Delain
Lucidity
Sensory
Lush and enveloping, Lucidity creates the sort of heavy rock environment that shifts angry vocals into something softer but leaves that desire to bang your head and give mom the Metal Sign. Lead singer Charlotte Wessels mixes a classically-trained voice with driving lyrics that might be slightly shallow or agonizingly deep, but affect you either way. Behind her are the astonishing guitars of Martijn Westerholt and the even more astonishingly named Otto Schimmelpenninck van der Oije on bass.
This album first appeared in ‘06, but is packed like a sardine can with solid music. From opening cut “Sever” right through to “No Compliance,” to the Mike Oldfield inspired “A Day for Ghosts,” your blood pressure will rise and if someone shouted “Death to Benelux” you’d help attack. Not that anyone would, but that’s how exciting Delain sounds on polyacrylic. Think Kansas at the height of their power, but add a vocal more like Sarah Brightman and use a Phil Spector approach to mixing. These guys trace their roots back to the dusty fields of middle ’70s hard rock, but stand ready to ensnare another generation into black lights, ripped t-shirts, rocking out while restocking Publix. It’s enough to need an ice cold brewski to keep up your energy.
Delain has a second album out – if it flies over my transom I’d love to check out more of these low country Eurorockers.
Delain: http://www.delain.eu • http://www.myspace.com/delainmusic
