DELAIN's MARTIJN WESTERHOLT can’t see working with CHARLOTTE WESSELS again happening
13-11-2024
In a recent interview with Scott Penfold of Loaded Radio, DELAIN keyboardist, founder and main songwriter Martijn Westerholt was asked about the circumstances that led to the 2021 breakup of the band’s previous lineup, including the departure of longtime DELAIN frontwoman Charlotte Wessels. He said: “Well, actually, in February ’21 was only the result. And it kind of already started in the end of 2019. I got a burnout because in DELAIN, I basically took care of most what was going on, together with Charlotte, and the rest of the musicians, yeah, were kind of hired guns and didn’t do much in those processes, and nor were they expected to. So, no blame there at all, but that was just how DELAIN functioned. At a certain point, when I got the burnout, I really had to take a step back and take some time, tour less. And then the three guys basically said, ‘Well, but we want to change things, and things need to be different. And we kind of want to continue touring, and we don’t even want you on tour anymore. And we’ll do it like that.’ But that’s impossible, because DELAIN is also a normal company — it’s my job and it was Charlotte‘s job as well. And it’s also my responsibility. If they would go on tour without me and things go wrong, then then people are at my doorstep, not at theirs. And Charlotte said, ‘Okay, you guys have to figure this out. Otherwise I’d rater quit because I don’t want to continue with such a big change. Then I’d rather do my own thing.’ And in the end, I offered them to take over: ‘Okay. Then buy over DELAIN from me.’ That might be a problem because they didn’t write the vast majority of the music. That was me, together with my co-writer Guus (Eikens), and at a certain point also Charlotte, though Charlotte was in a majority only focusing on the lyrics at first. So I had some question marks there, but I thought, ‘Okay, if they wanna take it over, it really pains me, but then they can, and then they simply have to buy it over and then I’ll just do my own thing.’ And so we started negotiating for that, but that didn’t work out at all. And in hindsight, I’m relieved. I’m grateful it didn’t work out because a lot of people told me, ‘Hey, man, you shouldn’t give that away like that. It’s something you built up, and the sound of DELAIN will change so much. And that will be a problem.’ And so eventually it didn’t. And then I picked up the pieces and then I had to think of how to move next. And then we were at the point that I had to think, ‘Okay, project, band, and we need to announce it.’ And that’s a bit how it went. And the funny thing is it all happened in COVID times. And that was kind of my salvation in a weirdly sad way, but that really gave space and time to pick up the pieces and to figure out what to do.”
Asked if he would ever be open to working with Charlotte again at some point in the future, if that opportunity arose, Martijn said: “Well, there’s still some heartache, so to say, so right now, not really. And also if you listen to Charlotte‘s (post-DELAIN) music and you compare it to my music, it’s completely different. She does a really good job in developing her own sound and her own music, but as you can hear, it’s different. And I think that’s a compliment towards her. But it also shows the difference in what we do. So I’m rather skeptical at it. But at the same time, like with everything in life, you never know how life goes and you should never say never, but right now I don’t see it happening.”
In an interview with Belgian Jasper, earlier this month, Westerholt spoke about the band’s musical and personal evolution, nearly four years after he announced the dissolution of DELAIN‘s previous lineup. Regarding the pressures of delivering high-quality performances at some of Europe’s biggest rock and metal festivals while introducing a largely new lineup, Martijn said: “The name is there, but some people are new to the job. And expectations are not less; they’re even more. So, you have to deliver. And so I was constantly kind of on the mode of, ‘How is it going?’ And I also consider that part of my job, to make sure that everything is, quality-wise, how we want it to be, people are happy, things are working well. So constantly you’re in that mode of evaluating, but because you’re constantly in the mode of evaluating, in a way you are not, if you know what I mean.
“I just came back from almost four-week road trip in the U.S.,” he continued. “I wanted that for years already, starting in New England and then ending up in Florida in the end… But that gave me the time to really take a step back and see, ‘So what has been accomplished and where are we?’ And I have to say that I’m really grateful for where we are, because it’s, yeah, quite something, the developments that happened in the last two and a half years, when you have this big lineup change and you have to play those big festivals — Graspop (Metal Meeting), Wacken (Open Air), Masters Of Rock, Summer Breeze, et cetera. But I think I’m really proud of everybody in the band, how they performed, and I’m grateful to the fans. (2023’s) ‘Dark Waters’ as a music, as an album, has been received well. My aim was to show people, hey, the DELAIN sound is there, and it’s called DELAIN still for a reason, because of the music that we make. And, yeah, I have the feeling that this is a mission accomplished. And, of course, there will be people that think differently, but there are also people that I focus on that are really enjoying it. And that’s why you do it as well. Not only for your own enjoyment and what comes out of your heart, but also for the people that listen to your music. So I’m very grateful and happy.”
