Moonspell Family Tree
This is a project aimed at making it easy to see who inspired the bands you love or even hate. For this I try not to use any influences that the band don’t claim themselves. There will be a focus on predecessors but successors will be added as they site the band. These trees become more and more interactive as new bands are added, allowing you to click any band that has a tree and jump to it.
We want our lists to be better. If you know something that belongs on this list, let us know. When in doubt we will leave it out, so we need reliable sources.
Moonspell at the core are a Gothic Metal band. Over the years they have played with elements of Doom Symphonic, Melodic Death, Black and Goth Rock with the Gothic elements remaining a core feature of the band. The lineup has been fairly constant with only a few changes with early guitar players and a few bass players over the years. The core lineup has been vocalist Fernando Ribeiro (Langsuyar), guitarist Ricardo Amorim (Morning Blade), drummer Miguel Gaspar (Mike/Nisroth), and keyboardist Pedro Paixão (Passionis/Neophytus). Most recently there has a been a change in drummers. Early guitar players appearing on the first album were João Pereira and Duarte Picoto. On bass there has been João Pedro Escoval (Tetragrammaton/Ares), João Pereira (J.M. Tanngrisnir), and since 2003, Aires Pereira (Ahriman). Guitarist Luís Lamelas (Malah/Fenrir) only appeared on some early demos. Newest drummer Hugo Ribeiro has yet to appear on any albums.
Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen is a singer/song writer mostly known for folk and soft rock. Fernando named him as an influence.
Pink Floyd are among the most well known and important progressive rock band. According to Fernando, David Gilmore is Ricardo’s favorite guitarist.
The doors are a well known rock band out of the psychedelic scene. Pedro named them as an influence. Fernando named Jim Morrison as a lyrical influence.
Black Sabbath are the fathers of metal. Miguel named them as an influence on the band.
Judas Priest are probably the most quintessential metal bands and are known as the metal gods for good reason. Miguel is a fan and highly praises Painkiller.
The Cure are a pioneering goth rock band. Pedro named them as an influence.
Nick Cave
Nick Cave was the vocalist for a few bands but most notably alt rock, post punk Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds. Fernando named him as an influence.
Iron Maiden are one of the most influential metal bands. Fernando is a fan and as mentioned them on different occasions. Miguel also named them as an influence on the band.
Bauhaus were post punk pioneers of gothic rock. Pedro named them as an influence.
The Sisters of Mercy are an early gothic rock band. Fernando said they was the best band from the 90’s (although they are a much older band). Pedro named them as an influence.
Motley are one of the earliest and best known glam metal bands. Miguel is a huge fan.
Celtic Frost are a very important band in the evolution of extreme metal styles like black and death. Fernando named them as one of his favorite bands.
Bathory are the fathers of black metal. Although the name and earliest form began before them, they created the wound that most black metal bands would adopt. Fernando named them as a favorite band.
Fields of the Nephilim are a goth rock band. Fernando named said they played their Earth Inferno a lot on early tours.
King Diamond is known for his falsettos and his solo albums always being concepts. Fernando named Abigail as a favorite album.
Moribd Angel are one of the most important Death Metal bands. Fernando named them as a favorite.
The Sugarcubes were an alternative rock band, not as famous as their vocalist, Björk. Pedro named them as an influence.
The Young Gods are a Swiss industrial rock band. Pedro named them as an influence.
Paradise Lost are one of the pioneers of death/doom and gothic metal. Fernando named them as a favorite and says he’s followed them sense their demo days. Miguel said they had a huge influence on the band.
Root are a Czech band with a sound that blends death, thrash, traditional black, and epic heavy. They are most often lumped in with early extreme bands like Venom or Celtic Frost. Fernando named them as a big influence on them.
Samael started in the black metal realm and moved to more electronic and industrial. Miguel named them as a huge influence on them. Pedro named them as an influence.
Nine Inch Nails (NIN) are an industrial rock band. Fernando named them as an influence.
