Moonspell – ‘Extinct’ CD

Moonspell seems to have spent the better part of their twenty-year career jumping between their roots in extreme metal and interest in post-punk and goth rock.

An album or two has come close to marrying the two styles, but most seem to prefer one over the other to the point where 2012’s ‘Alpha Noir/Omega White’ was available as a double album with a disc for each style. Moonspell’s eleventh full-length album is not on the classic level of ‘Wolfheart’ or ‘The Antidote’ but it may be their most successful integration yet.

As someone who enjoys Moonspell’s forays into goth rock about as much as their metal, it is lovely to see the band mix the two styles in a satisfying fashion.

The band’s usual talent for diversity is in great form, and the hooks on ‘The Last Of Us’ and ‘Medusalem’, among others, make this one of the year’s more entertaining efforts.

They will never make anything as genre-defining as ‘Wolfheart’ ever again, but Moonspell is still essential listening for goth fans of all trades.