Moonspell – Far From God | Metal Territory

Country: Portugal

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Genre: Gothic Metal

Release: July 3, 2024

For fans of: My Dying Bride, Paradise Lost, Tiamat, Type O Negative

REVIEW | Metal Territory

Moonspell return with Far From God and continue what has defined them for three decades: each album different from the last. Fernando Ribeiro and the band this time choose a clear return to their gothic roots, with a strong romantic atmosphere, dark drama and an aesthetic that recalls the literary period of Romanticism.

The album comes with a striking cover by Eliran Kantor, which perfectly captures the central theme: distance from the divine, from love, from human connection. An image that seems tender but hides alienation and darkness — exactly like the music of the record.

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Musically, Far From God moves in lower tones than the symphonic Opus Diabolicum, but that’s to be expected. Here Moonspell choose a more personal, more emotional approach. The guitars have a low tuning, the keyboards build atmosphere, and Ribeiro’s voice is more expressive than ever.

“Cross Your Heart” opens the record with a clear influence from ’80s gothic rock, tied to modern gothic metal. The title track “Far From God” brings back all of Moonspell’s mythology, with a strong vampire aesthetic and a heavy, melodic structure. “Biblical” has a guitar style that recalls early U2, but with the dark atmosphere that defines the band. “Our Freedom to Fall” and “Reconquista” show Ribeiro in excellent form, with vocal lines full of emotion and drama.

Far From God is an album that will divide — and that’s exactly the point. Moonspell don’t repeat themselves. They choose to surprise, to change, to explore. And here they succeed with a record that is deeply gothic, atmospheric and full of character.