Moonspell - Wolfheart review
| Band: | Moonspell |
| Album: | Wolfheart |
| Style: | Gothic black metal, Folk metal |
| Release date: | April 01, 1995 |
| A review by: | Herzebeth |
Disc I
01. Wolfshade (A Werewolf Masquerade)
02. Love Crimes
03. ...Of Dream And Drama (Midnight Ride)
04. Lua D'Inverno
05. Trebaruna
06. Vampiria
07. An Erotic Alchemy
08. Alma Mater
09. Ataegina [digipak bonus][limited deluxe bonus]
Disc II [Moonspell Live (1995): limited deluxe bonus live CD]
01. Intro
02. Love Crimes
03. ...Of Dream And Drama (Midnight Ride)
04. An Erotic Alchemy
05. Lua D'Inverno
06. Trebaruna
07. Wolfshade (A Werewolf Masquerade)
08. Vampiria
09. Alma Mater
The first and only Black Metal Full Length Album made by Moonspell, A great album with the most incredible atmosphere I've heard in metal scene. The album is incredible well structured, the double bass are in the right place, the distorted and acoustic guitars came in the exact moment, The cleanest Bass-lines are shown in the most depressive moments of the album, and the vocals, man the vocals are beautiful, filled with anger (the guttural voice show only anger and pain, the vocals are not low and throaty for no reason) this album is a true masterpiece.
I can't talk much about the production and artwork (I bought the re-mastered version with different artwork, yes I know that sucks) so I will go directly to the music, first of all?
The Lyrics: deep and with a philosophical matter, the songs are filled with vampire histories and goddesses from other worlds (Trebaruna, Ataegina) for this fact is great to have a sister that sings Bossa-nova and other Brazilian genres, she helped me to understand those Portuguese lyrics, and believe it was amazing when I found Trebaruna (one of the best songs of the album) talks about a sacred warrior, love goddess is life and death, two wolves guard her, we feed your desire of love and war, etc? cool or what. So one of the best things on this album is the lyrical content.
The Music: you can tell when a song was made with pressure and with preoccupations, well Wolfheart is wrapped by the most thoughtful music, it certainly shows that Moonspell took some time to write the best music they could think of, gothic elements, black fundaments, folk concept, everything is here written in a beautiful way, every instrument has it's moments, for example in the 3rd track "?Of Dream And Drama (Midnight Ride)" in the minute 2:42 starts one of the best keyboards solos I've heard. The keyboards in Wolfheart are a very important thing, it's incredibly used in most intros and also with a lot of precision to create a grim or whatever environment and atmosphere (Trebaruna again is a good example, also An Erotic Alchemy) the bass-lines are awesome again hear Trebaruna for this matter (0:59)
The Songs: Every song in Wolfheart is beautiful, it has shades all over the album, "Love Crimes" the most violent song in the album, incredible lyrics (poetical as an ancient book) the vocals are amazing, a mixture of painful feelings and sentimental chords, 7 minutes of true bliss(I've always wanted to use this word).
"Trebaruna" musically the greatest song in Wolfheart, it has been mentioned before in this review so I won't tell more, just please hear this song as fast as you can.
"Vampiria" again a crazy intro, grim and depressing, then the double-bass starts drilling in your head, irregular tempo, crazy fills, the most loveable vocals of the album (with some weird yet incredible articulation, I love when he says ?Conceiving The Creed of all Creeds?)
"Alma Mater" the best song in structure matter, the instruments are accomplished incredibly, the vocal tempo is incredibly catchy, the chorus is amazingly low(not raspy) and the phrase "?Alma Mater?" is chilling I swear. The drums are incredible (not only in this song but in the whole album) a great song in every way you can foresee it.
A must have album, for all metal lovers, no matter what genre you like, this album will blow your mind guaranteed.
Guest review by
Wolf
Wolf
Rating:
8.0
8.0
|
Rating: 8.0 |
A metal band from Portugal isn't something you see every day...and of course Moonspell is already a band with a reputation, a band that commands respect! You cannot mention gothic or doom metal without naming Moonspell, that's for sure! For the following review we have to go back in time... The Wolfheart is my one and only Moonspell album I have in my collection for the moment and to come straight at the point, it is a tremendous one! This Portuguese gothic/doom metal band or as we used to call it 'dark metal' has a great ability of combining external instruments with 'metal? and other rhythmical music styles. Read more ›› |
Comments
Comments: 21
Visited by: 182 users
| lazarus Posts: 352  |
Good review my friend, you captured the essence that Moonspell probably had at that specific moment. I agree about Trabaruna, one of the best song on this album, so is An Erotic Alchemy.
---- And sometimes I despair At who I've become I have to come to terms With what I've done
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| iaberis Advice Troll Posts: 1698  |
I have nothing more to say. This review tells it all - maybe the best I've read so far. About the album; what I loved most were those folk elements. The vocals were good too, although they were more into Black Metal. Oh... I loved their music, it's an awesome album. Some of my favourite tracks are in here... I have nothing more to say... read the review!
