HARDWARES

The Portuguese metallers are at something of a crossroads. Last year’s Under Satanae saw them re-record brutal, pre-Wolfheart death metal, an attitude that creeps into Night Eternal early on. Yet, they also don’t want to abandon the more gothic elements that have held them in good stead for the last decade or so. Said dichotomy plays itself out over the course of these nine latest compositions (a rather short 44:18, but limited editions will include ‘Age Of Mothers’ as a bonus). A wailing female accompanies sporadic drumming and creepy voiceover as the introduction to ‘At Tragic Heights’. She returns in full voice duet on ‘Scorpion Flower’. Fernando’s vocals are forceful and sinister over the pummelled drumming of the title cut, but for ‘Moon In Mercury’ from there on, Moonspell opt more for esoteric than rip ‘n’ tear! Of course there are moments (for effect, see ‘Shadow Sun’ or ‘Spring Of Rage’), but not a sustained attack.