Such is the confidence of Delain on this album, they actually open this new collection of songs with one of the more curve ball-esque pieces here. One Second fuses Delain's traditional poppy symphonic metal fare with something akin to modern metalcore - with frontwoman Charlotte Wessels trading vocals with long-time guitarist Timo Somers. Somers has been in the band for a number of years now, but he really seems to have come out of his shell on this album. He is credited with co-writing all of the album's thirteen songs; alongside the core songwriting trio of Wessels, keyboardist Martijn Westerholt, and friend of the band Guus Eikens; and also really shines as a player throughout - with plenty of heavy guitar riffs and shredded solos being contained within the album. His debut as a vocalist is impressive too, as his melancholic voice and occasional screams mix in well with Wessels' poppy delivery - with the metalcore-esque chorus particularly coming alive as the pair's voices mix together and Somers' djent-esque riffing drives everything forward. There are still plenty of traditional Delain moments however, with lots of melodic synth lines from Westerholt that Wessels often doubles with her versatile and accessible voice. It is a song that opens the album with a bang, and contains vibes that are rarely again revisited throughout the album's hour long run time. We Had Everything showcases the band's more typical sound, with a pulsing synth rhythm throughout and a much simpler guitar arrangement. Somers mostly chugs away in the background here, with the verses seeing the heaviness stripped away and Wessels' gorgeous vocals pushed to the fore. Something that is instantly clear about Apocalypse & Chill is the amount of earworms that it contains. Nearly every song is packed full of catchy melodies, and this one is no different. The verses are a real throwback to the April Rain sound, while the choruses are pure pop metal perfection with silky keyboards and a grooving bass presence from Otto Schimmelpenninck van der Oije. A lengthy solo from Somers is the icing on the cake, and one of many excellent instrumental moments on the album. Chemical Redemption is one of the album's few less-immediate pieces, but there is still plenty to enjoy - especially on repeated listens. It is based around grinding guitar riff, with the overall tone of the track recalling The Human Contradiction album at times. It is a song that has opened itself up to me over multiple spins of the album, as there is a bit of a denser sound here that is at odds with many of the other tracks. The chorus is still a winner however, with a very simple keyboard melody cutting through the mix while Wessels sings a simple vocal line. The chorus is quite different from the rest of the track, which is more overtly-symphonic with occasional gothic choirs and more a chugging metal rhythm with a big bass presence. Burning Bridges is one of the heavier pieces here, with more symphonic flair and some occasional harsh vocals courtesy of Wessels. There are few heavy songs to be found throughout the album, and this one of the most in-your-face with Somers' riff driving it from the off and relatively-new drummer Joey de Boer (Purest of Pain) matching his grooves with some well-timed double bass drum patterns. The song recalls the singles from Moonbathers, and at times sounds a little like a sequel to The Glory and the Scum - with a similar vibe present throughout both tracks. This is a more traditional slab of symphonic metal that impresses with its grand design and strong choral and orchestral arrangements - and is a song that is likely to be a mainstay in the band's setlists.
Over the years Delain have often been a bit too reliant on guest vocalists to add diversity to their albums, but Apocalypse & Chill features only one - with Yannis Papadopoulos (Beast in Black) adding his talents to Vengeance. Papadopoulos is a very diverse singer with an incredible range, but here he mostly sticks to a slightly gritty approach which compliments Wessels' sweeter delivery nicely. This is another song that has grown on me over multiple listens to the album, and it actually reminds me of a lot of the hidden gems on We Are The Others (i.e. the great melodic songs on that album that the band seem to have forgotten exist!). It is a bit more of a traditional pop metal track on the surface, with a good mix of pacey sections and more 'epic' slower parts - but the vocal interplay of the two singers and a fairly subtle string arrangement that never dominates gives the song a little bit of a different vibe while still being familiarly Delain. To Live is to Die opens with a great, juddering synth-driven riff that creates something of a chaotic tone, but unfortunately this vibe is fairly short-lived. This is one of the few less-interesting tracks on the album in my opinion, but I appreciate the experimentation that has gone into it - I am just not sure it quite works. The industrial overtones are good, but I am not sure the band ever really capitalises on them - instead often relying on a bit of a standard symphonic chug. I would have preferred the band to push the industrial vibe further and really go all-out with the synths and programming. It is not a bad song, and the chorus is still pretty memorable, but I feel that it is a bit of a wasted opportunity to create something strange and unsettling that would have sounded very different to the average Delain song. Let's Dance gets things firmly back on track however, opening with another djent-esque guitar riff that soon gives way to a bass-heavy verse that features some excellent