Mons Lvnae - Biography
This band's profile is 'invisible', meaning that it's much less prominent on the site - either because it's incomplete, or maybe doesn't entirely fit MS format.
Biography
During the summer of 1998, and by the hand of three friends, MONS LVNÆ came to existence. From the three founder members (Cuca, Luis Tito and Hugo Gomes) only the guitar player Hugo Gomes still remains at the current line-up of the band. The name MONS LVNÆ (Latin for Mount of the Moon) was suggested a year and a half later by the bass player Rodrigo Machado, who discovered the name in a book that concerned Portuguese castles and History of Portugal.
During the early years the sound of the band was more Melodic black metal oriented, with fast guitar riffs, screaming voice, ambient keyboards and blast beat drums (made using a sampler). But in 2001 with the entrance of the female singer Catarina Gomes, the rhythm of the band began to slow down, following straight into the direction of Goth/Folk Metal, with the alternation between male (Fernando Marques) and female (Catarina Gomes) voice.
In 2002 the band releases their first Demo which was called "IMPERIVM LVNÆ" (Empire of the Moon), through the hands of Catarina Gomes (Female Voice), Fernando Marques (Male Voice, Bass Guitar and Programming), Luis Tito (Electric Guitar) and Hugo Gomes (Electric Guitar and Programming). The production was at charge of Hugo Gomes which recorded at home, and even though it was very amateurish this Demo-CD was able to gather a small attention by the media and by the public of Portuguese underground.
In June of 2004 with Ana Figueiredo on the Flute and Ares on the Bass Guitar as a guest musician, MONS LVNÆ steps on stage by the very first time, playing all the four songs that were meant to be recorded for their second Demo-CD as well as some of "IMPERIVM LVNÆ". On December of the same year, MONS LVNÆ performed a concert in which the last song to be played had the participation of Tiago Lopes on the Drums? for the very first time MONS LVNÆ was counting with a human drummer and not with a sample machine.
In February of 2005, MONS LVNÆ releases their second Demo-CD which was called "REVIDERE AD VITAM" (Return to Life). Again the production was in charge of Hugo Gomes, and although it was far from being perfect it had a lot more improvements concerning to it's predecessor. This is the first audio recording from MONS LVNÆ where the flute can be heard, and also the female voice as a leading voice (no male voice was recorded). Although there was much hope and expectation surrounding "REVIDERE AD VITAM", the band's work didn't gather much attention and had some harsh criticism, especially concerning the voice.
On June of 2006, with Célia Ramos on the leading vocals and Gualter Charrua on the bass guitar, MONS LVNÆ returns to the stage after a year and a half of silence. Also by this time, the band was working out on a new release.
On April of 2007, with Célia on Vocals, Ana on the Flute, Hugo and Fernando on Guitars and Back Vocals, Gualter on Bass Guitar and Tiago on Drums, "Seven Winds" (initially called "Kyrie", but it was changed due to some disagreement within band) was released. This work has the best production that the band had so far, and with no doubt is the best work from MONS LVNÆ in all musical levels. On "Seven Winds" three songs from the past were rerecorded, and also five new songs were released. The band's new work had a very positive acceptance throughout the world and also in Portugal.
On July of 2007, MONS LVNÆ achieves the second place on "Vieira Rock 2007" music contest, which took place on the beautiful city of Vieira do Minho, in the North of Portugal. It was kind of an historical achievement, since rarely metal bands can achieve this kind position in a general music contest here in Portugal. MONS LVNÆ is expected to return on Vieira do Minho in 2008.
At the present days, the band is focused on writing new material for a possible fourth release, and also rehearsing both older and newer songs to be performed at stage.
(Source: http://www.monslunae.com/history.htm)
During the early years the sound of the band was more Melodic black metal oriented, with fast guitar riffs, screaming voice, ambient keyboards and blast beat drums (made using a sampler). But in 2001 with the entrance of the female singer Catarina Gomes, the rhythm of the band began to slow down, following straight into the direction of Goth/Folk Metal, with the alternation between male (Fernando Marques) and female (Catarina Gomes) voice.
In 2002 the band releases their first Demo which was called "IMPERIVM LVNÆ" (Empire of the Moon), through the hands of Catarina Gomes (Female Voice), Fernando Marques (Male Voice, Bass Guitar and Programming), Luis Tito (Electric Guitar) and Hugo Gomes (Electric Guitar and Programming). The production was at charge of Hugo Gomes which recorded at home, and even though it was very amateurish this Demo-CD was able to gather a small attention by the media and by the public of Portuguese underground.
In June of 2004 with Ana Figueiredo on the Flute and Ares on the Bass Guitar as a guest musician, MONS LVNÆ steps on stage by the very first time, playing all the four songs that were meant to be recorded for their second Demo-CD as well as some of "IMPERIVM LVNÆ". On December of the same year, MONS LVNÆ performed a concert in which the last song to be played had the participation of Tiago Lopes on the Drums? for the very first time MONS LVNÆ was counting with a human drummer and not with a sample machine.
In February of 2005, MONS LVNÆ releases their second Demo-CD which was called "REVIDERE AD VITAM" (Return to Life). Again the production was in charge of Hugo Gomes, and although it was far from being perfect it had a lot more improvements concerning to it's predecessor. This is the first audio recording from MONS LVNÆ where the flute can be heard, and also the female voice as a leading voice (no male voice was recorded). Although there was much hope and expectation surrounding "REVIDERE AD VITAM", the band's work didn't gather much attention and had some harsh criticism, especially concerning the voice.
On June of 2006, with Célia Ramos on the leading vocals and Gualter Charrua on the bass guitar, MONS LVNÆ returns to the stage after a year and a half of silence. Also by this time, the band was working out on a new release.
On April of 2007, with Célia on Vocals, Ana on the Flute, Hugo and Fernando on Guitars and Back Vocals, Gualter on Bass Guitar and Tiago on Drums, "Seven Winds" (initially called "Kyrie", but it was changed due to some disagreement within band) was released. This work has the best production that the band had so far, and with no doubt is the best work from MONS LVNÆ in all musical levels. On "Seven Winds" three songs from the past were rerecorded, and also five new songs were released. The band's new work had a very positive acceptance throughout the world and also in Portugal.
On July of 2007, MONS LVNÆ achieves the second place on "Vieira Rock 2007" music contest, which took place on the beautiful city of Vieira do Minho, in the North of Portugal. It was kind of an historical achievement, since rarely metal bands can achieve this kind position in a general music contest here in Portugal. MONS LVNÆ is expected to return on Vieira do Minho in 2008.
At the present days, the band is focused on writing new material for a possible fourth release, and also rehearsing both older and newer songs to be performed at stage.
(Source: http://www.monslunae.com/history.htm)