Label: Napalm Records
Review by Tony Cannella
The Dutch Symphonic metal band Delain returns with their fourth full-length album “The Human Contradiction”. This is the follow up to their excellent “We Are the Others”. After that album, it was interesting to see how they would follow what many consider to be their best album. Would they be up to the task? Well, the answer is a resounding yes.
The opening track, “Here Come the Vultures” is a wonderful way to start. It begins with a haunting intro before transforming into a bombastic metal track and Charlotte Wessels is fast becoming one of my favorite singers. “Your Body Is a Battleground” is even more awesome than the previous song. Here Charlotte duets with Marco Hietala from Nightwish and the results couldn’t be better. In fact, Marco shows up again later on the track “Sing to Me”. “Stardust” is just a straight-forward classic Delain style number with a chugging guitar riff and a powerful melody. “My Masquerade” is next and this is a track that fans were lucky enough to get a taste of on their previous European tour. “Tell Me, Machinist” features another guest appearance, this time from legendary grunter George Oosthoek and obviously this is one of the heavier songs. For the final number “The Tragedy of the Commons” the band is joined by Alissa White-Gluz from The Agonist and Kamelot.
The thing I’ve always loved about Delain is their ability to draw you in with catchy, melodic hook-laden song, whilst still being metal and with “The Human Contradiction” that has continued. They also keep managing to progress as musicians and songwriters. If there is any justice “The Human Contradiction” will be the album that breaks them worldwide and ascend them to the top of the symphonic metal genre. “The Human Contradiction” is just a massive record and already my favorite album of 2014 thus far.
Rating – 95/100
Tracklist
- Here Come the Vultures
- Your Body is a Battleground
- Stardust
- My Masquerade
- Tell Me, Mechanist
- Sing to Me
- Army of Dolls
- Lullaby
- The Tragedy of the Commons
Line Up
- Charlotte Wessels – Vocals
- Timo Somers – Guitar
- Martijn Westerholt – Keyboards
- Otto Schimmelpenninck van der Oije – Bass
- Sander Zoer – Drums