---- Bitch! Please
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| Hamird Lieutenant Posts: 2564  |
This album is very nice, and as Herzebeth said, Alma Mater is the best composed song by Moonspell in all their career. I've listened to this albums over and over and I found this album is one of the best metal albums released in all time.
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| BloodTears ANA-thema Elite Posts: 11835  |
Just noticed, I havent posted here. I think the first Moonspell album is huge. Even Lua D'inverno (winter moon) is brilliant and it captures the essence of the album. I think very few bands have Moonspell's ability to write great, dark, and why not say it, strange music. Wolfshade is my favourite song although I like them all. I even like Trebraruna which in the end sounds like a sailor's song but if you understand portuguese, that kinda changes. Alma Mater is unforgettable and one the best Moonspell songs ever. 
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| THE_BLACK_GOD Account deleted |
THE_BLACK_GOD
Account deleted Written by BloodTears on 19.06.2008 at 15:11 this Album is a Masterpiece. i cant remember that i was readin Dracula book and listenin this album together  @Blood Tears Alma Mater means somthin like Mother Portugal?
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| Hamird Lieutenant Posts: 2564 |
Written by [user id=31891] on 27.06.2008 at 17:21 I've found two meaning for this, one was a kind of School  (which it can't be Moonspells purpose) and the other is an ancient god which I don't remember what kind of god he was. but what ever it was, this song is the best song of Moonspell
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| BloodTears ANA-thema Elite Posts: 11835 |
Written by [user id=31891] on 27.06.2008 at 17:21 Its latin actually. [From Latin Alma Mter, nourishing mother (epithet of certain goddesses) : alma, feminine of almus, nourishing; see al-2 in Indo-European roots + mter, mother; see maternal.] But I do think there is something about Portugal's identity behind that song. Some people might not notice but they use a lot of portuguese history and feeling in their songs. I get that feeling, maybe because I'm portuguese. Or maybe its just my interpretation of their lyrics. The great thing about music is that you can put your own experiences in the songs. You were reading Dracula at the same time? Don't you find Wolfheart a bit scary?
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| THE_BLACK_GOD Account deleted |
THE_BLACK_GOD
Account deleted Written by BloodTears on 27.06.2008 at 18:11 i was listening to that album before that, but a i remember that album is one of those albums which i listen to it always (at least one time each 2 mounths) and when i was readin the book i have a feelling that this is the soundtrack of Dracula book. it was amazin Bloody Tears! i didn scared i enjoyed it so much. remember when vampiric ladies wanted to drink blood, there was a sexy atmosphere at those lines of book and take a look at "An Erotic Alchemy" : "Queen of all my sleepless nights For whose beauty I, Faun have played my pipes, with heart Queen in white silk, skin like milk.... just like that 
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| Slayer666 Posts: 2466  |
Emmm,don't wanna burst your bubble or anything,but this album is just not that good.Sure,good vocals,folk music etc. but guitar rrffs are pretty dull and boring as well as the rythm and melody. IMO,a good 7/10/.
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| Morphis Posts: 80  |
This is probably the metal album that i eared most and after many years sometimes, some of the songs still come to my mind, (most of the times is Alma Mater or Vampiria) and when i go and listen to it again it sound me like the 1st times. This for me is a perfect timeless album that will be with me forever.
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| paradise_lostdk Posts: 6 |
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| Uirapuru Liver Failure Posts: 2955  |
Good album. I especially liked the flute parts on ''Ataegina'', Lua d'Inverno'' and the instruments on ''Trebraruna''. One of the best Moonspell works.
----  ---- member of the true crusade against old school heavy metal, early 80s thrash, NWOBHM, traditional doom, first and second wave black metal, old school death metal, US power metal, 70s prog rock and atmospheric doomsludgestoner. o/
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| Jan Posts: 247  |
This is one of my absolute favorites - one of the few albums that I would rate 10. Love it everytime I get around to listening to it - which is too seldom - always new stuff demanding my attention
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| Vonpire Posts: 471  |
Well i can only say i've listened to this masterpiece more than 1000 times and every time i hear it i get chills over my spine with such amazing music. This is certainly in my top 5 metal albums ever! Long Live to Moonspell.
---- Beware the Shadows of Dusk
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| Himann Orm KrigGud Posts: 1859  |
Giving this another spin right now. Good old memories.
---- To be Draped by the Shadow of your Morbid Palace. Ohh, Hate Living...The only heat is warm blood So Pure... So Cold Transilvanian Hunger
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| Asgard Bard Posts: 2 |
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| Sentenced Odiin gothic.moorion@gmail.com Posts: 260  |
Best Moonspell and best gothic metal album all the time! I haven't heard any other album, which possesses this dark atmosphere as Wolfheart. It can be described as the soundtrack of the night 
---- Life has given me much, maybe taken more...
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| BlankFile Posts: 706 |
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