DELAIN
Dance With The Devil (EP)
One of my favorite parts of writing reviews for a niche subject matter is the eye-opening aspect of discovering new bands. It’s so endearing to be able to have new avenues to explore and be consistently up-to-date on releases that I would have never even thought about. But, something that really cheers me up is the opportunity to fall in love all over again with bands I used to really enjoy. That’s what I had the pleasure of doing with the new DELAIN EP “Dance With The Devil”. There is a reason that they are always mentioned in the pantheon of symphonic metal, and the reason is that they have perfected their craft of painting such an exquisite sonic picture.
THE BAND
Not that anyone needs the backstory of such a prolific band, but if you’re new, welcome! DELAIN was formed in the Netherlands in 2002 and have a string of very successful albums, both studio and live, and EPs to their name. The currently rendition of the band includes the absolutely stunning vocal prowess of Diana Leah, Ronald Landa pleasing our ears on guitar, Ludovico Cioffi holding down the bass, Sander Zoer keeping steady rhythm on the drums, and band founder Martijn Westerholt serenading on keys.
With such a luxuriant band taking on a new project, they have a lot to live up to. Well, my dear reader, I am happy to say that for fans of DELAIN, “Dance With The Devil” exceeds expectations.
THE ALBUM
“Dance With The Devil” kicks us into that familiar arcade-tinged energy with the title track. Dynamic and haunting vocals are perfectly layered over symphonic soundscapes that force listeners into a fantastical world that brings to mind images of succubi and outlandish settings.
“The Reaping” and “Sleepwalkers Dream (2024 Version)” continue the abundance of fantasy and spirited atmosphere, and this is where the studio tracks abruptly stop, and we are brought to a live experience of amazing tracks such as “Burning Bridges”, “Moth To A Flame”, and “Queen Of Shadow”. The interesting switch to a live portion of the album honestly took me by surprise and kicked my energy level higher than before.
The live portion continues on for a considerable amount of time before offering instrumental and alternative versions of “Dance With The Devil”, “The Reaping” and “Underland”. It’s a nice little reminder for those of us who want to see symphonic metal succeed that bands like DELAIN are still kicking major ass on such a large scale.
THE VERDICT
I absolutely love that this little EP made me fall in love with symphonic metal all over again. It made me feel like a pre-teen playing games with my friends until the early hours of the morning, all scored by some of the best music out there. Pick up “Dance With The Devil” on November 8, out on Napalm Records.
Matthew McCune