DVD review: Delain—A Decade of Delain (Live at Paradiso)

Album cover

Album: A Decade of Delain (Live at Paradiso)

Artist: Delain

Genre: Symphonic metal

Label: Napalm Records

Tracks: 23

(Originally posted at the Female-Fronted Power Facebook page.)

Sometimes it’s easy to forget that Delain has already been around for 10 years! It seems like only yesterday that their album Lucidity hit the scene. In fact, considering their wild success since then, it is even easier to forget that Delain originally started out as just a project featuring guest musicians (ala Ayreon) with no real intention of being an actual live touring band. But so many people loved the album that Delain were prompted to play a few shows, which turned into a small tour, which turned into more live shows and more touring…before long, Delain started playing new songs at their shows, which indicated that they were here to stay, and this was no longer a one-off project. Soon, they were in the same esteemed circles as their sister band, Within Temptation, and other prominent acts in the genre. Inside a few short years, Delain’s popularity exploded, far surpassing the “musical project” they had originally envisioned for themselves.

As Delain approached a decade of music, it seemed like a no-brainer that the band would want to commemorate such a milestone. Starting a PledgeMusic crowdfunding campaign, the band announced they would be performing a special 10th anniversary show, to be filmed for DVD in their home country of The Netherlands. Fans from around the world jumped at the opportunity to be a part of this special show, featuring guest musicians and a setlist with songs that hadn’t been played in a long time.

Now, the DVD is here for everyone to see, and it was worth the wait! The show starts off firing on all cylinders, and Delain wastes no time introducing their guests as Alissa White-Gluz arrives for the show opener “Hands of Gold”. Her roaring vocals shake the Paradiso, and before anyone can recover, Delain continues to launch into their high-energy repertoire with favorites like “Suckerpunch”, “The Glory and the Scum” and “Get the Devil Out of Me”. An array of confetti fittingly covers the Paradiso for the track “The Hurricane” (my favorite from Moonbathers, the latest Delain studio album), followed promptly by the classic Delain favorite “April Rain”.

The second of the evening’s guest vocalists take the stage when Fear Factory frontman Burton C. Bell arrives for “Where is the Blood?” I am not a huge fan of the “metalcore”-type vocals, but he does a good job and complements Charlotte’s voice well. After that, Delain taps into their more aggressive side with “Here Come the Vultures”, keeps it heavy with the Moonbathers fan-favorite “Fire With Fire”, where the fans go absolutely crazy with the headbanging (at this point in the video I see my friend Bill Seaberry in the audience!). I also love the way Charlotte articulates the lyrics with hand gestures, like when she mimics slamming a door when she sings the line “open doors, then shut them hard”. Can I just say that I have always thought that the Paradiso looks like a cool venue for a concert, and I envy you Dutch people who get to see shows there all the time?

Alissa White-Gluz makes a return for “The Tragedy of the Commons”, and if I thought she sounded brutal before, she unleashes her beastly vocals to maximum capacity here! Delain keeps the crowd going with “Danse Macabre”, where the fans clap along with Charlotte. After that, Delain digs deep into the vault and brings back former bandmembers Rob van der Loo, Guus Eikens, and Sander Zoer for the Lucidity classic “Sleepwalkers Dream”.

From there, Charlotte announces that they have a “virtual guest”, and Nightwish bassist/vocalist Marco Hietala appears on-screen for the song “Your Body is a Battleground”. Delain returns to old-school favorites with “Stay Forever”, and then is joined onstage by Liv Kristine for “See me in Shadow” (where things seem to calm down for the first time during this energetic show). The trip down memory lane continues with the song Charlotte deems as the “party favorite” among Delain fans: “The Gathering” (which feels a little flat without Marco, but makes up for it with fan enthusiasm, where everyone jumps up and down and cuts loose). The nod to Delain’s debut continues with “Pristine”, where the searing vocals of George Oosthoek provide some guttural ferocity and the entire band headbangs in sync (along with some fans in the balcony as well!). Delain, along with George, lead the audience into clapping along with them (where I catch another glimpse of my friend Bill!), culminating into synchronized fist-pumping throughout the Paradiso.

The show reaches its home stretch as Delain makes its way back towards more current material (i.e., the latter half of their 10-year career) with “Mother Machine”, a song that is normally a fantastic show opener, but fits well here as a way to mark the last part of the concert. Another video appearance from Marco Hietala comes afterwards on the track “Sing To Me” and when Delain reaches the song “Don’t Let Go” (my favorite Delain song to hear live!), it becomes clear that we are reaching the end of the journey, since this song is usually one of the last at a Delain show. But the crowd stays with it and remains as animated as if it were the beginning of the concert, as they chant and clap along.

