Moonspell
Hermits Are a Good Metaphor for Modern World

20.06.2022

"Hermitage", the latest album by Portuguese dark metallers Moonspell, came out in February 2021 and amazingly matched the contemporary events worldwide in terms of the atmosphere, mood and overall concept. By that time many people had already experienced due to pandemic what it was like to be a hermit or to stay in solitude — by their own will or because of restrictions and circumstances. We talked to Moonspell frontman Fernando Ribeiro about what modern people and ancient hermits have in common, how to combine artistic will with the need to take care of financial matters, and why the band considers the drummer's replacement a good decision. The interview itself was also peculiar for the manner in which Fernando did it — he got our questions via email and recorded his answers as an mp3 file, which is something we’d never experienced before.

Could you please tell us a bit about the general idea behind "Hermitage"? Ricardo Amorim (guitar) said in a previous interview that there is no single storyline in the album, but the songs are still connected on a conceptual level, aren't they? Do you think it is possible to turn yourself into a hermit in modern world?

Well, the concept behind "Hermitage" came out first as a realization of the world we live in — that it's a world based on connectivity, especially with the advent of the Internet and all the opportunities it brings us in communicating with people, versus the authenticity of those connections which are not very strong. They are not blood ties, they are not friendship ties, they are just things that are very fragile, they are very thin lines and not strong ropes, let's call it this way. And observing that from the philosophical point of view, let's call it this way, I thought that we were stonewalling ourselves, building walls and creating a kind of hermitage around us. Then I started to read more about hermits, about the desert fathers, about the feverish relationship, about the struggle between good and evil, everything revolves a little bit around that in our world. So I decided that the hermits and their way of life was a good metaphor for the modern world, it is still around in many forms, but especially for the solitude we deeply feel, the longing, the melancholy, even when we are surrounded with stimuli, and people, and messages, and orders. So, we tried to write an album [about that], and musically it happens to be a little bit more peaceful, smoother, more atmospheric and, obviously, it is about to reflect this clash between the solitude and crowds, and where we stand.

Whether it's possible to turn yourself into a hermit these days — well, some people do it. We have the hikikomori from Japan, they are just teenagers that cannot handle the speed and aggression of the Japanese working system. They are afraid to go to work, they are afraid to die of exhaustion. So they close themselves in their parents' places, their only way into the world is, actually, the virtual one, they order food, etc. They are kind of modern day hermits. Metaphors apart, yes, it's still possible to turn yourself into a hermit, when you sever all the ties with society and just mind about your own business — that's a more negative approach to it. Or when you search for your own individual place where you can close your eyes and rest, which is the most positive outcome, like a kind of social meditation.

Are all band members involved in forming the concept of a Moonspell album or do they leave it all to you? Or is it different from album to album?

Well, we have different tasks in Moonspell. My task is definitely to come up with concepts. I am a person that is very interested in culture, art, literature, that's my thing. Just like other musicians who are interested in other stuff like religion, or Satanism, or gaming, or rubber ducks, we always find and pile up the material that we definitely want to write about, to research into it enough to make a kind of underlying concept for an album. With Moonspell it's almost like working for cinema, let's call it this way, there is a script, there is a score, and when we join together — me, Pedro (Paixao, keyboards — ed.) and Ricardo — we listen to each other's ideas, and it seems like the lyrics fit a particular atmosphere, or song, or riff, or part. And then it's almost like the relationship between a script and a soundtrack. It works very well for Moonspell, it's very creative, it's very, let's call it this way, interesting as well. That's the thing we kind of split. Obviously, we are intervening in each other's parts, that's being in the band, positively, constructively as well. But I'm the one that came up with the concepts since "Wolfheart" (1995). "Wolfheart", "1755" — they all result from my readings and my creative mind, definitely.

Russian fans of Moonspell will not forgive me if I don't ask this question. The departure of Mike Gaspar was a big surprise to all of us. I know that you agreed with senhor Mike not to make details public, but at least, was this decision driven by creative differences or by personal circumstances? Do you still maintain any contact with senhor Mike?

