MOONSPELL “Irreligious” /LP + Poster/

The third re-release of the second full-length studio album by legendary Portuguese Gothic Metal band.
If an alien ever visited the Earth and asked “what is Gothic Metal?”, a peace offering of "Irreligious", Moonspell’s groundbreaking 1996 album, would have been the perfect answer to the inhabitant of a far, far away galaxy. "Irreligious" is the jewel of the crown of the style. Because of its prefect balance. Not too little, not too much, this album is the perfect pitch and absolute archetype of Gothic Metal. It is the crossroad where Metal meets Gothic and lead the way to a different style and fusion between the darkened elegance of Goth and the powerful depths of Heavy Metal. At one time modern and classic, it truly survived the test of time with the most amazing the style has ever heard, from the smashing hit-opener "Opium" to Moonspell’s eternal ode to the Moon in the shape of "Full Moon Madness". The latter is usually the closing song during almost every Moonspell concert, which over time has become a characteristic of their concerts. Before the song begins, Fernando Ribeiro often makes the sign of the circle (symbolizing Moon) over the crowd. 
The tracklist in near-perfect, with songs that are lean and catchy but at the same time rich in depth and texture, which ensures the album withstands, and in fact almost invites, repeated listens.
The production is alright, but it causes the guitars to sound thin in a few places. The guitars are midway between heavy and melodic. There are no solos but some interesting leads. The songs have a dark yet upbeat vibe to them. The overall feel is something epic and stylishly evil.
The bass does its own thing for the most part, since there was only one guitarist on this album. He follows the drums but adds a sufficient flare to keep things fascinating. The drums are creative and the beginnings of Miguel coming into his own. There are some underlying keyboards, which are mostly used as background.
The vocals are brilliant and go from a low deathly growl to a more mid-high shriek. The clean vocal is the standard deep Gothic-esq croon. There is also a female vocalist at "Raven Claws".
"Irreligious" is one of those albums that tell a story from beginning to end. The lyrics are poetic, introspective, and expansive. When combined with the highly original music, they create a moody, sexy atmosphere that works well.
"Irreligious" is a sublime album of quintessential Gothic Metal. It is one of those records that define the genre itself, masterfully combining the harshness of Extreme Metal with Dark Atmospheric Gothic Rock. "Irreligious" is a masterpiece. It’s an album that has stood the test of time and has risen to be one of the best records not only in Moonspell’s discography, but also in the genre as a whole!!
Century Media Records Ltd./De Agostini Publishing S.p.A., 1996/2024 (DeAgostini 88). Made in Italy. Pressed in France.


Tracklist:

Side A
1. Perverse...Almost Religious 1:07
2. Opium 2:46
3. Awake 3:05
4. For A Taste Of Eternity 3:53
5. Ruin & Misery 3:48
6. A Poisoned Gift 5:34

Side B
1. Subversion 2:44
2. Raven Claws 3:16
3. Mephisto 4:58
4. Her Spiegelmann 4:35
5. Full Moon Madness 6:47

Total playing time: 42:33 min.


https://moonspell.bandcamp.com/