When you think about Metal from that comes from Portugal, there's really only one name that comes to mind for most Metalheads - MOONSPELL. Starting out in 1989 under the moniker MORBID GOD, MOONSPELL has worked extraordinarily hard to make their name mean something within the international Metal community. From great Black Metal records like "Wolfheart" to their more recent Gothic style, MOONSPELL have always strived to deliver the highest quality albums possible. Their newest album, "Memorial", is out now on SPV/Steamhammer.

First off, how's the tour going?

"Well, it's a hard tour. It's MOONSPELL headlining, so it just takes a lot of responsibility and also it's a different experience for us, but I think it started off not very well for the bands because we had two very rough shows. But now, I think it's coming together and I think it's being a great experience and we're learning a lot as a band and as individuals from this tour. And I think that people coming to the shows are really having a blast with the three bands. Obviously, we get a lot of feedback online, MySpace, etcetera... and we could finally bring our own show. It depends on the venue, like today, it's a very small venue, so we cannot put our scenery up or all of that."

Not the best venue.

"Not the best venue, yeah - we've played here before and it's not the best, but we now have to learned how to adapt to the American reality, which is very different from European reality, at least for MOONSPELL and KATATONIA. So basically, we do our best to have intense shows and I think people are realizing and appreciating that. The New York show was amazing, all of Canada was amazing, we had smaller shows like Detroit and Cleveland and Aurora that were probably not as spectacular visually, but that had a lot of feeling and a lot of chemistry. So despite the problems, and I'm very straightforward in saying this, I'm very honest - despite the problems, kind of things we have to grab inside us to make these shows happen, I think... I feel positive about this tour. It's a long fought battle, but I think we're winning territory, definitely."

So what do you think about AGALLOCH opening tonight's show?

"I have no idea, man. I heard about this band, I read in this Portuguese Metal mag and there was an interview there with AGALLOCH. I know they have some followers in Europe, but honestly, I have no idea, I've never heard their music, so I cannot say. I hope they are a good band."

You're in for a treat then.

"All right, cool."

Now what's the deal with the delays on the DVD?

"Wow, man. That's our "Chinese Democracy" thing. I mean, we worked very hard for the DVD and we made our best to have a cool DVD for our fans, but I think when Century Media got to be a bigger label, I think they forgot a little bit about their roots and about the way they should work out the bands, so they throw all this bureaucracy and lawyer stuff at us and that prevented us of releasing the DVD. So basically, I'm still waiting. Basically I'm still waiting on a confirmation of a release date for that DVD, but I think if it don't happen sooner than later, like early next year or probably up to the end of the year. I think the best we have to do is to erase everything we did so far, which is a shame, 'cause there's a lot of cool stuff on that DVD, and just start over again and fortunately, we have a lot of companies interested in releasing a MOONSPELL DVD. We had a fan expectation as well, for this DVD and we have our own expectations about and I'm so tired of waiting, more than probably any fan, because the fan has this "I want to see it." But I already saw it myself and worked very hard on it and so far we've ended up with nothing, so basically, we're waiting on Century Media and let's see what they can come up with when they solve their problems within their own structure."

Speaking of Century Media, how do you feel about your jump from Century Media to SPV?

