Moonspell have been immensely popular in Belgium since their 1995 debut ‘Wolfheart’. In recent years they’ve gone back to the no-holds-barred metal of their earlier years and they’re more popular than ever. Moonspell’s greatest asset is undoubtedly the charismatic rumble of lead vocalist Fernando Ribeiro, whose theatrical stage presence is the perfect eye-catcher, especially for his countless female fans! Their atmospheric dark metal is indebted to iconic goth rock acts such as Fields of the Nephilim and offers a unique mix of pure darkness and melancholy warmth. They continue to put out albums that can stand the comparison with their breakthrough effort ‘Irreligious’, such as the double album ‘Alpha Noir/Omega White’ (2012) and the gothic-heavy ‘Extinct’ (2015), a melodic album that sees the vocals – intimate and alternately harsh and clean – and keyboards take centre stage. Their most recent outing to date, 2021’s ‘Hermitage’ is a versatile record that reaffirms their love of experimentation. Their catalogue is extremely varied and the live set list is always a surprise. A new album has been announced for the summer of 2026 so look out for new tracks as well. (#GMM26)