Well, the departure of our ex-drummer may come as a surprise to everyone because we are very discreet in what we do. And it’s our ex-drummer that doesn't want us to reveal any details about his departure. So, what I can say it's more for professional reasons, not for personal ones. I've always been a friend with our ex-drummer, a dedicated friend. We don't maintain any contact but that wasn't our choice, that was the choice of our ex-drummer. So, I can only wish him the best, we parted ways. I think Moonspell is a better band right now, with a better drummer. We tried to make it friendly but it takes two to tango, and Mike wanted to pursue another way. Like I've said, I just wish him the best. It's a chapter closed in the history of Moonspell. We thank him for the legacy. We tried everything but sometimes things just come to an end. I wish him all the best with his new band. And no hard feelings, but we had to preserve Moonspell.

How did you meet new drummer Hugo Ribeiro? Why did the band choose senhor Hugo to be the new member of the wolfpack?

I wasn't involved in the choosing of Hugo, because of my personal relationship with our ex-drummer I didn't want to be involved in it. But Pedro that is the musical director of Moonspell, so to speak, he makes the musical decisions, already knew about Hugo's work and he selected him, you know, to be the Moonspell drummer. As far as I am concerned I'm very happy because we got ourselves an amazing drummer and an amazing band member as well. And he's got a lot of enthusiasm, I think Moonspell has a lot of profit when it comes to ideas, atmosphere, comradeship, and also drum playing because in the end of the day that's what counts — to be able to serve the band properly, with style and, obviously, with your own work and talent. I couldn't be happier with Hugo. Hugo is a very nice person, an amazing person, an amazing band member, and an amazing drummer. So, I think that we are the ones that got lucky with all the situation because Hugo really solved a lot of the Moonspell problems, and we are so happy and so excited, even that we got a Portuguese drummer to play for Moonspell. I think people will see that we made an amazing choice.

Not so long ago you organized a new official fan club, Wolfpack, on Patreon with several levels of participation. What surprises and interesting activities do you have there for the fans that have already entered the fan club or are willing to join it?

Many of the fans wanted a little bit more of Moonspell, and there are also people that want to support Moonspell in a stronger way according to their financial possibilities so we tried to create something that could have more content. We moved a lot of what we did in social networking into this Wolfpack. You can see exclusive live shows that we record, cover versions that we record in the studio, there is my blog over there, "The Eternal Spectator", there is also my podcast about "Hermitage". There is a lot of content really, from live shows up to free merch — when you are in the certain tree area, you don't pay for the Moonspell new records, etc. So, yes, it's just a sign of times. Obviously, we thank the fans that have joined it, maybe it wouldn't exist without the big crisis that is affecting musicians all around the world. But it's just a cool way and we work very hard for Patreon and Wolfpack in order to have all this content available every Monday, every Friday, the last thing we put was an exclusive all-trees, all-levels rehearsal of the song "Without Rule" from "Hermitage". And people are really responsive, they really love it. So, yes, I think, it's a good idea, it's going really, really well.

There are quite a lot of lengthy "playlists" of atmospheric music for work and studying on the Internet. Due to pandemic and staying at home for a long time such music becomes more and more popular. What is your point of view on the popularity of such kind of music? Did you pay attention to this trend while writing music for "Hermitage"?

I have always loved atmospheric music. I don't know about those playlists for studying, etc. Actually, when I'm reading or studying, music for me becomes more of a background. And music for me is, fortunately, very distracting. So, when I'm really listening to a record, sometimes I'm not doing anything else, maybe reading or having a drink. So, I don't know, really, if this music is popular or not.