"I think it was a very right decision, because that jump, as you call it, allowed MOONSPELL to do lots of stuff that was holding... to unblock a lot of situations that were holding the band back. So basically, we left Century Media because of three main reasons. One of them was more of a sentimental reason - I don't think Century Media is the place for Avant-Garde bands, for bands with personality, bands with identity that used to be in the nineties, like with us, TIAMAT, with SAMAEL, with THE GATHERING. They were probably the most original bands ever to come in the nineties scene. So basically, nowadays, they put out... they don't have this artistic feeling or artistic side to them anymore. And I'm being very blunt here - that's what I feel after spending ten years and seeing so much... bands coming and going from Century Media, and so I don't think they make enough efforts to keep MOONSPELL as a Century Media band, I think they took us a little bit for granted, while we had excellent offers from other labels and I think that after ten years, even though I have lots of friends, especially in Century Media Europe, I think MOONSPELL and Century Media didn't have creatively nothing to say to eachother and there were some things that they never allowed us to do like licensing our albums to bigger labels, like for instance, in Portugal, or our own merch rights, so we had to get rid of this deal so that we could have more control and we could have a more fair income from the band, because with Century Media, it didn't matter if we sell a hundred or a thousand records - we were always having the same problems with the editions, we were always having the same "no's" to tour support or this or that, so basically, we started again even though how much I love Century Media, because I do; all my favorite records are theirs in a way and it was our dream label. I think that dream was over and we have to go to a more... (a couple words here are indecipherable on the tape) ...and SPV, especially SPV USA, which is a brand new company and not so established as Century Media, but are doing their best to MOONSPELL so far with their limited powers or whatever. They have done more for MOONSPELL than Century Media in all those years in America."

All right, how has the reception for "Memorial" been?

"Well, first and foremost, we have to say we were very happy with this record. When we left the studio, we thought 'hey, we did a good record, we did a good Metal record.' It's extreme, it's heavier, but it's still musical. So that was the best reaction, was us being very happy about the record. When we started playing it live, we were even happier because the songs came across really powerful live. And then we released the album and you never know, you know - there's so many bands, so many offers in the scene, but so far all the reviews have been smashing; people, old fans, new fans are coming together to appreciate this album and it's a very special and magical album for MOONSPELL because, after all, it's our seventh album, eighth record together with 'Under The Moonspell" and it's a record full of energy and full of vitality and full of creativity without compromise. And that's exactly what we wanted to do and to arrive here, even if we sold one copy, to arrive here and do such a record, it's very, very special to us, but fortunately, the reviews are, as I say, smashing everywhere; Europe, United States, all other territories and the sales are coming together as well, so I think it was definitely the right album to do at this time of our career."

Now your transference from more of a Black Metal style to the current more Gothic style; was that more of a natural transition or was it a conscious decision?

"I'd say it was a little bit of both, I mean, because I find to do music, you have to be a music lover and a music listener. And the good music listener does not limit himself just to one style. You see your jacket - you have KING DIAMOND and you have SOILWORK and have a MASTODON shirt. So these are, inside the Metal scope, three very different bands. So I never really concerned about going by the book, you know. I think Metal teaches to write our own lines in this same book. That's why it's such a diverse style of music and that's why it's such a special and enduring style of music, so basically, MOONSPELL was always a restless band creatively. Our biggest inspiration, which is CELTIC FROST and BATHORY, were always restless bands. You pick up 'Twilight Of The Gods', It doesn't have anything to do with 'Under The Sign Of The Black Mark'. So basically, that's our role models. With our generation, with our influences and the Gothic thing, it's something that has to do a little bit with imagery, it has to do a little bit with also with lyrics and with the dark musical atmosphere, because I think when properly done, this Gothic Metal stuff can be something really, really cool. I don't mean... what people now call Gothic Metal, they go as far as people saying EVANESCANCE, which are a Pop band, being Metal or Gothic because they are not. Gothic is, for instance, (FIELDS OF) NEPHILIM, which is fucking dark and sounds like SLAYER. Gothic Metal is 'Irreligious' or a little bit TYPE O NEGATIVE as well. So basically, all these bands like FIELDS OF NEPHILIM, TYPE O were very influential for MOONSPELL. So basically, in '96 we did 'Irreligious' and it turned out to be a trademark of the Gothic Metal style as well. So basically, these are two currents, even though MOONSPELL is a much more Metal band on its origins and roots and beliefs. I think this Gothic elegance and perspective are very important to add something extra into our music and we did not do it because it's trendy or it's fashionable or whatever, because our roots in Gothic go way back into literature, go way back into Classical and Baroque music and go way back to the bands, such as FIELDS OF NEPHILIM or early SISTERS OF MERCY, bands that the kids that... whatever, like, Goths nowadays never heard of to start with or ECHO AND THE BUNNYMEN or even THE CURE, SIOUXSIE SUE AND THE BANSHEES, you know; all these are very important names to our pre-Gothic influence or our Gothic influence. So I think with MOONSPELL, every step... it always conveys a conscious decision because we are thoughtful people and we like to do music that has a reason and a structure and a meaning, as well. But then again, we write from the heart as well, and I don't believe that the things have to be completely separated from eachother. I think it's like when you live, you have rational and irrational behaviors and they are both human behavior. So in music, I think we can use the same perspective and the same metaphor."

