Review Summary: Playful luminosity.
Somehow, some way, Delain have managed to stay afloat in a pale field of water. Being a glamorous symphonic metal band certainly plays a part, aided by the obvious emphasis on singer Charlotte Wessels. Add the fact they're about as safe (poppy) as a metal band can get away with and the recipe for their popularity quickly becomes clear. They're not exactly pulling out the choirs full-blast to tackle Nightwish (or even Epica), but they do seem to fit the bill where other, recent outfits fall into place. Needless to say, they're an easy target for any critically minded listener, even when they occasioned to show slim signs of maturity, such as a select few moments on
The Human Contradiction. Similarly,
Moonbathers takes a couple comfortable small steps forward, never straying too far from the band's established formula.
Two of the album's tracks, "Suckerpunch" and "Turn the Lights Out," were found on the EP
Lunar Prelude. On one hand, these do a fair job appetizing listeners for the entree found in this LP. Yet Delain are experienced enough to charge things up, with the majority of new tracks having a heavier, bombastic sound, imparting a sense of confidence that even
The Human Contradiction was reluctant to showcase. The two opening tracks do a wonderful job demonstrating this, with the riffs on "Hands of Gold" foreshadowing much of what's to come. Further pushing this immediate message is the inclusion of Alissa White-Gluz, who blends in far better than she did on, say, Kamelot's
Silverthorn. Perhaps the biggest surprise Delain throws us, however, is an upbeat cover of Queen's "Scandal." The group are clearly having fun with the song, keeping the essentials intact while comfortably doing it their own way.
Of course, this wouldn't be a Delain album without a considerate dose of ballads, presumably in an attempt to let Charlotte shine even brighter. This is also where
Moonbathers misses the mark, especially with the back-to-back treatment from "The Hurricane" and "Chrysalis - The Last Breath." Ballads feel like Delain on complete auto-pilot, falling back into a rhythm that's more boring than fun. It doesn't help that the album's closing moments are another pair of slow tracks. Considering how Delain tweaked their formula in nearly every other track, they could have easily ended things on a more grandiose note to further entice us. Instead,
Moonbathers deflates as it concludes, as if to warn listeners that whatever comes next won't be the big, adventurous step it should be.
Much of what Delain have to offer here could be called the best work of their career, and it's during these moments that one gets excited for what may come down the line. The band feel like they're on the verge of making a breakthrough, as if they could surprise at any moment and keep us fully invested every time we return. Maybe next time, maybe next time...
