before their first EVER show in Bulgaria

The Portugese metal leaders just got back from their South American tour and it's easy to understand why they feel a bit dizzy with the jet lag. But their frontman Fernando Ribeiro joined usВ on 'Tangra Metal Shock' show and we are talkingВ abouth this forthcoming first ever Moonspell show in Sofia in December.

an interview conducted by Vassil Varbanov

WELCOME BACK TO THE SHOW, FERNANDO!
Thank you, thank you very much.

JUST RECENTLY WE AT TANGRA MEGA ROCK DID A WHOLE WEEK IN SUPPORT OF DEE SNIDER'S NEW TAKEBACKTHEHORNS.COM WEBSITE. IT FOCUSES ON THE INAPPROPRIATE USE OF THE METAL HORNS SIGN BY NON-METAL PEOPLE. DO YOU GET MANY PEOPLE LIKE THAT IN PORTUGAL?
I have to say this is the first time I've heard of this.

THE WEBSITE IS BRAND NEW, IT'S CALLED TAKEBACKTHEHORNS.COM. IT SORT OF POKES FUN AT PEOPLE WHO DON'T BELONG TO THE METAL COMMUNITY, YET STILL THROW THE HORNS.
I get the vibe and the picture. I can say that it wasn't Dee Snider who came up with this sign for metal people, it was actually Ronnie James Dio.

YEAH, DEE ACKNOWLEDGES THIS ON THE WEBSITE AND PAYS RESPECT TO DIO.LET'S CONCENTRATE ON PORTUGAL THOUGH - IS IT TRENDY TO THROW THE METAL HORNS THERE, I MEAN DO PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT INTO METAL DO IT?
It is trendy, it became a common sign. It's something we've used for years, according to our metal tradition. But in a way what I believe is that metal is more popular than ever really, so it all comes with the growth really. Some people use it wrongly, but then some of them will probably get into metal and maybe in a few years they'll stop being trendy and start listening to metal for real. So if you ask me, basically I think it's a big waste of time to organize such a "movement". I think metal needs respect, but I think it's all to do with the way we behave, the way we do music and the way we present our bands live and our records, and honestly I couldn't care less if someone is doing the horns sign or not, because I know our fans and I know people who listen to heavy music and live the metal lifestyle, and I know that they know the background of that sign, the seriousness around it. And for me and Moonspell that's what counts.В  I don't think metal has to take back anything, it's never been stronger and if it gets into the mainstream here and there, well it's like we say in Portugal - "the pain of growing up". For me it's what they call a "known subject".

YOU'VE JUST COME BACK FROM WHAT SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN A RATHER IMPORTANT TOUR OF SOUTH AMERICA. SO, HOW WAS IT?
It was great. It was a very intense tour with many dates. We started off in Miami in the US, did a full month Coast to Coast, going through Canada as well and ending up in Texas. Then in 10-12 days we played eight shows in South America and it was great, really massive, lots of people at the shows, lots of people who wanted to see us for the first time and lots who were seeing us again, because we've been to both the US and South America before. I think it was a very positive and successful tour, especially the South American part. Obviously it makes all the difference when people see us live, it's even more special than just listening to the album at home. So, as we love touring and playing live, it was a great experience and we were looking forward to it. We've already toured behind Night Eternal for two years and we'll be starting work on a new album in the near future. So far the shows have been great and the response was overwhelming.

DO YOU FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE PLAYING PLACES LIKE BRAZIL FOR EXAMPLE, SINCE YOU SHARE THE SAME LANGUAGE?
Curiously enough Brazil is - even though it was a great show and it was packed in Sao Paulo - Brazil is our weakest market in South America. I think people in South America relate to the sound and aesthetic, because they are very passionate about their music and particularly metal, so there's a place in their hearts for Moonspell. Our strongest fanbase is in countries like Mexico and Colombia. It was quite surprising to play Ecuador for the first time, it was a great show. In Brazil we have to work hard. I think it has to do with the fact that...it's like bands from the UK in the States - they have to work ten times as hard to get recognition. Probably has to do with cultural issues or history. With us it's the same in Brazil, it was our first real warm welcome there. We've played there in the past, we did Rio and Belo Horizonte, the latter of which was a great show, but this time around Sao Paulo was better. But even with the cultural similarities and the language it's still incomparable to countries like Mexico, Colombia or Chile, which is bizarre in a way, but it's a fact.