Anathema started as death/doom and moved into gothic metal/rock and later alternative and progressive rock. Miguel named them as a huge influence on them.
Tiamat had their start in death/doom and moved to gothic which they are most known for. Miguel named them as a huge influence on them. Pedro said he was inspired by Wildhoney and Clouds.
Katatonia began as a death/doom band before adding more gothic and later alternative elements. Fernando named them as a favorite band.
Type 0 Negative are one of the most well known and important Gothic metal/rock band. Fernando named them as one of his favorite bands and Peter Steele as an influence. Miguel named them as an influence on the band. Pedro named Josh Silver has his main influence.
My Dying Bride are goth metal pioneers. Miguel said they were a huge influence on them.
Ulver started as a black/folk metal band but since when in an completely different direction. Fernando named their album The Assassination of Julius Caesar as pure art.
Tool are a well known progressive alternative band. Fernando named them as an influence.
Fernando says he was influenced by 70’s and 80’s metal without naming bands. He says he liked a mix of metal and gothic and would see bands like Testament and others like Dead Can Dance.
Fernando mentions liking black metal bands like Immortal and Darkthrone because of their resemblance to Bathory. He also mentions liking Emperor and Marduke as well as Possessed.
Fernando named some non typical bands he liked; 16 Horsepower, and Bohren & der Club of Gore
When it come to lyrics and poetry, Fernando names Michael Gira has his favorite. He also names Johan Edlund from Tiamat, Dani Filth (Cradle of Filth), Aaron from My Dying Bride, Leonard Cohen, Nick Cave, and Jim Morrison.
In an interview with Metal-Rules.com Fernando names an artist as being a favorite but I believe the writer misunderstood what he said. He writes “Gaping Friday(?)”. I have no idea what he might have said and the interview is likely a transcriptions of and audio interview that is not available.
Guitarists João and Duarte were on the first album. I’m unsure of their influences.
Ricardo has been on guitar since 1995. I haven’t been able to find him discussing influences.
Bassist Sérgio Crestana was on several albums and had a big hand in writing on The Butterfly Effect.
Bassist Aires Pereira has been part of the band and writing process for since Alpha Noir. I’m unsure of his influences.
Several members have mentioned some Middle-Eastern inspired elements in the band’s music.
Miguel has stated his early influences were old death and black metal, but he didn’t name specific bands.
Pedro said most of his influence come from more gothic stuff rather than metal.
Bands influenced by Moonspell!
As this project advances, bands will be added here…
Heavy/Power Metal
Sources:
https://crypticrock.com/interview-fernando-ribeiro-of-moonspell/#:~:text=It's%20something%20that%20evolved%20with,Nick%20Cave%2C%20and%20Leonard%20Cohen.
https://rocknrolljournalist.com/2017/10/the-top-10-albums-of-fernando-ribeiro-moonspell.html
http://musicandriots.com/our-interview-with-fernando-ribeiro-of-moonspell/
https://aslongasitsblack.com/2019/11/06/of-dream-and-drama-and-poetry-the-writings-of-moonspells-fernando-ribeiro/
https://www.metal-rules.com/2005/08/24/moonspell-vocalist-fernando-ribeiro/
http://www.metalforcesmagazine.com/site/feature-moonspell-08-18/
https://metalnation.com/moonspell-interview-the-philosophy-of-hermitage/
https://www.moshville.co.uk/interview/2016/04/interview-miguel-mike-gaspar-from-moonspell/
http://www.therockpit.net/2012-Articles-Interviews/Interview-Moonspell-Miguel-Gaspar-May-2012.php
https://search.blabbermouth.net/news/moonspell-drummer-says-his-band-helped-create-goth-metal-with-1996s-irreligious-album/
https://www.metal-rules.com/interviews/Moonspell_MikeGaspar.htm
https://www.metal-rules.com/2015/04/18/moonspell-interview-with-pedro-paixao/