Moonspell - Irreligious
1996 Century Media
by Uncle Meat

Quick Summary:
I never really liked this album.  I wrote it off in a review for the old Kicked In The Face.  I still don’t much care for it, but I have discovered individual things I like on this album.  I might have been in a rush on the earlier review, to find some things wrong with the album.  Its a good thing I went back to review it because there are some gems on this album.  Still it doesn't make up for the crap present here, as well.

Portugal's Moonspell have always treaded the goth/metal line very well.  They could best be described as a cross of Type O Negative/Cradle Of Filth.  They are a great band at storytelling and the lyrics prove that.  One of the biggest problems I have with this band is the vocals.  Fernando’s “clean” vocals just grate on my ears.  He comes across sounding like a less masculine Peter Steel.  However his “dirty” vocals are exceptional.  The musicianship and production are exceptional, as well.

Website:  www.moonspell.com

Song Summaries:

1. Perverse...Almost Religious - 1 minute and 10 seconds of bells, chants, keyboards and sound effects.  B
2. Opium - Starts out with a pretty straight forward rock approach.  The verse is terrible with just a voice and drums and some little guitar noises.  The second part of the verse picks up when Fernando used a harsher voice.  B-
3. Awake - Starts out mellow and picks up a little during the verses section.  The chorus section gets much heavier with some distortion.  Still not so good.  C 
4. For A Taste of Eternity - Repeating the song title for the first 30 seconds is a little annoying.  The contrast of Fernando’s soft vocals along side the harsher rhythm parts doesn't work as well as when both elements are harsh.  The drum and what sounds like a flute section towards the end is a yawn fest.  C
5. Ruin & Misery - Whatever good this track had going for it, mostly atmosphere, is ruined by the vocal crushing the rest of the instruments.  C
6. A Poisoned Gift - Wind, sound effects, vocals, keyboards and drums.  About 30 seconds in we hear a scream.  Even the emergence of the guitars and harsh vocals can’t save this song form its fate:  pure filler.  One positive note:  the guitar lead which comes in almost 3 minutes into the song is really good, but the song should have ended there.  Instead it goes on.  D+
7. Subversion - Almost makes me want to dance.  Almost.  D
8. Raven Claws - Nice opening bass line, nice guitar chords.  Birgit Zacher provides some nice female counter vocals.  A heavy Thompson Twins.  C+
9. Mephisto - Most of this track is slow ballad-y music.  The song becomes much heavier in the chorus part, and after the three minute mark.  The last minute + the song descends into goth worship territory. C
10. Herr Spiegelmann - I like the carnival beginning.  The guitar work on this track is some of the most interesting on the album.  Surprisingly heavy in parts.  B-
11. Full Moon Madness - Howling wolves.  It might just be me, but I swear the opening guitar chords sound like they belong on 2112.  Some nice keyboard shading along with some heavier/doomier riffing towards the end.  However at 6+ minutes this song drones on for too long.  B- 

Average Song Rating:  C
Overall Album Rating:  C+