On the topic of his working relationship with his current DELAIN bandmates — new additions Ludovico Cioffi on bass and Diana Leah on lead vocals, along with returning drummer Sander Zoer and original guitarist Ronald Landa — Martijn said: ”Well, of course you try to coach the new people with the experience that you have. And for myself, which is a different aspect, it’s more of a team effort now, because in the past it was not so much a team effort. Charlotte (Wessels, former DELAIN singer) did a lot and I did a lot, and the last album, also, Timo (Somers, former DELAIN guitarist) was more involved, but that was only with the last album, really. So for the rest, I simply did so much that that was what was getting me into a burnout. And also missing the appreciation from people around me for everything that I did, because I’m only human and everybody needs some appreciation and doing something like DELAIN is very challenging. And, yeah, it’s very important that you are supported as a human being. And now this happens way better because we — how do you say? — share the tasks way more. There’s less on my plate and I can focus on what is my specialism, other people can focus on what they are good at, and I can focus more on making music, and that makes me really happy and grateful.”
DELAIN released their new EP, Dance with the Devil, on Friday, November 8, 2024 via Napalm Records. Recently a brand-new song, entitled “The Reaping”, cut from the new offering was released.
Watch “The Reaping” below.
Martijn Westerholt on “The Reaping”:
“’The Reaping’ is a very expressive song with a serious subject – where the world/society is heading and metaphorical storms on the horizon. Musically the song can be recognized as a typical DELAIN song filled with heavy guitars, but also with the very recognizable 80’s synth elements DELAIN is known for”.
Watch the previously released live version of “Moth to a Flame” below.
Watch the previously released title track for the EP, “Dance With The Devil” below.
DELAIN keyboardist and main songwriter Martijn Westerholt states about the song: “We’re really excited and eager to share this new DELAIN song with the world. It captures the recognizable and signature sound of DELAIN but with a fresh and modern touch.”
Westerholt adds about the video: “This video was shot the day after we performed at Summer Breeze in Germany. We still had the adrenaline of that show in our system and were stoked to be able to carry that energy into the video. We had a blast! The video contains a dramatized depiction of the struggle between good and evil — the war we all wage both without and, often times, within our own selves.”
As their second release with a revitalized lineup anchored by founding member and band mastermind Martijn Westerholt, “Dance With The Devil” features a thrilling collection of two brand new tracks, two newly presented favorites, nine electrifying live performances, and two instrumental bonus tracks, showcasing the best of their catchy, melodic signature sound with extensive electronic synth elements and fresh modern nuances.
The offering debuts with two gripping new tracks, “Dance With The Devil” and “The Reaping”, serving as a whirlwind of emotions articulating feelings of anger and sorrow through catchy electronic synth melodies and modern heaviness. “The Reaping” delves into collective themes, expressing disillusionment with the current path of society toward imminent and inescapable consequences. Following these, the EP presents a brand-new version of “Sleepwalkers Dream”, showcasing Diana Leah‘s voice and her breathtaking full vocal capacities. “Dance With The Devil” continues with nine live performances, featuring massively streamed hits from both the present and the past. These include “Burning Bridges”, “The Quest And The Curse”, “Moth To A Flame” and the massive hit “April Rain”, which has been streamed over 10 million times, along with “Queen Of Shadow”. In addition, the digipak edition features instrumental versions of “Dance With The Devil” and “The Reaping”, as well as an alternate ending version of “Underland”. DELAIN‘s new EP impressively underlines the unit’s high-class standing in the scene and continues their voyage of setting fans’ hearts ablaze!
Martijn Westerholt says: “We’re thrilled to have brand new material ready to be released! In addition to the new songs, it was fantastic to have captured some magical live moments of our European tour earlier this year as live tracks for the EP. We’re definitely very excited for this release and are really looking forward to bringing the new music to the stage!”
“Dance With The Devil” track listing:
01. Dance With The Devil
02. The Reaping
03. Sleepwalkers Dream(2024 version)
04. The Cold (live)
05. Burning Bridges (live)
06. The Quest And The Curse (live)
07. April Rain (live)
08. Invidia (live)
09. Queen Of Shadow (live featuring Paolo Ribaldini)
10. Your Body Is A Battleground (live featuring Paolo Ribaldini)
11. Moth To A Flame (live)
12. Control The Storm (live featuring Paolo Ribaldini)
13. Dance With The Devil (instrumental)
14. The Reaping (instrumental)
15. Underland (alternate ending version)
DELAIN is:
Martijn Westerholt – keyboards
Diana Leah – vocals
Ronald Landa – guitars and backing vocals
Ludovico Cioffi – bass and backing vocals
Sander Zoer – drums
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