Moonspell announce new album ‘Hermitage’

November 29, 2020 James Weaver

MOONSPELL have announced a new album!

Titled Hermitage, the upcoming album from the veteran Portuguese gothic metal band is the follow-up to 2017’s 1755 and is scheduled to be released in February next year, via Napalm Records.

The forthcoming album was recorded, mixed and mastered by Jaime Gomez Arellano [PARADISE LOST, PRIMORDIAL, GHOST, SÓLSTAFIR & more] at the Orgone Studios in the UK.

Alongside the announcement of the new album, the band have released the first song from the upcoming album; The Greater Good. Speaking about the new song, vocalist Fernando Ribeiro says, “The Greater Good is a sociological concept implying the benefit of the public, of more people than oneself. To do which is better and more correct. Unfortunately, a lot of wrong- doing and pure evil actions were taken on behalf of this principle both by world leaders, and citizens.

With a “screenplay” designed by myself, and put together by director Guilherme Henriques [GAEREA, CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX, SCHAMMASCH]. The Greater Good strikes at the deep contrast of our priorities as human beings. The plot evidenciate the daily clash between the problems we could never or never wanted to solve; and our “first world preoccupations”. The cult of the body versus the African famine; the killing of the innocent versus the second amendment; the beauty of monuments against the ugliness of violence.

We are all responsible for the things we see here. For the greater good, for the greatest evil. It‘s not a question of race, gender, class or education. It‘s a question of conscience. It‘s vital we renew our communities‘ ties, our humanly behaviour. Only we can save us from ourselves.”

Watch the official lyric video for The Greater Good here:

Continuing to talk about the upcoming album, Riberio continues, “we know that we are entering the final years of our career as musicians: the winter of our lifetime. We don‘t care about people saying we‘re still young at heart, or ‘leading’ wolves in a pack. We are not! But we do care about how those around us feel about us, and this album is all about how we feel, our answers to your questions.

Under these circumstances, we feel our musical stakes are higher than ever. For us, it‘s not about likes or algorithms, reach, or opportunity of growth. We only care about the music. Music does come first on this album you will hold in your hands soon enough. The record is about turning our backs to the conventions of modernity. We are currently convincing ourselves that it‘s all about us, that we (humanity) are everything. That the world revolves around us. However, ipsi facto, we are nothing and nothing revolves around us. MOONSPELL‘s goal, on these last turns around the Sun, are to write the best music we possibly can. To tell you a few stories with our lyrics, to be close to you in these times of distancing. We wish not to tease you or to influence you or to sell you our fish. We want to sit down with you at your table and feast together upon our notes and words. Like if we were close friends, like back in the time where music matters the most. In your bedroom listening to music, without having to post our smart remarks about it, inviting the hate in.

Hermitage is an open-hearted invitation to simplicity. To be humble. To be thankful. To serve you solace. Provide you comfort, entertainment. We sincerely hope this call reaches you. That you kindly accept what we offer. That you take our music with you to the place you must feel as yours. To your secret place, to your hermitage. Blessed be.”

Also, you can view both the track list and artwork for the upcoming album below:

Track List:

1. The Greater Good
2. Common Prayers
3. All or Nothing
4. Hermitage
5. Entitlement
6. Solitarian
7. The Hermit Saints
8. Apophthegmata
9. Without Rule
10. City Quitter (Outro)