Okay, thoughts on winning the award for "Best Portuguese Act" at the MTV European Awards yesterday?

"Oh, you already know that? (laughs) News travels very fast. Put it this way, the first contact we had with MTV was censorship. Back in '96, they censored our video, 'Opium', on Headbanger's Ball when it was broadcast and hosted by Vanessa Warwick. And then they made a huge special on MOONSPELL and they apologized to us and all of that. Forward ten years, we won 'Best Portuguese Act' in a European level contest. And we were probably together with LORDI from Finland, the only Metal bands, competing with multi-Platinum Hip-Hop and Pop artists to do that and I feel happy of that. I know that it won't probably bring us anything special, I won't go being a rock star now, because I won an award - I still don't even have the award. (laughs) You know, we were playing yesterday in Seattle when it was announced. So basically, it's important for us as a band, especially locally in Portugal. It's important as a change of mentality - someone that censored us ten years ago is now awarding us. That's something that we have definitely to regard as positive. On the other hand, it's important for Portuguese Metal. It's totally unknown abroad and now probably with this can help... like, to help our scene to be visible, because people think 'hey, here's the Portuguese fans'. Some abroad as well, but Portuguese fans have voted for this - they wanted people abroad to know that they support Metal instead of Hip-Hop or Pop like in any other country. So I think that's very important for us and for our fans, so that Portuguese Metal gains strength and visibility. And I think that MOONSPELL is tired of carrying this fucking cross alone, you know? We want more Portuguese bands on the road, we want to share the bus with Portuguese bands, we want to share our views with them, we want them to come out of their closet in a way. Everything counts and everything helps and I think this is definitely very helpful for the Portuguese Metal scene and for MOONSPELL as a band, as well."

Back to that, do you think it was more difficult for you to break out onto the international Metal scene being from Portugal, as opposed to if you came from a country that'd better known for it's Metal, like Sweden or Germany?

"Definitely. There's no doubt about that. Still to today people, some people, make fun of our Latino roots, our Portuguese roots because they have no idea where's Portugal and they do not connect Portugal with Metal. So we still have some prejudice against it. On the other side, it helps us a lot, as well, especially in central Europe and Germany where there was this type of Metal where people were searching for very ethnic stuff. So a band from Portugal, with Portuguese roots in literature and words and all of that was definitely something they embraced very much and still today, there's people that look at MOONSPELL, 'hey, they're Portuguese, let's check them out,' while the other end is 'they're Portuguese, so they cannot even speak English' or whatever. There's both sides. But obviously, not having a scene and Lisbon is not Stockholm or Gothenburg, makes MOONSPELL start off in a weaker position, obviously. When you hear about a Swedish band, you're curious to check it because they have a brand of quality there. I mean, they have too many bands as well, to be honest and not all of them are good, but on the other hand, they can help eachother and there is a scene. Like for instance, when we kick out someone of the band, when we want a new member, it's a nightmare to search in Portugal. While probably in Sweden, it's just knock at the next door and the guy comes and fills the shoes of the other guys. So yeah, we fought ten times as hard as probably an American or English or especially a Scandinavian band, because there they have definitely a very good structure, even government-wise, to start a band and have this investment and risking out and all of that and take it from there. So yeah, I think it helped us creatively and artistically, but career and working-wise, it's definitely... it's way hard. You don't know what we went through in Portugal to play Metal. And other bands as well, but I think we were more.. focused than the other bands, so…"

All right, what was the reason behind the name change from MORBID GOD to MOONSPELL?

