DELAIN
Delain embark on a bold new adventure
Dark Waters
NAPALM
Dutch symphonic metallers get a new lease of life
WHEN THE NEWS broke in February 2021 that every member of Delain had quit, bar keyboardist Martijn Westerholt, many fans thought the symphonic metallers were finished. The split came out of the blue; only a year before, the band had released their horribly named, but musically impressive sixth album, Apocalypse & Chill, which had propelled them to another level. And while Martijn vowed to continue as a solo project, many wondered whether the Delain name could survive, not least given the departure of Charlotte Wessels, who had been their voice and face for 16 years. They needn’t have worried; Dark Waters sees Delain rebuilt from the ashes. Last August, Martijn announced the return of original guitarist Ronald Landa and original drummer Sander Zoer, and unveiled Ludovico Cioffi and Diana Leah as his new bassist and singer respectively, ensuring they’d march forward with both familiarity and freshness.