Customer Reviews

Wolfheart (2 CDs)

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a superb release that mixes dark Gothic Metal with a bit of death metal. It is better than most CDs in this genre. This is the debut album from this Portugese band. It is for people who like Paradise Lost, Tristania or any heavy Gothic Metal band. It truly has a spine-chilling amount of emotion and rage. Moonspell have done better in their first album than many bands could ever hope to do in their career. This is now one of my favorite CDs. You will not be disappointed by this album. If there was ever any question that Gothic Metal is turning "weak," one only needs to look to this stalwart. Granted, this is the best of their CDs, but their new CDs aren't mediocre by any measure either.

An incredibly intense listening experience! I love the production on this album - raw, as though the great Moonspell is performing in your living room. All 8 songs are excellent. The album builds up to a powerful crescendo with the concluding tracks, An Erotic Alchemy and Alma Mater. Fans of Type O Negative and Paradise Lost will not be disappointed by Moonspell. Like those bands, each of Moonspell's albums has been different - I believe Wolfheart represents the most intense listening experience in the Moonspell oeuvre.

Moonspell's early releases, the demo "Anno Satana", and the mini-album "Under The Moonspell" were essentially black metal releases that had gone down very well with fans of the genre.

However, for this debut album, "WolfHeart", Moonspell adopted a more distinct and innovative Gothic style. It remains till date, the best Moonspell album, with its success stemming largely from the amazing vocals of Langsuyar, i.e. Fernando Ribiero and the highly original folk-inspired music.

Mostly guitar-based, the music has excellent keyboards accompanying it, which make for some real eerie atmospheric sounds. Birgit Zacher provides the female vocals on tracks like "Love Crimes". This offers a total contrast to Fernando's powerful vocals. All the songs have a certain exotic appeal to them, which makes you want to play the album over and again. The lyrics deal with legends and lore of the night, werewolves, witches, love and lust, and the eternally enchanted.

The album opens with "WolfShade (A Werewolf Masquerade)", and it immediately sets the tone for the rest of the album to follow. The intro manages to lull you before the vocals rip into the song. Though the guitar tone sounds very raw, the keyboards are very well rendered, and the latter half of the song has some excellent musical composition, with Fernando's vocals alternating between some clean singing and growling.

The two songs that follow, "Love Crimes" and "Of Dreams And Drama" work as one. Following the same theme, the songs are some of the most underrated of all of MoonSpell's works. Blending some hypnotizing melodic rhythms with heavier riffs and some mesmerizing displays of well placed keyboard interludes, they showcase the amazing song-writing skills of Fernando Ribiero, which focus on not a particular instrument, but rather on the entire feel and structure of the song. Some more of this is present in the instrumental that follows it, "Lua D'Inverno". It features the interesting combination of the flute and the guitar, and even though it is pretty short, it works really well as an interlude.

"Trebraruna", a song about the goddess of Love and War, is sung in Portuguese. In the words of Fernando, "The evident contrast between war and love and the feminity involved in the cult of this deity inspired us on the building of a somewhat praise song". The goddess would have been flattered by the intention, but not too pleased with the outcome. The song ends up sounding too whimsical and listless. Possibly the only song the album could have done without.

Another concert favourite is "Vampira". It starts off sounding a bit corny, with Fernando droning on about his "only love and true destiny", but it soon changes gears with some real bone-crunching riffs and deep, powerful vocals. The venomous scream at the end is bound to send a real chill up anyone's spine. The album is finally wrapped up with "An Erotic Alchemy", and the amazing "Alma Mater", one of the biggest fan-favourites.

This was the album that introduced me to Goth genre, and pretty much got me hooked. It is a pity that Moonspell never came up with anything later to match the intensity of this one, but then again, I guess that is what makes Wolfheart stand out.

A definite must-buy.

This is one of the best albums I have heard in my life. Fernando has the voice of an angel! There aren't words to describe this! Dark, powerfull, beautiful... This is pure ear-candy! Even the subject matter for some of the songs, which I would normally find extremely cheesy, this is still an incredible cd.

- Wolfshade (A Werewolf Masquerade) - 5 stars -
A song about werewolves. Fantastic vocals..Angry and passionate
- Love Crimes - 4 stars...compared to the others, nothing is standing out.
- ...Of Dream and Drama (Midnight Ride)- 5 stars - I like the piano solo, and the vocals are incredible.
- Lua D'Inverno - 3 stars - No vocals, very peaceful and slow.
- Trebaruna - 3 stars - Viva! In Fernando's native tonguw (I assume)
- Vampiria - 5 stars - Ahh. Vampira! About (can we guess?) Vampires. Slow spoken and sinister. Yummy.
- An Erotic Alchemy - 10 stars - This is the most beautiful song I've ever heard. The cd is worth it for this song alone.
- Alma Mater - 5 stars - This is an angry heartfelt song about Fernandos "mother tongue".

If you like black metal at all this is a must have!

Portugal's ultimate metal Band. And there are few bands as good or better then them. In their style they are... the very best!