I loved popular music once in my life, especially in the 80s. Right now I'm not too tuned with the popular stuff because it's more styles that I really don't like or that I don't appreciate, but that doesn't mean anything. Actually, when we are writing stuff we are kind of open to the world, to a certain part of the world, to a certain section of the world, but not to others, really. We had no idea if atmospheric music, playlists, student playlists, etc. were that popular. I had no idea. We listen to a few bands, especially symphonic rock or progressive rock, some other bands, like post rock or post black metal, that are really atmospheric, but in the end of the day I don't think that really influences the writing of Moonspell that much if something is popular or not. I don't know if we pay attention to the trends, really. We are very, very keen on doing our own stuff. If it's popular, if it comes from here and there, I can... I will in the interview name our influences, but I don't think that listening to the playlists made by someone else was truly an influence for "Hermitage".

Your music is very beautiful and always gives listeners hope. But why is the latest album so very sad and so intimate at the same time? It really sounds very personal to me.

Well, we said it all. Our music is a mixture of darkness and hope, we even have an album called that way. But I think it's not surprising because that's what life is, at least for a Portuguese citizen and maybe for a Russian. We shift between a very, very dark reality and then glimpses of hope. When I listen to Russian music or read Russian literature I can find it as well. Even in the most absurd stories I can find the so-called resilience of the Russian mind. And it's a country that has such more troubled story than Portugal. I think music, I don't know but naively speaking, yes, it's a kind of beacon of hope or a shed of light that you can sometimes step into. And I think music, that people say it's worth for nothing, you use it for everything — to meet friends, to play at funerals, to play at births. So, I think that being useless, music is one of the most useful things that you can have, it's just not tangible, it's not food or wine or money.

I don't think the album is sad or heartbroken. It's just a very real album. The lyrics are non-fiction sometimes. You know, we had a time of fiction, "Irreligious" (1996) with the vampires and the rituals, "Wolfheart", even some later albums, like "1755" — it's more historical. But I believe that it's just like the music and the lyrics are very stripped down, they are stripped off layers and metaphors. It was the kind of staff that I wanted to write, so I didn't choose it, it's just a question of what you want to express. Sometimes it really chooses you, and not the other way around. So, yes, it's a very personal album, best listened when you have a personal moment. And I think Moonspell music has always been personal. I think, especially with aging, with being a little bit older, already almost reaching 50 years of age, we let things of our lives penetrate more into the music. In the beginning we tried to avoid that, we thought our lives were, you know, meaningless and they didn't have what we thought would have the impact of the story about a vampire or a werewolf. But I think time and experience changed it, so, I think that nowadays the subject of Moonspell music has a lot to do with our personal lives. And I don't mean waking up, drinking coffee and going to the supermarket, but that kind of magic that has also living and surviving in this world, the resistance, so to speak, in such an unfair world with such a lack of humanity. I think that's also one of the subjects, if not the main subject of "Hermitage".

In the "All or Nothing Making of" video the band mentions that senhor Pedro and senhor Ricardo used very special music instruments. The video says: "To illustrate their commitment to music, Ricardo and Pedro used two of the most famous and important instruments in the history of rock: a Fender Telecaster and a Fender Rhodes". Could you tell us more about these instruments? Why is using them so important and symbolic? Did senhor Ricardo and senhor Pedro play all parts on the album using the Fender Telecaster and the Fender Rhodes?

Well, Fender Telecaster and Rhodes — they are symbolic because nowadays you emulate everything, and most of the music, I have nothing against it, but most of the music is strict post production tricks. This time around Moonspell has kind of gone into a very, very oldschool process, especially with Jaime Gomez Arellano (engineer and mixer — ed.), and we used his instruments as well. Because in his studio, the "wall of sound" was a true wall of sound comprised of more than a hundred amplifiers and heads. Ricardo brought his Telecaster, Pedro had always keyboards and emulators as well. I think we wanted a more genuine sound and that's why it translated also to the "All or Nothing" video. Because one of our goals... and it doesn't mean we are being critical of anyone that does otherwise — it's very important that people understand that when I say something about Moonspell it's not against someone else or some other band. But we felt that the Moonspell sound could be a bit more authentic if we use these instruments. And they are also very symbolic of a certain kind of musicality that we adopted for "Hermitage", especially symphonic and the progressive rock, like Pink Floyd, for instance but not only. So, we decided to have it as well in the "All or Nothing" video which is a very symbolic video about the band playing in an empty theatre and we can only rely on our instruments. Like, you know, outcasts and like shipwrecked people holding on to pieces of wood before they arrive at a shore. I think, our instruments are definitely our tables of salvation.

