When heavy metal began to take it's stranglehold on music in the early 1980's, it was countries such as Germany, Britain, the U.S. and Sweden that were at the forefront of musical breeding grounds. Despite the latter establishment of countries such as brazil and Finland, some nations remain curiously quiet when it come to contributing a widely recognized contender. With the release of WOLFHEART, cartographers can now cross Portugal off the list, for MOONSPELL have arrived -- and in elegant fashion.

To study the band's history, one has to chart their lineage back to 1989 when bassist Ares and vocalist Langsuyar united under the name of MORBID GOD. Yet the basis of MOONSPELL didn't come to be until the Autumn of 1992 when the existing sextet was drafted from local talent. Their first and only demo tape was released in January of 1993, a three-song effort entitled Anno Satanae, later accompanied by a two-song 7" through Molon Lave Records in Greece. In January 1994, the group released their debut mini-CD entitled UNTHER THE MOONSPELL through Adipocere Records, a six-song preview of their mystical brand of symphonic black metal.

Response to the mini-CD was so overwhelming that Century Media was prompted to sign them to a long-term agreement, and in late 1994 the band entered Woodhouse Studios in Dortmund with Waldemar Sorychta (who has worked with luminaries such as Tiamat, Samael and his own band Grip Inc.). Recorded in a scant ten days, WOLFHEART is the culmination of their talents and it covers a surprising amount of musical ground within the span of its eight songs. The band are still very young, but their skills are developing at a rapid rate, something evident considering the progression made from their mini-CD to WOLFHEART.

Opening track "Wolfshade" displays their affinity for traditional Portuguese melodies, with Langsuyar's diverse vocal approach alternative between acidic and operatic. Meanwhile, the musical aspects of MOONSPELL come forth on "Trebraruna" (sung in the band's native tongue), "Alma Mater" and the etherial "Love Crimes". Traces of their black metal heritage are set against a stark gothic background for much of their record, with the band coloring in the landscape with the ample of melody, keyboards and choir effects. Most bands tend to delve headlong into heavy-handed atmospherics, but MOONSPELL aren't quite ready to give up their homicidial heritage. It's their seamless mesh of styles that makes WOLFHEART one of the most captivating listening experiences to yet emerge in 1995.