Moonspell_Texas

Live reportage by Matthew "Newbreed99" Haumschild_

[The public use of these photos is strictly prohibited without written permission]

FROM USA

MOONSPELL

DIVINE HERESY SECRETS OF THE MOON SUICIDE OPERA

Ridglea Theater – Ft. Worth Texas USA November 5^th 2009

The Antidote

Moonspell live in Thessaloniki 2005

Moonspell live in Thessaloniki 2004

FOTOS:

Truth be told, I flew out to Dallas/Ft. Worth to see Samael. But Samael wasn’t going to be there because, according to them, their record label wouldn’t fund their tour. What the fuck ever I say. I was going to see the show anyway. Moonspell put on a great show last time I saw them so I hope they’d be worth it and Divine Heresy is a decent band too, not nearly as good as Samael though. Secrets of the Moon I’d never heard of and Suicide Opera was a local band. There were two other bands that played that night but I don’t remember their names and to be honest, were just okay and not really worth reporting here.

Suicide Opera, for a local band actually sounded very good. I felt that there were a step away from creating something really good. Suicide Opera sounded like a heavy-modern-rock band. I thought they were a step above the other opening acts. The drumming was solid, the singing was very good, the guitar player played heavy and sounded great too. I’d say, find them on myspace and see for yourself. Although they were the best sounding local band that night…nothing could have prepared me for what came next.

Secrets of the Moon fucking rocked. It was truly night and day between local-American modern rock band and European Black/Death/Doom metal. SOTM was completely professional, in the way they sounded and the way they presented themselves. I was very impressed by them. The drumming some of the best I’ve seen in a long time. The music….oh the music! The songs were long, dark, heavy, every good thing I could say I would. My only complaint was that I thought they were a little over the top with the evil-dark thing. Don’t get me wrong, metal is all about the negative. But there’s only so much you can do with Lucifer. I felt that the themes they were singing about were over done and unoriginal, but the music is what impressed me. I’m already looking for their CD and so should you.

Divine Heresy is what I expected. I had seen them one other time with Dark Tranquillity I think. The first thing I noticed is that Dino Cazares (Fear Factory) got bigger. Yes, I know the man is a big but…he gained even more weight. But I don’t think he cares though. He sounded good. Their new singer, who lives in Texas when he’s not touring, sounded great on the old stuff and new stuff. DH was the heaviest band of the night and they put on a great show. During the 2^nd or 3^rd track, Dino actually got off stage to play in the pit!!! That was cool I might have seen that one other time ever, but it was cool as fuck that he did it and the crowd went nuts!

Now, Moonspell put on a great show. They had a projector that would display images and videos behind them. Ridglea was perfect for that. I loved the light show too. Although I was a little surprised when Mike came out with a Pearl drum kit, I thought he was endorsed by DW. No matter. Moonspell played more than a few songs from Wolfheart, but they always do and that’s my complaint to them, they never play anything from Darkness and Hope or from Sin/Pecado or The Butterfly Effect. But they rocked the place with Alma Mater and Scorpion Flower. I was surprised at the reaction for Scorpion Flower, a lot of the crowd knew the words to it. The majority of the show, the crowd kept yelling out names to songs for them to play, which I thought was odd. I’ve been to a lot of shows in my day but that was the most I’ve ever heard a crowd requesting songs. I should point out that another highlight of the show was when they played “The Southern Deathstyle.” They tore it up with that track.

Bottom line is, Moonspell is a great band, and I just wish they’d have a larger following. Divine Heresy stole the show with how heavy they were and Secrets of the Moon shocked everyone. Everyone was talking about them after they played. Everyone wanted a CD or a shirt. The next day when I went to the Crow Collection of Asian Art in Dallas, I saw a fan with their shirt. Good stuff. In a way, I wish Moonspell would have played with another band like Katatonia again or Opeth or bands that aren’t as fast are heavy as those other two bands.