Live Review: Delain - SWX, Bristol
22nd November 2024
Support: Damian Wilson
Words: Chris Taylor
Photos: Scott Clarke
At the end of a mighty cold week in Bristol, one thing was certainly needed. A night of epic symphonic metal on a Friday night. Delain brought their Dark Waters Over UK/Ireland tour with support from Damian Wilson. The tour’s special guest’s Stone Broken were disappointingly absent from tonight's show.
This meant the sole job of warming up the crowd was the legendary Damian Wilson. Opting for an entirely acoustic set, which has been his go-to approach for many years now, it was perhaps a slow start for some people who were expecting something more in line with Delain’s style of music. However it is tragically apparent that many in the audience didn’t appreciate exactly who this legend was. Wilson has a lengthy career having worked in many projects, including Headspace, various appearances on Ayreon albums and even two years performing as the lead in Les Miserables.
Given his past music being on the more progressive rock side of the spectrum, it perhaps may have been more fitting for the evening to delve into those tracks for tonight. That being said, Wilson's voice is always a pleasure to hear. Beginning his set belting Homegrown without the aid of the microphone it grabbed the audience’s attention from the word go. With that it was an uplifting, lighthearted set that while not being what people expected on a tour like this, it would probably have put a smile on anyone’s face.
Many bands after changing almost their entire lineup would be tempted to leave their past work behind them, focusing entirely on the band’s future. Despite the lineup changes in 2021, Delain embrace their entire career tonight, with some representation from all of their albums. The latest album Dark Waters get’s much attention tonight as to be expected, and the new tracks are as embraced by the audience as the old.
Kicking things off with the Dark Waters’ track Cold with it’s epic symphonic intro and massive chorus the tone was set right from the word go with everyone on board, and similarly the two newest tracks Dance with the Devil and the Reaping go down as live staples already. Long time fans would also appreciate the presence of a few deeper cuts, such as Army of Dolls and Here Come the Vultures, both of which have rarely been played post 2020.
The excellent sound work does wonders to give the instrumentation real impact. The low end in particular is mixed perfectly creating a huge wall of sound particularly on the heavier tracks like Your Body is a Battleground and Moth to a Flame.
A clear standout is the remarkable vocal work of Diana Leah. As majestic and powerful live as she is on album the audience is in the palm of her hand. If somehow you didn’t know that she wasn’t the band’s original vocalist, you could be forgiven for thinking she has been there since the beginning. Her voice fits this music perfectly no matter which era of the band is on display and her presence on stage is up there with some of the most iconic of singers within symphonic metal.
The highlight of the entire night however was when Damian Wilson returned to the stage to join the band for their song Your Body is a Battleground. A song which, on the album, features the masterful vocal work of Marko Hietala. Wilson absolutely delivers in giving this monolithic song justice alongside Leah. A demonstration of two vocalists at the top of their game complimenting each other perfectly and one of the most epic performances of the year.
Closing out the night with the expected but no less stirring We Are the Others, Delain more than proved their new lineup tonight. What could have been a potential ending for the band, Delain have come back stronger than ever with an excellent new album and an entertaining live performance to show it off. They may have hit a speed bump before, but they haven’t lost any momentum at all.
Photo credits: Scott Clarke Photography
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