Moonspell was the first Portuquese metal band to break worldwide, bursting on the scene with the stunning Wolfheart album, mixing doomdeath, goth-styled keyboards, and various old metal influences to create one of the most dynamic and memorable albums of 1995. With Irreligious, the goth influences were brought to the fore, turning the band into somewhat of a Type O Negative-styled band, disappointing some hardcore fans but winning others. Since then, the band has struggled to maintain its popularity, releasing two albums that, in retrospect, would have to be viewed as disappointments (particularly The Butterfly Effect), these releases finding the band tinkering and experimenting a bit, trying to recapture that earlier magic. Since 2001, it appears that they have done exactly that, as both Darkness And Hope and 2003's The Antidote are fine albums, as good as any the band have ever done.