The moon is full and the spell has been cast, the Moonbathers have arrived and it’s time to experience the full effects of Delain’s latest album. Within seconds, the magic ensnares those who are exposed and once you fall into the arms of the album you’ll never want to leave. Continue reading “Album Review: Delain – Moonbathers”
2009 saw Delain tell the masses to be weary of when fortune is on your side with April Rain. 2012, Delain released a power anthem that was dedicated to the metal community in We Are The Others. Continue reading “Delain – Lunar Prelude EP”
Hours before the show I had the opportunistic and wonderful opportunity to interview in-person, Charlotte Wessels of Dutch Symphonic metal band, Delain. The interview took place hours before their show at Mojoes. We met up and walked to the pleasant coffee shop around the corner and sat in their outdoor cafe area. The weather was perfect for any outdoor occasion, too bad the show wasn’t outdoors. With outdoors though you get unpleasant sounds and background noise so my recorder was able to capture other outside noice like car engines and birds haha. Charlotte is a wonderful person, very friendly, she was talking to me about their experiences in Europe and how the metal scene over there is noticeably different than the metal scene here in the states. Also, I really was intrigued and will never forget the fact that she mentioned that in European venues theres showers, private bathrooms, artists get catered food many times, theres places to sleep and more, as opposed to here in the states where their budget is limited and many of these venues are not as hospitable as they’d like. I was very surprised and greatful to hear that snippet of news, as well as her favorite drinks and other things she likes to do while touring the states. Also, I was excited to hear about the major tour they are doing next year here in the states, with one of the band’s they’ve wanted to tour with! Being a major fan, I took every bit of information largely and was almost disappointed to hear how many musicians are still struggling to make ends meet, as told in this interview. You can tell in my tone of voice at one point how disappointed I was in the fact that the industry isn’t performing to its proper potential. Luckily Charlotte’s intelligent and kind words of wisdom made this day and experience all the more awesome. Stay Metal m/
[tube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cU3z3G5_ao[/tube]
This has been such a phenomenal year for metal. It’s joyously overwhelming at times. It’s been such a privilege to have grown up around people who have such a passion for metal. As passionate about heavy metal as I am, I am always proud to bring you deserving readers, music I grow fond of. Out from The Netherlands comes a Symphonic Metal band called Delain. The quintet was formed in 2002 by former Within Temptation keyboardist, Martijn Westerholt. Martijn had contracted Pfeiffers Disease in 2001 when he was with Within Temptation. By the following year, a demo was released and the Delain project, as it was known at that time, was left untouched for a few years until 2005. That was the year Delain became official and Charlotte Wessels had joined as lead. The proceeding year 2006, the first official album from Delain, titled, Lucidity was released. The album included a handful of featured guest musicians which generated positive reviews, which set the band in the perfect path for success. The Human Contradiction is the band’s fourth album and was released this week worldwide. I place Delain in their own sound, though they get compared to Within Temptation and Epica at times, their sound is genuine, unique and cannot be replicated. An album title that creates curiosity, definition and overall lyrically daring this album brings forty-two minutes of truth, morals, topics meant to be addressed and much more righteous themes. According to lead singer, Charlotte Wessels, regarding the book that she read to come up with the theme of the album:
“The human contradiction there is explained as the combination of qualities in humans: we are both intelligent and hierarchic. Within this book, it is also explained that the most successful life forms, which are intelligent, are not hierarchic. Actually, this hierarchic aspect causes us to rank people over other people (or species over other species) and to pick random qualities in order to justify as ranking one over the other. This kind of very, very random selecting and ranking and dismissing of otherness is a very destructive (and often self-destructive) attitude, and this is how it broadens on the topic which was first introduced on ‘We Are The Others’ within the song ‘We Are The Others’, which was very much about ‘otherness’ within human beings. On this record, there are also songs that are about human attitudes towards non-human others, which (just as with human beings) are often picked by a random quality. For example, in our attitudes towards animals, it is the random quality of species that tells us: ‘Well, we can hurt an animal, but not a human.’ When actually, in our ability to feel pain, we are completely equal. So, it’s about the randomness of the qualities that we pick, and then decide ‘this one is higher than the other.”
[tube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9eTztxn3l4[/tube]
Here Come The Vultures sets the initial tone of the album. Hard pounding drums and scarce sounding riffs with doomlike vocals bring the listener into another world. The cynical breakdown really captivated my attention. The single of the album, Your Body Is A Battleground, was one of the featured songs not too long ago on this site. After listening to the song again after that day, a new perception of the track has taken over for another fearsome like presence makes it way to me through their music. A do or die tone is apparent throughout the whole track. Though the vocals sound a bit catchy, the lyrical content speaks boldly and profoundly. Definitely a song for the lyrical fanatics out there. Stardust shows a more mainstream side from the band. The simple drumming and filler, and absence of a guitar solo, aptly deems the track as such. My Masquerade, also slightly catchy, hints of industrial metal slither their way in the chorus. The addition of double bass with syncronized progression and the backup of male vocals let the listener headbang in a satisfactory way. Tell Me Mechanist, overall is a decent track, the opening drops in heavily with male screams appearing seconds later. The heavier of breakdowns is apparent this time. Sing To Me is pretty similar to the first two tracks, in that it brings a doomsday/apocalyptic atmosphere. One of the pluses of this track is the guest appearance of Nightwish co-singer and bassist, Marco Hietala. An almost fairytale-like sound puts the brakes on the song for a bit as the song diverts onto another path temporarily. One of my other favorites off the album, Army of Dolls, gives the album even further diversity. An almost spectral chorus keep our attention, curious and in suspense. Closer to the end of the album, Lullaby, was a pretty average song, BUT the solo wrapped around me with its luring, eargasmic charm. I would say the final song, does make a perfect close to the album. Nor heavy nor dull, the chill and simple track closes the album in an optimistic way. Another personal moment I found intoxicating was the appearance of new Arch Enemy vocalist, Alissa-White Gluz. Her vocals push the album towards a final impact that , along with Charlotte, close The Human Contradiction with a rewarding ambience.
[tube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ubi1m5pR3hM[/tube]
Overall I would give the album a 9 out of 10. A rarity for me, I absolutely cannot recall when was the last time I gave an album a 9, never even a 9.5 or 10. An impeccably conglomerate of much to hear, this album is highly recommended for those open to a diverse sector of metal. Not catering to one demograhpic or audience in my opinion is a smart move, plus sometimes it’s nice when an artist’s songs don’t always sound similar an album as well as in their discography overall. Though the general metalhead believes its all about thrash, hardcore and brutality that makes a good metal album, my definition is a bit more meaningful, more artistic in a metal way. While this album is mediocre to lets say, a Slayer album, this album can bridge a gap to someone who is looking to cross over to metal and speak to many more. That right there is what a true musician is. The band is currently touring through Europe and in The UK. They will also make their way to North America in the Fall to play a leg through the States and in Canada. The band will be making their first headlining shows ever this year in the states, thankfully. There isn’t many other words to say how much I praise this band, so I’ll keep today’s ending short…..I will see you at a Delain show soon! Stay Metal m/
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The Metal Alchemy 