Irreligious

Retreating heavily from the folk-infused black metal elements of their debut, the Portuguese pioneers fully embraced a smooth, intensely atmospheric gothic metal sound. Driven by Fernando Ribeiro's deep, vampiric baritone and the prominent, haunting keyboards, the record heavily utilizes poetic, occult lyricism. It became a massive commercial success across Europe, establishing the group as a defining pillar of the 1990s gothic movement.