delain-cover

Artist: Delain

Album Title: Moonbathers

Label: Napalm Records

Date Of Release: 26 August 2016

I must apologise for the tardiness of this review. However, I do have my reasons. When I first listened to ‘Moonbathers’, the fifth album from melodic symphonic metallers Delain, I was not overly impressed.

I have, over the years, grown tired of female-fronted melodic symphonic metal to the point where I rarely listen to it. Bands like Universal Mind Project have sprung up out of nowhere to make an impact this year but in terms of the more tried and trusted genre favourites, nothing has really grabbed my attention for quite a while. Whether I’m being grossly unfair or not, I got the feeling that it was ‘same old, same old’, re-badged and released to the faithful. Delain were one of the bands that fell into this category.

However, a week or two ago, I found myself in Norwich, watching Delain headline at the Waterfront and I was shaken from my apathy. I was in attendance purely and simply because of the inclusion of Evergrey on the bill. However, I stayed in the venue to watch Delain and I am so glad that I did. It may not have changed my opinion of all female-fronted music of this kind but I heard and saw something in Delain that compelled me to go home a re-listen to ‘Moonbathers’.

I think with hindsight, it was two things that stuck with me. Firstly, it was the sense of fun and love of what they were doing that made me realise that the sextet formed by keyboardist Martijn Westerholt and fronted by Charlotte Wessels deserved a second chance. The enthusiasm, the smiles, the interaction with the audience; it all came together to create a special atmosphere, one that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Secondly, the following morning, I awoke with two distinct earworms running through my head and they were both Delain songs from the new album as it turns out. This rarely happens, particularly when my all-time favourite band were also on the bill the night before.

Since then, I have listened to ‘Moonbathers’ with fresh ears and a fresh, unbiased perspective. The result? I cannot help but really fall under the Delain spell, via what must surely be their most satisfying and accomplished release to date.

In 2016, the aforementioned Wessels and Westerholt are joined by bassist/vocalist Otto Schimmelpenninck van der Oije, guitarists Merel Bechtold and Timo Somers and drummer Ruben Israel. Each member of the band, be they longstanding or new to the fold come together really well to create the Delain sound. And that sound is highly melodic, infectious heavy metal with big choruses and bombastic, grandiose orchestration, which adds drama and a theatrical, cinematic depth to the songs. The majority of the music is generally around the classic mid-tempo with a strong beat and satisfyingly chunky riffs. I think it’s fair to say that Delain are not a complex listen but then that’s not the end result that they are going for, far from it. In fact, if they dallied with more complicated ideas and structures, it might even detract from the overall impact.

delain-band

Atop the instrumentation is the not so secret weapon in Charlotte Wessels, a striking lady that has an even more striking voice, not to mention an infectious love of what she is doing. Wessels’ range is impressive, but more so is her effortless power that creates a formidable cocktail when combined with her softer, more emotional delivery. And her phrasing as well as her innate sense of melody helps to transform a good composition into something great, even magical at times.

I realise that I am making a rather huge u-turn in my opinion of Delain and ‘Moonbathers’, from where I was after a first couple of spins. However, something has simply clicked and as is the beauty of music, sometimes things happen that cannot fully be explained. When all is said and done, I honestly don’t think that there is a weak track to be found on ‘Moonbathers’, such is the consistency of the material.

The album begins with ‘Hands Of Gold’ which opens with a short cinematic intro before launching into one of the most urgent songs on the entire album. The track bounds along at a decent lick, built on a strong foundation by drummer Israel, bassist Schimmelpenninck and guitarists Bechtold and Somers. The composition builds up to a hook-laden chorus dominated by Wessels’ rich and honest voice. The verses are laced with full-on orchestration to accent a central riff with bite. There is even the inclusion of gruff vocals from bassist Schimmelpenninck to increase the extremity and inject a ‘beauty and the beast’ element which I can’t help but like.

The delightfully named ‘The Glory And The Scum’ follows swiftly and, if anything, it ups the heaviness and the bombast. The orchestration is front and centre, acting as a counterpoint to some genuinely cracking riffs. And the enormous chorus is closed out by a gorgeous vocal melody from Wessels, one of those aforementioned magical moments. This was one of the earworms that wouldn’t let go after the gig.

‘Suckerpunch’ is a more immediate hit of aural saccharine. It begins with an 80s synth-pop vibe before delivering one of the most infectious choruses on the album. By this point, I’m well and truly being sucked in to the energetic vitality of the record and I’m loving it. After an extended cinematic workout, there’s a quick guitar solo before the chorus takes us breathlessly to the close.

The second earworm from that fateful night came courtesy of ‘The Hurricane’, an altogether moodier and more emotive song. The atmospheres take centre stage alongside a sprawling chorus where Wessels can once again shine beautifully. The same can be said of ‘Chrysalis’, a delicate ballad which builds in intensity, allowing Westerholt to show off his considerable talents in the process.

The heaviness is ratcheted up again via the up-tempo hard rocker ‘Fire With Fire’, a stadium-friendly beast if ever there was one. It is a bit of a grower but thanks to an insidiously infectious chorus and some unusual vocals from Wessels, it has slowly become one of my favourites.

Other highlights include ‘Danse Macabre’ thanks to more uniquely compelling vocals from Wessels, some subtle lead guitar work from Somers and the use of some bold electronics. And I also particularly like the initially brooding and sombre ‘Turn The Lights Out’ that again launches into a memorable, sing-along chorus.

Even the cover of Queen’s ‘Scandal’ is handled well – it’s not as good as the original, but then no-one could realistically better or match the original.

Ok, so this is the part where I once again admit that I was wrong. ‘Moonbathers’ is a monster of a record that delivers some of the most enjoyable and compelling female-fronted melodic metal I have heard in a while. The music itself is strong in its own right but what makes it even stronger is the knowledge that Delain genuinely love what they are doing. It comes through in the music, creating an honest and well-crafted set of songs with honesty and heart; and with killer choruses of course. You can’t really ask for more than that can you?

The Score Of Much Metal: 8.75

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtaVKW5N_VE&w=560&h=315]

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