As We Set the Skies Ablaze with Moonshade
Art: Tiago Pimentel, Ana Fragateiro
Bio:
Moonshade is a melodic extreme metal project hailing from Oporto, Portugal. The band’s demo, ‘The Path Of Redemption’, was released online in 2011, shortly followed by the ‘Dream | Oblivion’ EP, their first physical release. In 2018, their critically acclaimed debut album ‘Sun Dethroned’, was released via Art Gates Records, resulting in many sold-out shows across Portugal, some of which allowed them to share stages across Portugal and Spain with renowned outfits such as Amorphis, Within Temptation and Omnium Gatherum. In April 2022, Moonshade released their sophomore album and magnum opus ‘As We Set The Skies Ablaze’ on July 2022, taking the band to brave new heights.
Whether they are forging brave new worlds out of nothing for the sake of parable, directly tackling controversial topics concerning the anthropogenic nature of Earth’s demise, or denouncing the evils of political and religious extremism, Moonshade persists in providing the soundtrack to Humanity’s battle for salvation. We all have lives beyond Moonshade, but this is one of the few things that will live on after we’re physically gone. Simultaneously, it goes beyond tedious work to be remembered – it’s a living organism, a community of people in and around the art we create—also a source of learning alongside good friends. So, for us, it’s an expression, legacy, brotherhood and wisdom. When we put it like that, some might say that our music is pretty much everything to us. It depends on the perspective, I guess.
‘As We Set The Skies Ablaze’ was released in July 2022, and it’s our most ambitious project. We didn’t pull any punches in terms of writing and production, and of course, its artwork. It’s visceral, epic, and a journey we want to take you on. The album can be listened to basically everywhere. It’s our gift to everyone who wants to receive it; enjoy.
Inspiration comes mainly from books, mixed with a deep desire to write something to understand it better.
At its core, one could call Moonshade deeply secular to the point of worship. Even in our first album Sun Dethroned, its fantasy outer shell was a vehicle for delivering our thoughts on the dangers of surrendering to nihilism in a secular world. While we denounce religion and obscurantism as little more than mass corruption of good stories for the sake of denial, delusion and power, we also discuss what it is to live without that corruption, junkies trying to find spiritual methadone.
For me, it was Rammstein’s ‘Mutter’ at 11 years old. Not a great story behind how I found it; I just saw the video for ‘Feuer Frei’ on MTV. The great story is about how I felt after listening, and I wish I had enough talent to make it justice with my words, but I’m afraid I can’t. Music is one of the great things about art – it can be whatever we want it to be.
https://moonshadeofficial.com/as-we-set-the-skies-ablaze-out-now