As soon as the familiar opening notes of “We Are The Others” begins, there is no mistake that we have reached the end of the concert, because this song usually closes out the band’s shows and it has become their most recognizable anthem. But it is a fantastic close to a lively performance, and a perfect cap on a tribute to 10 years’ worth of music. The song has become the theme song for all Delain fans and it is only proper that the show would end with something that the audience most identifies with, since it was the enthusiasm of the Delain fans from the beginning that brought this “musical project” to life and turned them into the actively touring and recording superstars that they are now, a decade later. Delain knows that too, and thanks their fans with the hopes that there will be another 10 years to celebrate. The entire evening’s cast ensemble joins them onstage for the final bow, as the cameras capture the passionate Delain fans that made this moment possible.

Thanks to Henk van Nieuwenhoven at Female-Fronted Power.

Extra thanks to Mona Miluski at Napalm Records.

Special thanks to Ben, Chip and Scott at Delain American Street Team.

Extra-special thanks to John Thornburgh at Sonic Cathedral.

Femme-Metal Friday: Exit Eden “A Question of Time”

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It has been a while since the last time I wrote about the femme-metal vocal supergroup Exit Eden, but they have been doing a lot since then! They have released a bunch of videos for their album Rhapsodies in Black; so much that I have not been able to keep up with them until now. If I was going to review any video for any song off the album, this was the one I most hoped would have a video release, and the one I most wanted to review. Good things come to those who wait!

If you read my review of the Rhapsodies in Black album, then you know that my favorite songs on this album of covers were the ’80s tunes: the soundtrack of childhood with a fresh, new sound. Of all the ’80s covers, however, my favorite was the album's opening track, Exit Eden's take on the Depeche Mode classic “A Question of Time”. So naturally, when the band started releasing several videos for the album, I hoped that eventually, this song would get a video treatment as well.

Thematically, the Exit Eden videos appear to share a similar thread, which leads one to wonder if the videos are connected, or if the order of their release somehow paints a larger picture (somewhat like the Guns ’n Roses “video trilogy” of the early ’90s, where three seemingly random songs from the album tied together to tell a bigger story on-screen). The videos all show the same imagery: alternating between the group performing in a room with some sunlight coming through the windows of an old house, and the women individually either walking through the house or shown in rooms lit with candles. The women are seen walking through the halls, each one carrying a different item: Marina LaTorraca has a rose, Anna Brunner holds a pendant of some kind, Clémentine Delauney holds a small golden box, and Amanda Somerville holds and onyx ring. As the video ends, we see quick shots of the band performing onstage, alternating between shots of what rests in the women's hands: the rose, the box, the pendant, and the ring.

For more information on Exit Eden, visit their official website.

Hump Day Hot Ticket: Serenity “United”

Photo credit: Manuel Janus Mair

Admittedly, there has been a bit of a pattern here lately, and hopefully this is a precursor of better things to come at this blog; meaning that it will become more commonplace to begin spotlighting more international acts for this feature. (Hey, as much as I love to showcase the independent bands, I also want to draw more traffic here so that many people can learn about those lesser-known artists in the first place!)

As I did last Friday with my review of The Dark Element, I am once again reviewing a new video from another band that I have written about within the last month. Releasing their second single in time for their album release on Friday, Serenity has another new video, this time for the song “United”.

Truth be told, I look forward to any opportunity to write about Serenity, because I absolutely love their music. I regret that the start of this feature last year happened only after the last video for their previous album was released, because I would have gladly reviewed all of them. Over the last 2 years, Serenity has quickly earned a spot among my most favorite bands, which says a lot in regards to how much I love their music. Quite frankly, I think they are one of the best symphonic metal bands out there, and don't feel they get nearly as much attention or recognition as I believe they deserve. Then again, this is why I write music reviews, so that maybe (in some small way) I can help bring attention to all of this great music!

That being said, on to the video! Aesthetically, “United” has the same look and feel as the “Lionheart” video, which suggests that perhaps Lionheart is a sort of concept album, or that there are some connecting threads throughout the songs. The “United” video picks up right where the “Lionheart” video left off, even though on the album, the song order is reversed. 