When I first actually listened to this album, it blew me away! I couldn't believe that music could be so heavy and beautiful all at the same time. From the heavy distorted guitars, to the clean tone, and even the keyboard parts, this album truly contains some of the most atmospheric sounds I've ever heard! Wolfshade has to be the best song on this album, but all in all, every song is great, and I don't dislike any of them. This was Moonspell's last album that contained their darker image. Plus, this album is the only true Moonspell album with incredible music and so on. (Though their newer albums are great, they don't hold true to this one). A must for any Moonspell fan!

Moonspell is my definite favourite band through all times and Wolfheart is one of the many resons to that. Powerful, epic an dismal; just the way I like it. It`s not their best album though. Still, everyone should have this one in their collection.

I've been listening Moonspell for almost 4 years now, and I think this record is this bands' most overrated album. Some riffs are too predictable, some songs are too long and the production is somewhat raw ( bear in mind that they're not Darkthrone ). Also, Fernando Ribeiro's "clean" vocals ( or Langsuyar if you prefer ) aren't as great as on their ( Moonspell's ) other Century Media releases. A good album, yes; but not their BEST album...

Originating from Portugal and riding a wave of enormous potential, Moonspell sought to unite gothic melodrama with an exotic interpretation of black metal components while expanding the sound with their cultural mythologies and folk melodies. Considering this as a first full'length representation of this endeavor, the results prove to be, for the most part, successful. There is something within this music that is reaching beyond the traditionally defined boundaries of metal music, an ambition for the exotically atmospheric and ceremonially theatrical that seeks to expand the dark drama of heavy metal. The folk tune "Trebraruna" exemplifies the uniqueness of their approach. Portuguese lyrics are delivered in conjunction with mystical melody over a double bass foundation, communicating in celebratory tones their cultural identity. Despite the upbeat nature of this particular tune, Moonspell aspire to portray an atmosphere of melancholic elegance and anxiety, and they find success particularly within "Alma Mater", "Wolfshade (A Werewolf Masquerade)", and "Love Crimes", songs of mysterious discovery, intoxicating passion, and spiritual pride.

"For all the eternities we'll still cry
For having lost amidst the stars our bride
Untouchable in her smile, inside the great Silver Eye
Every night she is condemned to shine"

Moonspell are quite aware that they are not the first to attempt such a fusion with folk music, gothic music and metal. Yet, they are skillful in areas where many have fallen short. They know when and when not to utilize certain elements, playing to the strength of the given song rather than pursuing drama for the sake of superficial appeal. There is no gimmick in place of their presentation. Everything on offer is present for a reason, and that reason being to enhance the overall experience of atmosphere within the context of theme and composition. This lends the band's sound a magical aura and weaves a spellbinding effect upon the listener. The music affirms individuality of creativity and intention, remaining constant in its purpose, with no wavering between extreme possibilities of expression; the music knows what it wants to say. For all Wolfheart's flowery romanticism, there is the presence of a raging beast, a wolfen spirit, running wild throughout this work. The hoarse, blackened screams serve to give this entity a voice, and the foundation remains a darkened, lusting metal of nocturnal desire and restless spirit.

The center of this work is one of enchanting gothic theatricality within the framework of epic, dark metal. The band is fascinated with vampiric fantasies and nightly mystery. They write tales of dark tragedy, where lupine spirits and distressful maidens chase each other in fullmoon dementia. "An Erotic Alchemy" is perhaps prototypical Moonspell, as it tells such a tale in mini'epic fashion, utilizing the full range of the band's aesthetic in sound and stylistic variety. Musically, it features the full spectrum of the band's sound and style, flowing from symphonic synth-rich gothic movements to impassioned blackness. Female vocals and deep gothic male voices exchange dialogue here in an interesting construction, convincing and purposeful in expression and design as opposed to drowning in a sea of pointless melodrama like many of their followers attempting similar ideas. Elsewhere, "Lua D' Inverno" sets a captivatingly dark and tranquil atmosphere with enchanting flutes and acoustic guitar, a meditation on primal strife in moonlit reflection.

"Daylight has broken into a strange nostalgia
Night tired candles seem like two lovers
Melt in an embrace of conspiracy
Between us there is this strange chemistry
but would you die for me?
would you die for what I've longed to be?"

Gorgeously packaged and produced with powerful clarity, Wolfheart finds Moonspell at their darkest well of inspiration. The impressively diverse sounds and ideas on offer here are fresh and interesting to listen to, as well as highly influential to the development of gothic and folk metal. There is a clear and concise vision throughout, never departing from the central theme of the work, allowing for a consistent and captivating flow from start to finish. Though far from a masterpiece (the "clean" gothic singing sometimes borders on the comical, and some ideas could have been fleshed out with more clarity and definition), Wolfheart stands as one of gothic metal's finest works, a clear presentation which portrays a convincing example of successfully combining key stylistic elements from its inspirations, while incorporating an individual character of expression and presentation.

This album is one of the best in the gothic scene. Besides its age it stands so well that you will sure like it. All songs are great and the sound is fantastic.if you want <<gothic feelings>> then this album is for you.