Delain - Dark Waters (2023) CD-Rip

Dark Waters is the seventh studio album by the Dutch symphonic metal band Delain. It was released on 10 February 2023 via Napalm Records. Dutch symphonic metal pioneers DELAIN break into new realms with their eagerly awaited, brand new full-length, Dark Waters. The pristine record marks a game-changing chapter in the band's history and presents the brainchild of keyboardist, founder and main songwriter Martijn Westerholt with a new lineup. Rejoining the fold and bolstering DELAIN’s continuity are original guitarist Ronald Landa and original drummer Sander Zoer, while new members - terrific vocalist Diana Leah and bassist Ludovico Cioffi - continue to evolve their sound.

Dark Waters follows the chart-breaking Apocalypse & Chill (2020), integrating the most refined sounds in the genre. DELAIN’s renowned orchestral arrangements, highlighted by modern shadings, set new standards and manifest the five-piece on top of the scene. A sonic rollercoaster ride of catchy tunes with explosive elements - ranging from pop to film score-inspired to blistering metal - merge perfectly with Diana’s fantastic voice, showcasing her incredible talent and musical sophistication.

Songs like the soaring previously released standalone single, “The Quest and the Curse”, as well as “The Cold” (the latter featuring a real, epic choir), lure with a bombastic sound that skillfully combines orchestral melodies, epic heavy riffs and marvelous vocal performances.

DELAIN magnificently manages to never lose touch of their characteristic sound, making them a constant without ever standing still. Pop-induced opening track “Hideaway Paradise” shows exactly that by inducing a dream-like feeling flirting with melodic metal guitars, while the ballad-like dark track “Mirror of Night”, featuring Within Temptation guitarist Ruud Jolie, entices the listener with unfathomably catchy lines and melodies. “Queen of Shadow”merges the orchestral and synth-focused soundscapes DELAIN is known for as it weaves melodic heavy guitars that intertwine with orchestral lines and vocal melodies.

The vocal department holds new adventures with guest singer Paolo Ribaldini, who also highlights the hauntingly beautiful “Beneath” as the ultimate hymn. Hovering close to the original DELAIN sound, it combines synth themes and metal riffs to create an incredible fusion between pop and heavy soundscapes, topped off with a brain-spinning guitar solo. “Tainted Hearts” is centered around Westerholt's keyboard arrangements, which skillfully showcase the creative roots of the mastermind. “Invictus” is nothing less than the Magnum Opus of the album - a rock opera in its own right with heavy riffing, choirs and vocal parts performed by Diana Leah, Paolo Ribaldini and Marko Hietala (ex-Nightwish), ending in a bombastic climax where everything comes together.

Emerging as a brand new start and safe haven alike, Dark Waters, without any doubt, continues the legacy of this multi-million-streamed leading symphonic metal outfit and contains everything DELAIN is loved for and more.