When the video begins, we see the soldiers in full armor, brandishing sword and shield, prepared to follow King Richard Lionheart to war. The darkened cave also makes a return, only this time it is more of a performance video, and what a show they put on for this rallying war cry of an anthem! The royal standard is proudly unfurled behind them, as great bursts of flame blast in front of them in a remarkable pyrotechnic display. What a great way to give the viewer a feel of what it must be like at a Serenity concert, right? All of this is going on, and we are not but a little more than 30 seconds into the video...then, to make things more interesting, there's a guy swallowing fire and spitting out flame! Come to think of it, there is a lot of fire in this video, but it fits perfectly with the frenetic pace of the song. It is a fiery, passionate song, with a guitar solo that is positively smoking! Needless to say, an abundant display of pyro is an appropriate visual for such a fierce track.

For more information on Serenity, visit their official website.

Thanks to Claudia Steinlechner at Napalm Records.

Femme-Metal Friday: The Dark Element “Dead to Me”

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Normally when working on these twice-a-week features, I try not to showcase the same bands or artists within too close a time frame, but as the saying goes, “strike the iron while it's hot”. Right now, The Dark Element is a pretty hot topic, and they've already got another video to review, so why not jump at the opportunity? Besides, this is my blog, which means I can make the rules, or break them if I see fit. If I want to write about the new lyric video from The Dark Element, then I see no reason why I should wait for a “substantial” amount of time to pass!

If you read my feature last month on The Dark Element, then no introduction is needed. For those who did not read my previous review, then please refer to said review for further information. To give a very brief rundown, The Dark Element is a project featuring ex-Sonata Arctica guitarist Jani Liimatainen, and former Nightwish vocalist Anette Olzon. Now that you're all caught up, let's move on to the review!

A lyric video for a song called “Dead to Me”, it is too easy to quickly spot similarities between both Olzon and Liimatainen's previous bands. As I am a Nightwish fan, I instantly hear remnants of songs like “Dark Chest of Wonders” and “Shudder Before the Beautiful”, to name some examples. But, as I am also a fan of Liimatainen's other band, Cain's Offering, I hear many comparisons to that band as well. It stands to reason that both artists are so identifiable by their old bands, that the sound of those bands is bound to come out through the music they make together. In a way, it's an interesting insight on what Cain's Offering might sound like with a female vocalist, or how Nightwish might sound if they joined forces with Sonata Arctica.

As for the video itself, it has a gray backdrop, with pictures of the band, along with shots of Anette in black-and-white, singing as the lyrics flash on the screen. I like how she still does her little head-bobbing thing when she sings, the way she did in her Nightwish days.

I am glad this is a lyric video, because when Anette reaches the line “you ate my bread and drank from my well”, it sounds like she is singing “you ate my brain”! I am pretty sure this is not a song about zombies, so good thing I was able to get that misheard lyric corrected right away! Then again, the song is called “Dead to Me”, so you never know...I guess that will have to be one of those questions that will remain unanswered!

For all its upbeat tempo and fast heaviness, this is one hell of a breakup song! I tell you, these “revenge anthems” from today's pop princesses are child's play compared to heartbroken metalheads! With verses like “I wish I could say I wish you the best, it isn't true”, “I won't write you an ode nor confession, not a song but a war declaration”, “you were the harlot of my heart, like a fool I played my part”, and “you're no one, mean nothing, you're worthless, dead to me”, it's obvious that The Dark Element has far more creative ways to tell an ex, “we're never getting back together”!

For more information on The Dark Element, visit their official Facebook page.

Thanks to Dustin Hardman at Frontiers.

Special thanks to Oceansouls of America.

Hump Day Hot Ticket: The McGrath Project “Your Secret is Out”

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This week, I'm going to travel off the beaten path and turn my attention to something not as rooted in metal or even hard rock. I wrote before about musician Gary McGrath here on this blog, so this week I am going to give a nod to one of his many musical endeavors, The McGrath Project.

Whatever name the musical project is called, when Gary is involved, there is a distinct style and sound that is unmistakable. Gary's music is fun, upbeat, reminiscent of the days when good pop music was made with real sugar! It doesn't sound like all the other cookie-cutter pop music out there; the formulaic auto-tuned songs about booty that are a dime a dozen. The McGrath Project is refreshingly vibrant, something new and interesting amid all that boring stuff, yet maintaining an air reminiscent of yesteryear: that sweet bubblegum pop that ruled the 1960s, and could still be heard well into the ’80s; the days when “pop music” was not a derogatory term.

Keeping to the playfulness and fun in their sound, The McGrath Project's video for “Your Secret is Out” is a quirky little number with a sense of humor. That is clear enough from the start, when the video begins with a producer at the console, asking the band in the sound booth to “try a little better at not sucking, thanks!” Meanwhile, the band looks like they are having a blast as they play a song about betrayal, with big smiles on their faces.

