After her departure from Delain in 2021, Charlotte Wessels embarked on a solo journey that revealed her talent as a multifaceted artist. Two pandemic-spanning records nodding to her progressive influences saw her finding her footing not just as a vocalist but as a musician and composer, divorcing the mainstream symphonic siren from her legacy with the Dutch headliners. Where the Tales From Six Feet Under albums featured Charlotte in experimentation mode, The Obsession is probably what Delain fans were hoping for – an auspicious and metallicised spin on her dark fairytale aesthetic.
Performing alongside ex-Delain bandmates Timo Somers, Otto Schimmelpenninck van der Oije and Joey Marin de Boer, the singer feels at home. At their most potent, Chasing Sunsets and The Exorcism bring big djenty guitars and huge progressive sweeps, reminding us of Vola and Persefone. Likewise, Serpentine sees Charlotte reaching for the stratosphere, starting off with a dark and hypnotic delivery and building up to some mighty soloing by Timo.
