Delain – Hunter’s Moon [EP]

 Starting off on gentle vocalization and atmospheric backing orchestration, “Masters of Destiny” seems to be another typical Delain song, with some poppish elements, until the chorus kicks in full force and steers it in a totally different, more symphonic and bombastic, direction. In between the hefty guitar riffs, the cinematic keyboard soundscapes and the larger-than-life chorus, this is definitely one of the best songs of the year. I have to admit this might just be the best I have heard from Charlotte (and Delain) since I started listening to them around 2010. This song really highlights her wonderful vocals, and how well she can transition between softer vocal melodies and more aggressive and powerful parts, but also just how tight and talented this band is. Next up is the incredibly stunning and atmospheric title track “Hunter’s Moon” which flows between harsher parts, with death metal-like vocals from guitarist Timo Somers, and breezy instrumental, where Charlotte sweeps in and steals the show with her angelic vocals. As always the back and forth between clean and harsh vocals adds more dynamism and edge to the song, while the catchy chorus is ideal for sing-alongs. I really like it when a song goes between these two extremes, instead of being linear, and “Hunter’s Moon” is definitely my favorite track on this EP.

The short but not-so-sweet “The silence is mine” (by Timo Somers) has a nice overlap of heavy guitar riffs, from the talented duo Merel Bechtold and Timo Somers, and gentle piano parts from Martijn Westerholt, a borderline acoustic vocal part, and an absolutely killer guitar melody and solo, all melded into one cohesive piece of music, making me wish it was longer than 2 minutes and 38 seconds.  The electro infused “Art kills” (by Merel Bechtold) shows off yet another creative side of Delain (kind of like “Sukerpunch” from “Lunar Prelude”), while retained a really sharp metal edge, with the usage of some harsh vocals, a rumbling bass line, and just amazing guitar work. However, I am not sure this one really is on par with the first 3 tracks, but then again it may just be my tastes and affinities at play here.

Overall these four songs are really melodic and but with a rather dark and gloomy vibe about them, especially lyric-wise. The melodies are really well crafted, and the build-up in intensity is well done throughout. It may be just me but Delain have found the sound that not only works best for them, but also sets them apart from the rest of the symphonic (female-fronted) metal bands, making them a force to the reckoned with. Hopefully they will continue down this path.