April Rain - CD

Delain: April Rain version on CD in Standard edition. This particular edition was published in Netherlands in publishing company Roadrunner Records on 1. May 2011.

After an unexpectedly harsh winter, Delain have finally unleashed the bracing "April Rain" on us - atmospheric, onomatopoeic, symphonically sublime and fascinatingly epic heavy, inevitably casting a spell from the first notes of the opener. After just a few seconds, the crystal clear piano drops unfold into a surge of pure energy that clearly sets the direction of the ambitious Dutchman's new work: ever forward; propelled by their own blend of heavy riffs and siren-like vocals that will melt even the proudest metal heart in the blink of an elfin Queen Charlotte's eye. What once started as a purely studio project, peppered with many renowned star guests, but with no prospect of any live performance, turned into a true metal band of five different, interacting characters, united by an eternal bond at the latest with "April Rain": accepting the challenge to record the best album to the best of their ability, which despite all the competition and Dutch modesty is not an unsporting feat. Still, the songs on "April Rain" stand on their own, especially in an age of plagiarists. "I'm particularly proud of the title track," explains Marijn Westerholt, keyboardist and main songwriter of Delain. "This track is, in my eyes, the perfect visual example of where Delain is today and how incredibly multilayered we have evolved as a band! When you think about the circumstances we started under back then. Somehow it all got out of hand..." You couldn't have said it better. While predecessor "Lucidity" was still characterized by various guest appearances, on "April Rain" Delain have decisively evolved - in the best sense of the word - into a bulletproof unit that now stands on its own and no longer needs any sonically diluting collaborations of any kind. Back to basics: Charlotte Wessels on microphone, Ronald Landa on guitar, Rob van der Loo on bass, Sander Zoer on drums and Martijn Westerholt on keys.

Album spans genres Rock and Symphonic metal.