Memorial (Spec) [Special Edition]

Moonspell | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 25, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Special Edition
• Label: Steamhammer / SPV
• ASIN: B000F1HG7E
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #147,167 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. In Memoriam (Intro)

2. Finisterra

3. Memento Mori

4. Sons Of Earth

5. Blood Tells!

6. Upon The Blood Of Men

7. At The Image Of Pain

8. Sanguine

9. Proliferation

10. Once It Was Ours!

11. Mare Nostrum

12. Luna

13. Best Forgotten

14. Atlantic

Editorial Reviews

Following two years of intense touring for the 2003 release of The Antidote, Memorial marks the return of Moonspell to Woodhouse studios (Germany) where they worked again with long-time producer Waldemar Sorychta (Wolfheart, Irreligious, Sin). Memorial is, again, a ground-breaking album which shows not only that the eternal spark of Moonspell’s creativity is at its maturity’s peak but also recreates traditions and influences that have helped the band to conquer their rightful place at the top of the Gothic Metal scene in the Nineties. The most famous and successful Portuguese band ever presents us a work of the finest art, where power and soul flow together in a heavy, dark and atmospheric album, rarely heard in today’s Gothic Metal scene. Memorial is a feast for the senses, food for thought and a light for the soul. Memorial is something you will like to hold on to and to remember forever.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Almost Perfect Album from Moonspell, April 25, 2006

By 

Chad Brendan Fogelberg (Longmont, CO United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Memorial (Spec) (Audio CD)

In this Portugese bands' latest release, their sound gets even darker and heavier. Fernando Ribiero does a decent job on vocals overall, but the real highlight of this album is its musical variety. Most of the vocals are death growls. This is not a problem, as Moonspell's music is complex and shows much emotion compared to some of their contemporaries. There are few Goth Metal bands that have as powerful a sound as Moonspell. This disc is no exception. It is hard to pick favorite songs of this album, as all of them are good. After a powerful introduction with "In Memoriam," the first really great track "Finisterra" starts, which is head-banging and has awesome lyrics. Each song has a different feel to it. The next song after "Finisterra," "Memento Mori," has a really eery feel to it, as well as vocal variety. It is my second favorite track after Finisterra. "Sons of Earth" is a cool instrumental track. The track after that, "Blood Tells" sounds like it is influenced by Theatre of Tragedy. "Upon the Blood of Men," the sixth track, is a unique song with death vocals that sound desperate, for lack of a better word. "At the Image of Pain" is a slightly slower song, that has more Doom Metal influences and strange vocals for a Moonspell song. The next track, "Sanguine," starts out melodic and slow and builds into an emotional piece of music. Guest vocals on this song are done by Brigit Zacher. This is also one of my favorite tracks, just because it is so different. The next song "Proliferation," sounds like a soundtrack from a sci-fi or horror movie, and feels unnecessary to the album, but it leads nicely to the beautifully evil "Once it was Ours!" This is also a very cool track that fits well on this Moonspell album. Contrasting greatly with "Once it was Ours," the short eleventh track "Mare Nostrum" has a much more atmospheric feel, and is fully instrumental. After this is another really beautiful track called "Luna." This is another one of my favorites. This has a much lighter gothic feel to it, more similar to Lacuna Coil, with more guest vocals done by Brigit Zacher. Track thirteen, "Best Forgotten," has heavier and more melodic parts, and is overall a pleasant song. The bonus track, "Atlantic," is more than satisfactory as a Moonspell song, and Fernando uses several different vocal styles, which work well together. This is a very solid release by these Goth Metal masters. I recommend it for anyone who likes the heavier forms of Goth Metal or for fans of Doom Metal or Death Metal.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I did not see this one coming, August 14, 2006

By 

S. C. Dominguez (Dallas, TX USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Memorial (Spec) (Audio CD)

Seriously, I have to wonder when I see something get consistently lavished with praise. The word that springs to mind is "overhyped". But, this album is by far one of the finest efforts I've ever seen from Moonspell. This is quite possibly the most interesting and diverse album I've heard in at least 10 years. Someone mentioned in another review that each song is basically unique. I would agree and further it by saying that each song has its own soul. They literally come alive. I think what I appreciate most is that the songs sound real. They sound professional but do not have that over-produced glossy Pro-Tools sound. Basically what I'm trying to say is that if you see this band live, they will sound just as good as they do on this album. Make no mistake, this album is heavy, and the vocals are very characteristic of past Moonspell releases. I think those familiar with this band will be very pleased with this release, and anyone who appreciates imaginative, powerful music will feel like they've discovered something special.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Kings Of Gothic Metal, September 3, 2006

By 

Ken Pierce "Editor, PiercingMetal.com" (Brooklyn,, NY USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Memorial (Spec) (Audio CD)

In the genre of true Gothic Metal, there is no better band to bring it to the table than Moonspell. Heralded as the most successful Portuguese band ever, they return to us after a couple of year's absence from album releases with "Memorial" - it is an album that holds you in its dark grip from beginning to end without question. Musically this effort is one of the strongest I have heard from the Gothic Metal sector in my times observing the genre and to the bands credit, working with producer Waldemar Sorychta (Lacuna Coil, Sentenced, Tiamat) was probably the smartest thing they could have done with this album. Gloomy and intense instrumental intros lead you into a thunderous display of musical power that is so dramatic you feel as though you are listening to a horror movie put to music. "Finisterra" and "Mememto Mori" and among my favorite numbers along with "Sanguine" as they especially deal with darker subject matter and are written it would seem by Darkness itself. Leader Fernando is mesmerizing across the length of the album and as each song plays you can almost envision him atop a moonlit mountain as mists and other workings of the midnight sky happen all around him. Another track with heavy appeal is "Luna" which has a mostly clean vocal from Fernando along with the haunting voice of Brigit Zacher. Moonspell have outdone themselves with this recording and I feel that those who have only sampled the band before do themselves justice and grab a copy of "Memorial". While it is not the bands first effort, it is very clearly their best to date. This will be an album that true Gothic Metal is gauged and rated against so other bands who deliver this aspect of the genre will do well to study it. I think the main part of the records appeal is the fact that it does not totally follow the Gothic definition by being overly depressing and melancholy. The keyboard use and the deeper clean vocals and guitar chord structure make the Gothic vibe come to life, but the album is also very energetic, heavy and darker than the abyss. A lyric and photo booklet is included which will serve to enrapture you more into the midnight world of Moonspell. This is an album for all fans of Atmospheric, Dark, Progressive and Gothic Metal. It's a winner from beginning to..................End.