MOONSPELL Explains Istanbul Cancellation

Vocalist Fernando Ribeiro of the Portuguese metal band MOONSPELL has issued the following update:

"Dear Turkish fans: Some explanation is long due to all of you since we were forced to cancel our appearance at the Kalfest in Istanbul/Turkey, the past 6th of June. We have delayed an official statement as we were expecting, as it was promised to us by the promoter, that he would issue one himself both in English and in Turkish and that MOONSPELL will help spread via myspace and our official forum. As it happens, that statement, to the date, was never sent to us we would like to take time to explain what happened.

"First, we have to accept all the frustration from the ticket buyers and hope that they will be reimbursed soon or be admitted for free in the next MOONSPELL concert in Istanbul... We also have to apologize for not playing but that was nothing we can do about it. We have a long story of concerts (by the hundreds) and we count with less than ten cancellation in our entire career simply because out of respect of fans and out of passion for playing live, we have played many shows even if sometimes the conditions were not appropriate.

"This was the case with Kalfest, a festival that wasn't prepared for a professional show, that wasn't promoted like one (I have met many fans in downtown Istanbul that had no idea why we were there and thought we were vacationing) and on top of that the heavy rain that fell on an unprepared stage made it technically and personally impossible for MOONSPELL to hit the stage. Most of us were warming up already backstage. We were asked to wait, what we did, but were informed of a strict curfew (time limit) of the venue that made impossible to accept first the idea of setting up inside the gym (that would take hours to put the PA and lights up) or playing an acoustic set (that was not what people paid for and not the kind of show we were prepared to give). With heavy hearts we went back to the hotel and slept.

"I have to say that cancellations are not a one-way thing; that is, the band also suffers: in the case of MOONSPELL, we had to fly really early after a great show in Rock in Rio, endure a painful travel on a tight van for 3 and a half hours in the suffocating Istanbul traffic (the distance from the airport was no more than 40 kms, so we spent most of the time stopped!) and arrive to a dressing room with no catering, no water, no conditions and on top facing a cancellation and spending an extra day in Istanbul.

"We have a great history and a great communion with our Turkish fans in Istanbul and I hope this won't affect it. We promise to get back there eventually this year and we are making every effort with our agent Nick Peel so that people that have bought tickets are treated fairly. Most of all we want very much to come back, eventually still this year and present to all of you our new tour and our new album 'Night Eternal'."

MOONSPELL's new album, "Night Eternal", was recorded at Antfarm studios in Denmark with producer Tue Madsen (THE HAUNTED, DARK TRANQUILLITY, HALFORD). Two editions of the record were made available: A limited double digipack with different artwork, one bonus track ("Age of Mothers"),a different version of the song "Scorpion Flower", the full album as well as a bonus DVD containing all video clips from "Memorial" plus "Finisterra" "making-of" footage and three live clips from last year's performance at the Wacken Open Air festival in Germany; plus the jewel case edition.

MOONSPELL's video for the track "Scorpion Flower" is one of two (along with "Night Eternal") off the group's new album, "Night Eternal", which were shot by Ivan Colic (TYPE O NEGATIVE, SYMPHONY X, HAMMERFALL) in Belgrade, Serbia. Colic previously worked with the group on the "Memorial" video for "Finisterra".