For their first album "Lucidity" they invited several guest musicians:
Jan Yrlund - guitars (Imperia)
Ariën van Weesenbeek - drums (ex-Pandaemonium, ex-Imperia, ex-God Dethroned, Epica)
Ad Sluijter - guitars (ex-Epica)
George Oosthoek - grunts (ex-Orphanage, After Forever touring member)
Guus Eikens - keyboards (ex-Orphanage)
Sharon Den Adel - vocals (Within Temptation)
Marco Hietala - bass, vocals (Tarot, Nightwish)
Liv Kristine - vocals (ex-Theatre of Tragedy, Leaves' Eyes)
At the end of 2007 Delain stated that they intended to release a second album in 2008, but in November 2008, it was announced that the new album "April Rain" would be released on February 9th, 2009. In 2009, "April Rain" was delayed further until March 2009; the title track single, however, was released in February.
In February 2010, Delain announced they had started working on their third album, and that bassist Rob van der Loo would leave the band the same year due to time constraints. In March, Otto Schimmelpenninck van der Oije was announced as Rob's successor. On October 4, 2010, Delain announced they were to part company with guitarist Ewout Pieters. Timo Somers was announced as his replacement on April 17, 2011.
Originally intended for release in early 2012, the third album's release date was unknown due to Warner Music's purchase of Roadrunner Records. However, it was announced via a Facebook message on the band official page that the album would be released on June 1, 2012 with the album's first single, 'Get the Devil Out of Me'. It was released on 13 April 2012 via CNR Music, who took over Delain from Warner Music. The second single from the album was the title track, 'We Are the Others'. It was announced on 3 November that Delain would headline Dames of Darkness Festival (Wolverhampton, UK) which they had previously headlined in 2009 (under the Femme Metal Festival)."
On 26 February 2013, Delain announced that they will release a special album entitled Interlude that would include new songs, covers, live tracks, special versions of previous songs and a bonus DVD. It was released on various dates throughout the first week of May worldwide.
On 23 January 2014, Delain announced that they will release a new album entitled "The Human Contradiction". It was released on April 5, 2014 in Europe, and on April 8, 2014 in North America.
On June 4, 2014, it was announced that drummer Sander Zoer would step down from the band due to personal reasons; he would continue working behind the scenes of Delain. The replacement drummer was announced to be Ruben Israel, who had stepped in for Zoer during Delain's tour with Kamelot. Zoer will continue to perform until September.
The band brought with them Merel Bechtold (MaYaN, Purest of Pain) as a second guitarist for their UK tour in November 2014. Bassist Otto Schimmelpenninck van der Oije suffered an injury on November 26, 2014, when he was accidentally hit by a streamer cannon, causing his left testicle to rupture. This incident was said to be caused by uncertain stage positioning, as there were six people onstage instead of the usual five. While he was recovering, the band used pre-recorded bass parts. No permanent damage was done, and as of January 12, 2015, Schimmelpenninck van der Oije has resumed touring.
Delain is currently touring with Sabaton and Battle Beast, and will tour North America with Sabaton as support for Nightwish. Merel Bechtold will fill in for guitarist Timo Somers until February due to Somers' full schedule.
In early October of 2017, Ruben announced leaving the band. His last show played at 1st of November 2017. The temporary(?) drummer of the band Joey de Boer.
In February 2021, Charlotte, Otto, Timo and Joey left Delain.
On August 9th of 2022, the new single "The Quest and the Curse" was unleashed, revealing both Charlotte and Otto's replacements - Romanian born Singer/Songwriter 'Diana Leah' who is based in Torino, Italy, as well as musician 'Ludovico Cioffi' of Italy from the Italian bands - Carnality, Nightland, The Modern Age Slavery, Sun of the Suns.