Moonspell does not record cover versions frequently, but when you do, they're always originally by artists who have some special meaning for the band. What makes Candlemass special for you? Or is there any connection between the actual song "Darkness In Paradise" and the idea that you wanted to express with "Hermitage"?

I think, it's both, really. I listen to Candlemass since the late 80s, I think they are a very special band, the creators of doom metal, so to speak. Obviously, they ranked a lot from Black Sabbath, Pentagram, etc., but they made it in a very, very special and unique way. I have a lot of respect for them and especially those four or five — a string of albums. Even though they still do amazing music, "The Door to Doom" is an amazing album. I think that they invented something else in metal and when I thought about "Hermitage" and, you know, the hermit orders, the monks, the anchorites, etc., immediately one of the influences that came to my mind was doom metal and Candlemass, definitely. Especially Messiah Marcolin — he is a singer that you can identify even dressed up as a monk live. So, for me it was quite obvious to choose Candlemass and in particular "Darkness in Paradise" because it's such a big metaphor for our world that could be an amazing place but we just have our terrible need and an unavoidable wish for destruction. We are the darkness in paradise and mankind is the darkness in paradise. We build the paradise but we destroy it. That's our dynamic, that's our logic. And there is no other way around, it's historical, and for that disease there is no cure. So, yes, "Darkness in Paradise" definitely symbolizes everything about "Hermitage".

Why did you ask Guilherme Henriques to be the director of all your music videos for the album? What happened first — meeting senhor Guilherme personally or seeing some of his works?

Well, I met Guilherme because of his band Gaerea. I think that is an amazing post black metal band from Portugal. I think they are going to make big things, definitely. They have the music, they have the concept, they have the visuals. And Guilherme is the mastermind behind that band, he writes all the stuff — lyrics, visuals, etc. I heard of him a couple of years ago, I followed remotely his work until I found he was ready to work with Moonspell. And I always had big curiosity about my ideas meeting with his artistry and visual competence as well. So, I think the four videos — "Greater Good", "Common Prayers", "All or Nothing" and "Hermit Saints" — have been a wonderful process and I believe Guilherme did an amazing job. We change a lot of his ideas but he is definitely the kind of person I like to work with. He is a visionary but he also takes it very personally, he is the cameraman too. He films everything, and we have a very short crew to record a video. Yes, I think they look spectacular, really. I think that we teamed up really, really well. We use Guilherme for everything, he has already recorded our live show in Porto, that is available on Wolfpack, and he has recorded us live at the caves deep down in Portugal where we played the first "Hermitage" set. So, yes, we have great plans together, and he definitely became a very important associate for Moonspell.

You invited everyone to visit Nazaré, the beautiful town where you filmed the music video "All or Nothing". What other places in Portugal would you recommend your foreign fans to visit after travel restrictions are lifted?

Well, yes, Nazaré is a beautiful place, it is very genuine. You know, some people say this is very oldschool and lame but I think Nazaré embodies the seaside of Portugal. It hasn't changed that much, even though it's a modern little town. I think you still can get the hang of the fishermen there, their lifestyle, you know, the slang. It's a very, very typical, very authentic small town. Well, Portugal — it's like a microcosmos of everything. If you walk or if you travel 20 kilometers you will see countryside and on the other side — the seaside. So, it's very, very different. My favourite regions in Portugal are definitely the town of Sintra, which is very mystical, so people into mysticism and romanticism should definitely pay a visit to Sintra. There is Lisbon and Porto, obviously, that's a must, even though they are very gentrified and they are full of tourists and they are losing a little bit of their characteristics and personality. But Portugal — it's just a place where you backpack and you go to discover. There's the South East of Portugal, all the beaches and the seaside which is amazing. There is also the region of Gerês where you can still see lynxes and wolves (refers to national reserve Parque Nacional da Peneda-Gerês, commonly also referred as Gerês — ed.). Portugal is a beautiful country of 900 per 400 kilometers. I think that we are very, very blessed with everything. We have done our best to screw it up but still we have a very beautiful and distinctive and inspirational country. So, when you come to visit... and if you can see a Moonspell show in Portugal — even better.

