Delain kot Nizozemci, dojemajo kanček drugače pojem melodije kot Finci, ki so vodilna sila v tem žanru, a vse skupaj je še vedno tako zbližano, kot bi govoril o krvnih bratih in sestrah. Delain so se na "April Rain" povzdignili v zelo kratkem roku iz bolj individualno usmerjenih entuzijastov, ki želijo s prvencem "Lucidity" le opozoriti nase, da imajo novo skupino ter tako izražajo, da bi množice sprejele njihovo glasbo, v popoln profesionalni stroj, ki skuša vse talente in potenciale maksimalno iztržiti.
Album "April Rain" nosi fantastično produkcijo, ki izraža in poudarja atribut bombastike pompozno dramatičnih napevov optimalno. Gre za perfektno sobivanje vseh gradnikov. Od orkestralnih elementov, ki jih podpihuje preliv klaviatur, tudi dotikov klasičnega klavirja, toplo žmohtne riffovske podloge kitar ter dinamične in aktivne ritem linije, kjer vpletanje dvojne bas boben "bule" tvori odlično podvozje, ki razpihuje Delain žerjavico. Na vrhu vsega tega je izpostavljen, centralno figuriran, odločno poveljujoč vokal odlične pevke Charlotte Wessels, ki kot del skupine, prevzema popoln primat nad vsemi Delain gradniki. Gostujoči vokal Marka Hietale na skladbi Control The Storm ali zaključni Nothing Left, deluje povsem zasenčeno in pravzaprav, če reč pogledamo iz drugega zornega kota, kot je ta, da se je skupini dobro zdelo, da tukaj vključi duet z moškim vokalom, pravzaprav poteza odveč. Charlotte naredi prav vse bistveno v celoti sama.
Skladbe med seboj kar tekmujejo katera bo kateri prevzela primat v bombasitiki nalezljivih refrenov. Morda je vredno izpostaviti skladbo On The Other Side, edino, katere avtorica je v celoti Charlotte Wessels. Punca poseduje tisti krhek, brezmadežni dotik nedolžno čistega ženskega vokala, ki prihaja posebej izrazno izpostavljen prav v tej skladbi, kjer Delain izprežejo iz obveznega "sekanja". Torej baladna usmeritev Charlotte še kako godi. Bolj, ko nežno igra skupina, večji učinek ima njen vokal, v poudarjanju globine in čutnosti samih emocij. Preverite v tej posebnosti Charlotte v power baladni skladbi Start Swimming ali predrefrenu I'll Reach You.
Tudi Delain so ena tistih skupin, ki v prvi vrsti uperja vse kreativne sile v iskanje perfektne melodije, kakršne dosegajo vznemirljivo kapitalizacijo v izpiljenih refrenih, ki so atmosferični vrhunci pesmi. Ne glede na to da gre za mlado skupino (po nastanku), so v njej izkušeni glasbeniki, ki natanko vedo kaj hočejo in kako streči vsej zadevi. Kreativna gonilna sila skupine in avtor ali soavtor velike večine skladb novega albuma je bivši Within Temptation klaviaturist Martijn Westerholt, ki je svoje znanje v novi skupini tako le prelil v novo kvaliteto.
"April Rain" ponuja (danes že dobro prepoznavno) močno dozo izkustva "na prvo žogo poslušanja" visoko nalezljivih melodij, ki zlezejo pod kožo v hipu. Že otvoritvena naslovna skladba je strupeno invazivna! Kljub tej komercialni usmeritvi, ki jo mimnogrede izraža že sama naslovnica albuma (lepotica Charlotte izpostavljena, v ozadju kadra, pa preostanek ekipe v popolnih sencah), pa ponuja album izredno mero dinamike v smislu nizanja mnogoterih razpoloženjskih stanj, kar izhaja iz osnovnega aksioma tvorbe raznolikih osnovnih motivov. Torej skupina je polna ustvarjalnosti, zato deluje album sveže, navdahnjeno in poslušalca hitro, ne le izpolni in zadovolji v plasiranju zahtevanega kvalitativnega minimuma, pač pa prepriča, da so Delain skupina, ki se ne šali. V generičnih osnovah uspešno odstirajo prostor za tvorbo lastne, sebi prepoznavne, glasbene niše. In to je poanta, ki bi ji morala slediti sleherna skupina, ki da kaj nase. "April Rain" postavlja Delain na enakovredno mesto skupin tega žanra. Še več. V svoji kvalitativni nadgradnji prvenca imajo Delain potencial, da prevzamejo primat med skupinami simfoničnega gotskega principa v metalu.
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"Lucidity" was more than just promising start. While debut album was firm, yet comfort beginner's step in the world of music, with main goal, to achieve recognition between musical masses, "April Rain" proves further growth and evolution for the band. This time Delain approached even more strongly focused to capitalize all talents and creative enthusiasm in pure professional fashion.
"April Rain" is truly great record because of its fantastic production with maximum clarity and crispness. A big, alive and constant dynamic communication between all instruments, well dressed in big and pompous orchestral arrangements and multilayered Charlotte's vocal harmonies, coexists in great symbiosis throughout this record. Production is still alive, nevertheless you can feel cold breeze which is a legacy of Delain's creation of dark and melancholic atmosphere. Charlotte with her exceptional voice is somehow main engine that convinces listener to fall in love with "April Rain" at first sight. Her tender angelic approach groves in tenderness even more as band becomes mellower in certain moments of this record. Especially in songs like On the Other Side, Start Swimming or in pre-chorus of I'll Reach You. On this parts of the album Charlotte's vocal expressions get even more active exposure, by leaving very strong emotive impact to the listener. The tender they (band) play music, the stronger it gets (Charlotte's vocals). And I think this was one of the band's main goals. Authority of Charlotte's vocals get sometimes so much presence, that even Marko Hietala (Nightwish bass player) as a special guest, remains in shade, as he joins to lay down some duets in songs such as Control The Storm or closing Nothing Left.
There is always strong feeling on this record present, which gives an impression that Delain invests a lot of their time and creative energy in search for melody perfection. Members are well armed with experience and knowledge, and are strongly focused in creation of big pompous bombastic sound production that tries to investigate and fulfill every inch of musical space. Atmospheric peaks are always positioned in catchy melodies inside choruses. These perfectly detailed melodies define a strong attractive attribute of Delain's music. So there is no doubt, that Delain has a potential for a big commercial success, too. Song April Rain was already released as a (first) single from this album. And there are a lot of other candidates to get future single release. Next one that I would personally choose for single release is Go Away!
This album runs in great dynamic changes throughout its recording time. There is great diversity between main motives in songs and therefore great dramatic changes in so created atmosphere. This instant search for perfectly combined composition in melodic sense proves, that Delain rides on a big crest of a wave full of inspiration, creative energy, and that this band is strongly focused in realization of their goals of musical expression. Center positioned Charlotte's vocal approach in production is also one of key factors, that creates new niche for Delain's musical expression, which convinces in self reconcilability (uniqueness) in more or less generic and sometimes overexploited field of symphonic gothic metal. "April Rain" is by no means one of the finest releases in its genre for year 2009.
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