"I think it's very obvious, because MORBID GOD was just a juvenile name, was a very childish name and related to only to very one dimensional Black Metal, anti-Christian stuff. And also, there was MORBID DEATH, MORBID GOD, MORBID ANGEL, which is a great name from all the Morbids. Morbid whatever... So we wanted to find a name back then that conveyed more to our music and that could show us more serious to the scene and that could, in a way, appeal more to a certain, how can I say... certain, more... broader horizons of our music and I feel that MOONSPELL still relates very much to what we do to our imagery, to our songs, to our lyrics, to our performance live, so we were quite lucky that we found this name and it wasn't taken by anyone, so basically, it's still a name that represents us very much and I'm glad we changed it."

Okay, what were the circumstances behind the cover of "I'll See You In My Dreams"?

"Well, not a big story. I mean, there's this friend of ours called Philip that is a Jazz piano player and is totally obsessed about zombie movies and Romero and you name it and he had a dream of making a Portuguese zombie movie. So we gathered all the best actors, best bands, best musicians that could in a way help with his visions. So basically, he said that only MOONSPELL could do this song, so basically, he just presented us a Jazz standard called 'I'll See You In My Dreams' and we listened to it and we're like, 'what the fuck are we going to do with this?' But he asked us to do a zombie march, so we just did like a march of zombies, Death Metal tune out of that and from that moment on, it just became a cult song and a cult movie. We never released it officially. I don't know, it belongs to the movie now, it's out on DVD as well; you can buy it as an import. It's going to be licensed in Germany and all of that. It was great fun. We got to, you know, shoot a video clip killing zombies, being inside of that whole movie imagery and atmosphere. So basically, it started off as a favor to a friend and also helping out fulfill his dream. Some people dream about a big car, he dreamed about a zombie movie. That's totally fair, so we made our best to help him; we worked completely free of charge and just paid for the studio expenses that were very cheap and then... 'cause we recorded in our own studio and took it from there and it was a wonderful experience. We love Philip and we are always willing to work with him whenever he needs MOONSPELL."

Do you have a favorite promotional video?

"Well, I like very much all our videos because we don't do it just for promotional reasons. I think when you want to be a visual band the video is a great opportunity to live up to your words. I think our best videos are the new one, 'Finisterra', definitely because it's hard, it's focused on the band and it has all these things - it looks very big and apocalyptic; that's exactly what I wanted and I think that videos for 'Darkness And Hope' and 'Antidote', 'Nocturna' and 'Everything Invaded' are small movies, you know. There were made by a friend of ours called Tiago (Guedes) in Portugal with all Portuguese crew recorded in Portugal and it was a great experience and he has a great talent for movies - I compare him a little bit, even though he's Portuguese, I hope he breaks in the international scene because he's a potential Shyamalan, you know M. Night Shyamalan, or even Darren Aronofsky. He has this talent and he's very good at directing video clips. I'll say these three last videos… we have a new one now, it's a bit more childish, for 'Luna' and it's being released now as we speak. It was premiered on MTV Portugal when we won the award and it's like Tim Burton kind of stuff; more childish, more gothic, like... you know… teenage gothic or something like that, but it's a very cool video and I like it as well. But I would say my favorite video would be 'Nocturna', then 'Finisterra', and then 'Everything Invaded'."

All right, is there anything else you'd like to add?

"Well, man, just thank you for your support and for the interview and I hope that people will come to the show and enjoy these three good bands - MOONSPELL, KATATONIA and DAYLIGHT DIES, which are a fine, fine band right here from the U.S. - North Carolina, a little bit far from here and we hope to come back soon to the U.S. and that people check out 'Memorial', MySpace, MOONSPELL; just get in tough, say 'hi'. Communicate and make yourself appear in a way." [FIN]