It is rather easy to see that Moonspell invests most of the band's income, most of the earned money into making new musical projects and artistic activities. For example, you definitely needed a lot of resources to realize the idea of concert film "Lisboa Under the Spell". But at the same time you are not afraid of changing your music seriously on every album. How can you keep your artistic will and freedom while you also have to think about commercial success and about resources you need to make new shows and records?

We are smart. We manage our expectations. We are not greedy, we never were. We need money to live but it's not about buying the most expensive car or the best house. It's about balance first and foremost. Me and Pedro, we are the band's managers, and we do the financial part of the band. It's not beautiful, it's ugly, but at least we don't get ripped off or pushed around and we can say "no" a lot of times, and that's priceless as well. It's a hard balance between everything, but if you are smart and if you manage your expectations you can do it. You know, I think the problem with people is that they think they are going to be rich. And sometimes when they get into money they just want it to keep that status because money is the most addictive drug there is. I don't have a lot, I don't have little, I'm a middle class man, definitely, a working blue collar metalhead, let's call it this way. Money is like a necessary evil to buy stuff but I dream of the day when I can go to the bakery and buy a loaf of bread just by singing "Alma Mater", you know, like in the medieval times. Let's put it this way: money is the sickness of the world, we need it, obviously, even to buy this microphone that I'm using to record this, it's bought with money, not with songs or romanticism. But me and Pedro, we keep it very fair to us, to the crew and also to "investors".

When someone puts their money into Moonspell, in a show, etc., I dread the thought that they go home and think that's money they didn't spend well. It's maybe because I come from the blue collar background and I still think that music is luxury that some people can't afford. And when you can afford it, it really has to be worthwhile. So, when I struggle saving up some pennies to go to an Iron Maiden or Metallica concert I want to be blown away, you know, and I want to pay for that memory. So, I hope that's what Moonspell does. It's a difficult balance, yes, it takes a lot of compromise to be in the music industry but also you have to be honest about it. We need to make money but we don't need to be greedy. So, in between the lines there's a secret of being successful, which is a question of concept as well. I don't think Moonspell is overly successful, I think we are a lucky band but we are a struggling band, middle of the road, not one of the top artists on the European metal scene. But yes, we are still there, so that means something.

Your previous album "1755" was given a warm welcome by the audience. I also believe that it's a great and interesting work, and you made your dream come true — released an album in the Portuguese language. It is very symbolic because you are international ambassadors of Portuguese culture. What's more, the Portuguese language sounds very beautiful together with metal music. Do you have plans to make new songs in Portuguese? For example, about the story of love between the king Pedro I and Inês de Castro?

Well, as I said already in some interviews, "1755" didn't close the door but opened a window. So, I'm definitely thinking about making a new album in Portuguese in the future. I don't know when, if it is going to be the next album, I don't know if it is going to be two albums from now. I kind of have the subject as well and probably the title but it's too early to reveal anything about it but it's definitely an intention.

About the love story of Peter the First, Portuguese Peter, and Inês. Well, there is a lot of stuff happening already. Regarding that, you know, there is even a chanting "Lusíadas" which is the Portuguese epic book about this love. There is a lot to say about it because it was also a forbidden love, you know, the queen was cheated upon, so nobody talks about her, so it could be an angle as well. But it's not a subject that I want to give a go. I think I have a better subject. For me it has to be a subject in the vein of "1755" — with some violence and some tragedy attached to it, and Portuguese history and art are full of those examples. So, it's a question of time until I find definitely the subject and definitely I can assure you it's going to be turned into one of the Moonspell forthcoming albums.