SO DID YOU GUYS CHECK OUT ANY NEW INTERESTING NEW DRUGS IN SOUTH AMERICA?
No, just the same old same old.

YOU'VE BEEN ON THE ROAD FOR TWO YEARS AND YOUR LAST RECORD CAME OUT IN 2008. WHEN CAN WE EXPECT SOMETHING NEW FROM YOU GUYS?
We are very focused and concentrating on writing for the new album. I think that with Moonspell, the moment we start playing live, the music isn't ours anymore, it comes from the audience too, so we always feel the need and the urgency to have something more creative going on other than playing live, although we love it. So this always leads to us getting together and doing a new album. I already have a lot of demos from Pedro and Ricardo and have already drawn the main features of the concept lyrically. We'll start pre-production in January, most likely with Waldemar Sorychta, our producer from Irreligious, Memorial and Wolfheart. We'll just see how it goes. But I think that there will definitely be a new Moonspell album in 2010 to follow up Night Eternal. We're not in an advanced stage now, but we already have material that we can pick from and develop further, so I think that most likely in the Fall of 2010 we will have a new release.

WITH ALL THE GOINGS ON AT YOUR LABEL - SPV - DO YOU HAVE A SOLID DEAL WITH THEM FOR THE NEW ALBUM OR CAN WE EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED?
Well, I think it's more a case of "expect the unexpected" because SPV is bankrupt now, so all the bands still on the label are looking for options. When SPV announced that it's bankrupt, there were already a lot of options for Moonspell, because, fortunately, Memorial and Night Eternal were albums that people enjoyed very much and were good sellers. So labels out there are interested in Moonspell. We also have to realize that the times are different. Nowadays we don't necessarily need a label to release a record. There are other ways of doing it, you can be more in control. I think this is more fair to the bands. So we're not really concerned about who's going to release the album, we're concerned about it being good enough to please our fans, who are demanding. Then we'll take it from there, that's another bridge we have to cross, when we get there, to make sure we have the right label and the right people, especially the right people behind the record. But first and foremost we have to concentrate on the quality of the record and how people receive it. I don't think labels nowadays play such a major role. Before the labels would give bands money so that they could have good production, good sound, good artwork. Nowadays labels have no money, so their role in the scene is very small when compared to the 90s. But there's a lot of label interest in Moonspell and when we get the first demo ready, we'll do what the younger bands do, which is send demos around to see if we can find a label that believe in us. SPV did a great job, especially for Memorial. For Night Eternal they did their best, but I think they could have worked a little bit harder.

THEY WERE PROBABLY SMELLING THE IMPENDING BANKRUPTCY....
Probably. And in the US I wasn't happy with SPV USA at all, that's something we were going to change even if SPV was still in business. Anyway, the important thing is to do the right music for the right time and that's what we're concentrating on. The label thing will come a little bit later in the picture.

YOU'RE DUE TO DO YOUR FIRST SHOW IN BULGARIA EVER. WHAT DO YOU PERSONALLY EXPECT FROM BULGARIA? AND WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT OUR COUNTRY, BESIDES ALL THE INTERVIEWS YOU AND I DID THROUGH THE YEARS?
I'd like to say that personally and as a band we're very happy that this show is happening. For a number of years we insisted on a Bulgarian show when talking to our agent, because we saw plenty of Bulgarian Moonspell fans coming over to festivals in Germany to see us, also to countries like Serbia. And there weren't just one or two of them either, there were groups of them and they always told us how much our music was appreciated in Bulgaria. So first and foremost I'm glad that this show will finally happen because it's great when there's interest and public demand. Obviously we're bringing our full production. It's a very visual concept - video, like small stories for every song. The setlist is fine-tuned, all the classics are there, plus material from recent albums like Memorial and Night Eternal - I know they're very appreciated in Bulgaria too, from the feedback we get over the Internet. We even have a streetteam in Bulgaria that's very active. So we're really looking forward to the show because the experience when you play to a crowd in a country for the first time is unique. Obviously it won't be the last time we play in Bulgaria, but I think the first impression, the first encounter is always the most powerful. I'm not buillshitting when I say this is one of the shows that excites me more than usual, so I'm definitely looking forward to playing Sofia.

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