enchanting vocal melodies. The poppy vibes that have often filled Delain's songs are extremely prevalent here - and it is a song that will instantly stick in the brain because it is filled with so many catchy melodies. The chorus is one of the album's best in my opinion, and for that reason I imagine the song will become another setlist staple. It has a real anthemic quality to it, made for crowd interaction, and the grooves throughout create something of a dance party vibe while also throwing some heaviness into the mix occasionally with one of Somers' riffs. It is a great mix of everything that Delain does well, and it is one of my favourite tracks on the album as a result. Creatures returns to the weightier sound showcased on the band's previous two albums, and features a dense orchestral backing with Westerholt's keyboards filling every gap. It is one of the album's more brooding pieces, and it dispenses with many of the poppier elements found throughout the album. Wessels takes on more of an old-school gothic vocal approach here, which works well in the context of the song and also adds character to the slow-paced but dynamic chorus. There are better songs to be found here, but as a bit of throwback to the band's previous releases it works well. Changing the tone totally, the short piano ballad Ghost House Heart sees Wessels accompanied only by Westerholt's piano melodies and some violin lines courtesy of Shir-Ran Yinon. I tend to prefer Delain when they are at their most upbeat and poppy, but these kinds of ballads also work well for them - and Wessels has the voice to suit their sombre delivery. Songs like this will never be my favourite part of a Delain album, but they show a different side to the band and allow Wessels to really show her credentials as a vocalist in a unique way.
Re-purposed from last year's EP-come-live album Hunter's Moon, Masters of Destiny showcases more of a bombastic sound - with the 'symphonic metal' tag certainly applicable. In many ways the song seems like the sort of track that the band would write now if they were consciously trying to write an updated version of Lucidity. It is a very typically 'symphonic' track, with dancing orchestral arrangements constantly backing the band up - while Somers lays down a muscular guitar backing that creates a constantly-heavy tone. Since the track was also on Hunter's Moon, former guitarist Merel Bechtold also features here - her second guitar adding additional heft to the track, and appropriately making it one of the heaviest and most bombastic tracks of the album. It is a stark contrast to pop metal fests like We Had Everything or Let's Dance, relying more on grand musical statements and a big production rather than sugary melodies - with Wessels going all-out vocally during the high-octane choruses. Appropriately, Legions of the Lost carries on the symphonic approach with plenty of memorable string melodies early on - which are soon enhanced by a doomy gothic choir that sounds more like something from an average Epica album than Delain. The way this song differs from the Masters of Destiny approach however is that this song includes plenty of the modern Delain sound as well as some symphonic flair - without sounding like an updated version of the Lucidity material. The verses are very 'on trend' in the context of the album, with a stripped back, synth-heavy sound that sees Wessels semi-whispering the vocals in a strange yet enticing way - before the heaviness crashes back in and the choirs start up their sinister-sounding chants again. It is a song that has a lot going on within it, and one that shows how Delain have diversified their songwriting over the years. While never really being a progressive band, there are certainly more interesting song structures to be found throughout this album. There is a lot more diversity generally here, and this song is a perfect example of what Delain are capable of while still remaining accessible and catchy. The Greatest Escape is a bit like the heavier cousin of We Had Everything - with irresistible pop melodies and a simple chorus that often finds itself surrounded by much heavier passages. This is another track that really crams a lot into its fairly short run time, with some more slightly progressive vibes present. Yinon's violin is present throughout the song again, which helps to add some additional emotional weight and more melody, while Wessels uses her voice to great effect too - with choice use of vocal effects in spots to create a different sound. It is a bit of an odd-sounding song at times, but again it is one that grows over repeated listens. It takes time to fully appreciate all of the twists and turns, especially the somewhat low key vocal ending that transitions into the opening guitar swells of the closing instrumental piece Combustion. Delain have never sounded heavier than they have during Combustion - with Somers' riffs and solos really driving everything while de Boer gives a masterclass in pseudo-progressive metal drumming behind the kit. This is a piece that sounds more like Periphery than Delain, but it works well as a coda to a diverse and dynamic album. Overall, Apocalypse & Chill is a really impressive album from Delain and one that really is a big step up from both The Human Contradiction and Moonbathers. It sees the band willing to try new ideas, and the results are often very successful - with a raft of soaring melodic numbers sitting side-by-side with more obtuse, progressive tracks.
The album was released on 7th February 2020 via Napalm Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Burning Bridges.