Many fans, including those who support all changes in your music from one album to another, often write online comments like "I really miss their gothic vampire ballads". Do you feel the same and do you have the desire to write something like that again?

Well, what can I say? It's like some people want strawberry ice cream, the others want lemon ice cream, so that's why, you know, the iceman shop has everything. But we are not like an ice cream shop. Our music is personal, it comes from many things, and I honestly don't think that people miss our gothic vampire ballads, I honestly think they miss their youth and they miss their good times that our music was contemporary to, especially "Vampiria", and then they blame it on us for getting old or older. (laughs) So, I don't know what to say to it. Nowadays I don't see myself doing "Vampiria Part III or Part IV", I don't have this on my radar, let's call it this way. If people are disappointed about it, well, they can listen to "Wolfheart" as many times as they want, I think it's a brilliant album but it's also a 95' album. I think, this is a question I get too often, and the answer is that I don't know what to answer. I think I grew up, people should grow up too.

When it comes to online comments, come on, I don't take them too serious because if I did I think Moonspell would be over. Actually, if I knew that the Internet would take over people's lives and people's way of appreciating or criticizing music I would never become a singer at all, you know. I think it's just the wrong way of approaching the band saying "Oh, I miss your past". I miss my past too, I miss being younger, more agile, with more time but there is nothing I can do about it, not even a gothic vampire ballad.

What are the band's plans for the future? You have already announced joining Paradise Lost on tour in the UK in February 2022 and playing the Moonspell anniversary show in Nazaré, at the Teatro Chaby Pinheiro. Could you please tell more about these interesting occasions and other plans for the nearest future?

Well, yes, our future plans… let's see if there is a future, things are very, very confusing these days, even with all the progress with vaccination and what not. So let's see what happens. Right now we have still 2021 to play here and there, a few shows. We are going to play the 25th anniversary of "Irreligious" plus the "Hermitage" show in Lisbon in a week's time, we are going to stream it. We have some activities here and there to do, some other festivals like Alcatraz in Belgium, Dark River in Finland, Mennecy Metal Fest in France. So, I don't think 2021 will be such a strong year, but we have a lot of plans for 2022, so has everybody else. We are going to have 30 years of Moonspell, so we are organizing a few shows, not only at the theatre, let's see if that happens, but also in some big rooms here in Lisbon and Porto to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Moonspell. And we are going to announce another tour as well for 2022, besides the Paradise Lost support tour. It's baby steps, so let's see what happens in 2022, I hope it's better than 2021, everybody does. And I do hope to visit Russia as well in 2022 because I really miss it and I hope to present "Hermitage" and the 30 years of Moonspell also in Russia.

Today it is strange to ask questions like "When will you come to Russia next time?" But it's important to say that all your fans in Russia love Moonspell very much and are really looking forward for you to come again. Sempre bem-vindo! Although currently the world is having rather pessimistic times, I'd like to ask you to say some words to the fans in Russia to help them live through this long time of being far away from the dearest Portuguese wolves.

Well, I think I have kind of answered that question, we are in conversations with Russian promoters. I'm not afraid of going to Russia, I'm not that kind of person, I don't believe the hype or the lies and the propaganda that a lot of people make against countries they do not like. I think all countries are good and all countries are shit, nothing is perfect, not the U.S., not Portugal, not Chile, not Russia. But what's important is the people, the music and the fans.

So, I hope that still in 2021 we can announce some dates in Russia, and obviously we have Metal Over Russia that will be postponed to 2022 (due to some obvious events our readers are well aware of, the festival will only feature Russian bands in 2022 — ed.). So, stay tuned, thanks for the interview, spasibo, obrigado. Lots of health and luck to our Russian fans and friends. I hope to meet everybody again. Stay safe, stay sane and if you have the chance or the time or the need, just check out our new album "Hermitage".

Moonspell on the Internet: https://moonspell.com/

Special thanks to Maxim Bylkin (Soyuz Music) for arranging this interview

Interview by Alexandra Prozorova
Photos are courtesy of Moonspell
June 15, 2021
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