Members
- Current members:
* Martijn Westerholt – Keyboards
* Diana Leah - Vocals
* Ronald Landa - Guitars and Backing Vocals
* Ludovico Cioffi – Bass and Backing Vocals
* Sander Zoer - Drums
Discography:
-Albums:
Lucidity - 2006
April Rain - 2009
We Are The Others - 2012
The Human Contradiction - 2014
Moonbathers - 2016
Apocalypse & Chill - 2020
Dark Waters - 2023
Live:
A Decade of Delain: Live at Paradiso - 2017
-Singles:
* Frozen - 2007
* See Me In Shadow - 2007
* The Gathering - 2008
* April Rain - 2009
* Stay Forever - 2009
* Smalltown Boy - 2009
* Get the Devil Out of Me - 2012
* Stardust - 2014
-Demos:
* Amenity - 2002
Official Website: www.delain.nl
Official Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/delainmusic
Official Twitter: https://twitter.com/delainmusic
Hands Of Gold
Delain Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mouthful of wine
I savour it
And taste the freedom
On your lips
And heaven knows
I tried
To steer away
Made me stay
Now I′m closer, closer to the edge
Closer to experience
All of life and all of death
Oh I'm falling
Closer, closer to the edge
Closer to experience
Into love and out of breath
Oh I′m falling down
Blood, red and sweet
Spill in excess
Stick to our hands
And in its rush we both shall rest
And pain nor fear
Can break
This bond, our chain
Together for our crimes
We'll pay
Now I'm closer, closer to the edge
Closer to experience
All of life and all of death
Oh I′m falling
Closer, closer to the edge
Closer to experience
Into love and out of breath
Oh I′m falling down
I am falling
Oh I'm falling down
Some kill their love when they are young
And some when they are old
Some strangle with the hands of lust
Some with hands of gold
The kindest use a knife because
The dead so soon grow old
Yet each man kills the thing be loves
By each let this be told
Closer, closer to the edge
Closer to experience
All of life and all of death
Oh I′m falling
Now I'm closer, closer to the edge
Closer to experience
All of life and all of death
Oh I′m falling
Closer, closer to the edge
Closer to experience
Into love and out of breath
Oh I'm falling down
The song "Hands of Gold" by Delain is a tale of forbidden love, told through the metaphor of blood-red wine. The singer is consumed by their desire for their lover, even though they know it's dangerous and could lead to pain and fear. They struggle to resist the temptation but ultimately give in, unable to resist the lure of the "delicious danger" and the freedom they feel when they're with their lover. The chorus, with its repetition of "closer to the edge," evokes the feeling of falling deeper and deeper into the love affair, unable to stop the momentum.
The lyrics are wrought with imagery of passion, danger, and sacrifice. The "blood-red and sweet" wine represents the excitement and temptation of the affair, while the "hands of gold" suggest that the singer's lover is wealthy or powerful. The lines "And pain nor fear/ Can break/ This bond, our chain" hint at the risks the two are taking and the sacrifices they're willing to make for each other. The final stanza, which quotes W.H. Auden's poem "The More Loving One," adds another layer of meaning to the song, proposing that we all, in some form or another, kill the things we love.
Overall, "Hands of Gold" is a powerful song that captures the intensity and allure of forbidden love. The lyrics are rich with metaphor and emotion, making it a standout track on Delain's album "Moonbathers."
Line by Line Meaning
Blood-red and sweet
The blood is both red in color and tastes sweet
Mouthful of wine
The taste of the blood is akin to drinking a mouthful of wine
I savour it
The singer enjoys the taste of the blood
And taste the freedom
Drinking the blood makes the artist feel liberated
On your lips
The blood was drawn from the lips of another person
And heaven knows
The singer acknowledges, perhaps sarcastically, that God is aware of their actions
I tried
The singer attempted to resist the temptation of drinking the blood
To steer away
The artist tried to move away from the dangerous temptation
Delicious danger
Despite the danger, the artist finds the temptation appealing
Made me stay
The temptation was too great for the artist to resist
Now I'm closer, closer to the edge
The singer is getting closer to a dangerous point of no return
Closer to experience
The artist is getting closer to experiencing something new and exciting
All of life and all of death
Whatever the singer experiences will encompass both life and death
Oh I'm falling
The singer is losing control and dropping towards the temptation
Closer, closer to the edge
The singer is getting dangerously close to the temptation
Into love and out of breath
The artist is falling into a state of love and excitement that is taking their breath away
Blood, red and sweet
Repetition of the sweet taste of the blood being red in color
Spill in excess
The blood flows abundantly
Stick to our hands
The blood gets on both the singer's and the other person's hands
And in its rush we both shall rest
The blood, along with their temptation, will eventually overwhelm and consume them both
And pain nor fear
Neither pain nor fear can break their bond
Can break
Their bond is unbreakable
This bond, our chain
Their temptation and bond function like a chain, binding them together
Together for our crimes
The artist and the other person are united by their shared temptation and the societal taboo it violates
We'll pay
The consequences of their actions will catch up with them eventually
Some kill their love when they are young
Some people destroy their love early in life
And some when they are old
Others don't destroy their love until they are older
Some strangle with the hands of lust
Some people destroy their love through acts of passion
Some with hands of gold
Others destroy their love through financial means
The kindest use a knife because
The most gentle means of ending a relationship is through a symbolic knife, i.e. not physical but emotional pain
The dead so soon grow old
Dead relationships grow old very quickly
Yet each man kills the thing be loves
Everyone, regardless of gender or type of love, inevitably destroys what they hold dear
By each let this be told
Let this fact be known by all
Writer(s): Guus Eikens, Martijn Westerholt, Johanna Wessels
Contributed by Samuel B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.