For more information on The McGrath Project, visit their official website.

Femme-Metal Friday: Secret Rule “Imaginary World”

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Last weekend I reviewed the new album from Secret Rule, one of several bands from Italy that I have written about here before. Originally, this review was going to be written last week for another video entirely, but ultimately things work out as they are meant to, because now I get to review a brand-new video hot off the presses, on release day. Appropriately for Friday the 13th, the new Secret Rule video is for the very gothic track “Imaginary World”, featuring ex-Sirenia vocalist Ailyn Gímenez.

The video just screams pure goth: from the dark backgrounds, subdued lighting, freaky dim lights, and bewildered face of a child, all within the first few seconds. Ailyn and Secret Rule vocalist Angela di Vincenzo are standing perfectly still as the music builds up, and then everyone is in motion.

The object of the boy's fascination soon becomes clear as we see circus performers walking on their hands, juggling, and balancing on stilts. The band themselves appear as though they are performing within a circus tent, as scary clowns lurk in the shadows. In keeping to the song's title, we see that the little boy is viewing this all through a Viewmaster-looking contraption (or a virtual reality headset, for you younger folks?); everything we see are just the images created by the viewfinder. When he takes the headgear off, there is no one there but someone sweeping the floor. He is a mime or a clown, leaving us to wonder if this circus was part of the boy's “imaginary world” after all.

For more information on Secret Rule, visit their official Bandsintown page.

Hump Day Hot Ticket: Dream Spectrum “Lost and Found”

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I admit that in these (now) twice-a-week video reviews, there have been a handful of bands whose music I keep returning to time and time again. Those of you who visit here often probably know already who those bands are, but for those of you who are new here, there are a few bands that have been featured here more than once.

This week, I review once again a video from Buffalo-based progressive instrumental quartet Dream Spectrum, who are making their third appearance here in 8 months. What can I say? The music is good, and their videos are fun to watch, if only to witness the skill and musicianship that they possess. And while I do love progressive rock and metal music, Dream Spectrum is a bit outside of the typical fare that I review here regularly, yet not so far out of left field for it to be a surprise that I would listen to their music.

Up to this point, the Dream Spectrum videos I have reviewed have been of the “performance” type: a standard music video where the band plays in a concert setting or shown rocking out on their instruments. While performance videos are fun to watch, they don't leave much in the way of reviewing. After all, how many times can you describe a band jamming away on their guitars and drums, before it all sounds the same? In that respect, performance videos tend to offer a bit more of a challenge for me to review, because they are basic and straightforward, not leaving much to interpretation.

It is for this reason that I prefer to review “conceptual” videos: music videos that tell a tale, that are more like mini-movies and less like concert footage. I am also partial to conceptual videos for other reasons stated here before, but one of the main reasons I started this feature was to have fun using my imagination trying to interpret the story within, or to find hidden symbolism that would shed light on the subject and offer greater meaning to the overall plot. Or sometimes, it was just fun to compare the band's images of their own work to my personal visions when I listened to the music.

So even though I had reviewed Dream Spectrum twice already since February, when I saw their latest video was conceptual, I just had to review it. There is something about their music that is quirky and lively, bubbling just beneath the musical virtuosity; so I wondered if some of that would transition to their music videos.

The subject matter for the “Lost and Found” video is pretty self-explanatory: the story begins with a girl sitting at a table and looking at her phone. The camera focuses on a beaded bracelet that she wears, which soon becomes the centerpiece of the plot.  She makes brief eye contact with a gentleman sitting across the way from her, then gets up to leave. At that point, the man notices that the bracelet has been left behind. As we never see her take it off or come loose from her wrist, it is not exactly clear whether she carelessly forgot the bracelet, or purposely left it there for the man to find; this omitted detail is obviously a mystery, as soon we follow the man as he takes the bracelet and attempts to track down the girl, in a series of paths almost crossing but not meeting, as he attempts to find this woman and return the lost bracelet to its owner. Either he is a very good Samaritan, or he really likes this lady—another detail that is left open to the viewer's interpretation. For a moment, we watch the band break into a Satriani-flavored jam, and we are left to wonder at this couple's fate. We feel the man's frustration as he rounds street corners just seconds after she has gone, and feel sorry for him as he sits on some steps, looking heartbroken. Will he find the woman? Will he think of another way to seek out the bracelet's owner? I can't give away too many spoilers, right...?

For more information on Dream Spectrum, visit their official website.