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Still riding high on the success of their amazing album Night Eternal – for which they recently wrapped a North American promotional tour – Portugal's epic dark-metal masters Moonspell are about to begin work on a new  studio project for 2010. Frontman Fernando Ribeiro recently hinted at the dark new directions the band will be exploring soon, as well as some interesting horror-themed side ventures he's got in the works. Read below to find out what's brewing for next year...

Ribeiro has issued an update via Blabbermouth explaining that the band would be backing off their relentless touring schedule a bit next year to make room for several new projects – chief among which is the writing of new songs for the next album. The singer/songwriter didn't divulge too many details, but did reveal that Moonspell lead guitarist Ricardo Amorim has been crafting some new tunes over the past six months, which Ribeiro and keyboardist/guitarist will be polishing into shape along with acclaimed producer (and longtime Moonspell collaborator) Waldemar Sorychta. He also hinted that the new project would be “more tongue in cheek,” with “erotic meets religious” themes.

Apart from his work with Moonspell (including an upcoming acoustic show), Ribeiro also had a hand in the project Orfeu Rebelde (“Rebel Orpheus”), which blends dark ambient textures and industrial-metal compositions to create a macabre background to the book of the same name by celebrated Portuguese poet Miguel Torga. You can download their EP Cada Som Como Um Grito (“Every Sound Like a Scream”) for free at this link.

Ribeiro has also been approached by a major Portuguese publisher to write a science fiction/horror novella entitled Sister of Cain, which he describes as a dark twist on the Twilight phenomenon, centering around “a little forum girl [who] takes her passion for Stephenie Meyer and her pitiful creatures a little bit too far.” He assures fans that an English-language version is also in the works.