Now if you are at all familiar with Moonspell you probably are aware that this early material was tough to come by. In fact it is likely that committed fans of the band may have never even heard the majority of these songs, mostly because they are not what you would call “easily accessible.” So without question, for true fans of the band, this release is like a Christmas morning (or something like that). For others who are, or were, just somewhat interested in the band, this is an intriguing listen and great history lesson as one can witness the birth of a sound that would evolve into Portugal's finest.

Surprisingly, the sounds on Under Satanae are not as primitive as you might think. In fact you will be surprised to know that many of these songs sound as if they would fit right in with a modern sounding Moonspell record. This may have something to do with the quality re-recording or just the wickedness of the last couple Moonspell albums. Still though, it must be said that these early tracks are darker and more sinister than those same recent records. The band was obviously heavily influenced by the 90s black metal movement and it is not until later on that their more gothic tones would become dominant. It is actually lyrically where Moonspell comes across as much more extreme, particularly on the last track “Serpent Angel”. As the oldest song available on the album, it is truly an engaging listen as the black metal beginnings of the band are on display, yet the talent is clearly evident, and even the song structure itself can be seen as a foreshadowing of some of the great works to follow.

All in all this is a disc that really must be had by all Moonspell fans, and I would recommend it to anyone who has ever heard and been interested in the band. In all honesty it was a great move to release this album, not only so people can hear these songs for the first time, but also to get listeners fired up for the new record, which I am now itching to hear…

written by Joe Grammatico

Playing time: 50.32