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Usually, re-releasing old material carries the stench of a band trying to cash in. This time, however, I am definitely willing to make an exception. Moonspell have released one hell of an album with Under Satanae. They have gone ahead and made brand new recordings of their earliest demo material, giving it a makeover worthy of the band's patented Portuguese black metal.

Moonspell's sound is aggressive and dark. Brutal drumming and evil, fiery riffs blast at you while deep, growling vocals and heavy bass add some heft to the songs. Still, Moonspell's work isn't like the rawer forms of bm that many metal fans are accustomed to. High production values, occasional female vocals, and symphonic synth work give much of this album a cleaner, epic feel to it. Acoustic interludes work to remind us that this isn't bm from the frigid north. This is dark, Mediterranean metal at it's finest.

The album includes songs from Under the Moonspell and Under Satanae. They also include the song Serpent Angel, the first song recorded by the band, when they went by the moniker Morbid God. The album starts off with the track Halla alle halla al rabka halla, a slow yet interesting introduction accompanied by some unique vocals. The introduction builds tension nicely before Moonspell attacks us with Tenebrarum Oratorium. This is an epic track with very heavy drumming. The vocals constantly shift between guttural growls and deep, cleanly sung lyrics. This song hints at their Mediterranean influenced sound as well, with a tinge of ethnic synth and guitar work.

Some of the other high points include Tenebrarum Oratorium, and Ancient Winter Goddess. Yes, two of the songs on this album have the same name, don't ask me why. Both songs start out incredibly strong with some sick riffs and nice drumming. Ancient Winter Goddess has a more evil flair to it, coming off of the Under Satanae demo which was harsher and more forceful.

As a person who has enjoyed this band for some time, and witnessed them live, it is nice to see a revival of material that is nearly impossible to find otherwise. The modern production values really improve on Moonspell's rougher sound, and these older songs perfectly capture the intensity of Moonspell's live show. Any fan of dark metal should be sure to check this album out.