell are never going to put out crap music and “Alpha Noir” sits very comfortably in their discography, and whilst the orchestral style elements have definitely been toned down for this album, they are there but far more subtle than on previous releases. Praise needs to go to the excellent bass work on the album which is rich and emphasised succinctly within each tune without resorting to dominance just to make it heavier. Closing the album is “Sine Missione”, a starkly different tune and one that I got the feeling leads into what the second disc might sound like. The song has an epic feel with the classical touches and rounds off an album that will really surprise the bands older fans, those who crave “Wolfheart” like material, but also shows that the band isn’t afraid to take a step sideways and make a ballsy metal album.
7.5/10 (Martin Harris)
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