I have had the pleasure to follow the Moonspell since its begging with the release of the “Wolfheart” album. I do think that 1996 was a milestone year for the band as they released “Irreligious”, their best album to date (according to Fernando as well), which made the band known all over the world and put them among the top bands of the gothic metal scene.
Many years have passed since then and the band has released several albums all of which had that Moonspell trademark and quality. “Hermitage” is no exception to that. The band started working on the album before the pandemic and even though they faced some issues with the recordings, cuz the pandemic hit them as well, they managed to overcome all the problems and come up with a truly strong album.
“Hermitage” is different than “1755”. It kinda follows the band’s 90s and early 00s music path. It’s utterly atmospheric, with gothic elements, eerie moments, and nice melodies along with some modern passages. Moreover the stripped down sound makes it easier on the ear. Obviously “Hermitage” does need a few spins so as to get into it, but as soon as you do so, you will be entirely pleased with the final outcome. Moonspell have come up with a remarkable new album that it both honours their roots and looks into the future…
