DELAIN – The Human Contradiction [Limited Edition] (2014)

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Dutch symphonic metallers DELAIN, who have continued to exponentially grow, musically and in popularity, are releasing their new beast called “The Human Contradiction”.
We were truly impressed with the band’s earlier album (presented on this blog), but even when compared to their previous works, this new album comes out on top in maturity, heaviness and melody.

“Here Come The Vultures” is a colorful and cerebral, ear candy filled opener that is part sweeping epic, part quirky near pop-lullabye and part straight up fist pumping hard rocker. Charlotte Wessels’s voice is ever the perfect contradiction (pun intended) between a metal maiden, a classical singer and a hazy bar crooner, and oozes liquid charisma through the aloof keyboard arrangements and churning riffs.
“Stardust” once again capitalizes on her vocal capability and ability to deliver catchy hooks in tandem with technical vocal melodies. As a whole, it is one of the best tracks on the album; a very hard title to give out in this case. The keyboard layering of Martijn Westerholt, coming into his own as a compositional mastermind up there with Edu Falaschi and Thomas Youngblood, shines through in this track, blending haunting atmospherics with an upbeat vibe.
Westerholt’s ivory work is impressive throughout the record adding layers of highlights to the songs with an apparent ease that many bands would kill for.

“Human Contradiction” is full of punchy songs from the storytelling power of “Sing To Me” to the confident march of “Your Body Is a Battleground”. “Tell Me, Mechanist” is definitely one of the heavier tracks on the release with more aggressive riffs and blistering coarse vocal passages. The track alternates between these realms of epic, pained emotion and their trademark, soaring Symphonic passages.
At the same time, this record shows a lot of cool range yet focus for Delain, with “Army of Dolls” even coming off like a metallized Eurythmics, combining metal riffs with poppy melody. There are memorable choruses and big hooks all over this song and lyrics that will worm into your brain with ease.

“Tragedy of the Commons” is the final track on the main CD and stood out to me on both a personal and musical level. Not only is it a superb combination of lyrical poetry and musical maturity, but it also contains both coarse and clean vocal performances by Alissa of The Antagonist; unexpected, but most definitely welcomed. It is hard to describe this track without only using the word ‘epic’.
I said ‘main CD’ because this Limited Edition includes a bonus disc with a lot of great stuff: the awesome dark and calm “Scarlet”, the marching “Don’t Let Go”, five very well recorded live tracks, and majectic orchestral versions of “Your Body Is a Battleground” and “Sing To Me”.
‘Orchestral’ means entirely that; these are performed by a classical orchestra without electrics or vocals, and believe me, they are superb.

2014 has delivered its first Great symphonic metal album; “The Human Contradiction”.
But Delain is much more than this genre, they add musicality, catchiness, poppy melodies to their music without sounding cheap or intended for radio. Not at all, the band’s songwriting and performance is organic, vivid, while not losing sight of what already makes them great.
I think ‘majestic’ is the word to describe “The Human Contradiction”. And this Limited Edition really worth the purchase for a couple of bucks more.
Highly Recommended.

Disc 1: The Human Contradiction
01. Here Come the Vultures
02. Your Body Is a Battleground (feat. Marco Hietala)
03. Stardust
04. My Masquerade
05. Tell Me, Mechanist (feat. George Oosthoek)
06. Sing To Me (feat. Marco Hietala)
07. Army of Dolls
08. Lullaby
09. The Tragedy of the Commons (feat. Alissa White-Gluz)

Disc 2: Bonus CD
1. Scarlet
2. Don’t Let Go
3. My Masquerade (Live)
4. April Rain (Live)
5. Go Away (Live)
6. Sever (Live)
7. Stay Forever (Live)
8. Sing To Me (Orchestra version)
9. Your Body Is A Battleground (Orchestra version)

Charlotte Wessels – Vocals
Martijn Westerholt – Keyboards
Otto Schimmelpenninck Van Der Oije – Bass
Sander Zoer – Drums
Timo Somers – Guitars

Pre-Order:
shop.napalmrecords.com/delain-the-human-contradiction-mediabook-2cd.html
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