Delain’s Dark Waters over Europe Act II at Hellraiser Leipzig, Germany supported by Illumishade

On a Thursday evening in January 2024, metal fans gather in Leipzig to welcome the Dutch metal band Delain around mastermind Martijn Westerholt and vocal powerhouse Diana Leah.

The show is punctually opened by the Swiss band Illumishade and the atmosphere in the well-filled but not sold-out club is raising rapidly with every minute. Founded five years ago by the experienced and charismatic singer Fabienne Erni, also known as singer of Eluveitie, is this the first tour for the energetic Swiss band. Good things come to those who wait and it is a true delight to listen to the five musicians riding on bombastic melodies as if there is no tomorrow. So…”Close your eyes, You’ll see the angels screaming, The ground disappearing here!”

After the concert, the five members joined the merchandise stand, answered questions and took photos with the fans. Incredibly approachable, genuinely likable and undoubtedly richer in numerous fans!

Setlist Illumishade:
Enter The Void
Elegy
Enemy
Crystal Silence
Cloudreader
Rise
Muse Of Unknown Forces
Tales Of Time
World’s End
Edge Of Dusk

Around 9:00 PM, the moment had arrived! The bass reverberated through the Hellraiser, a club founded in 1992 in the eastern part of Leipzig with a penchant for good and slightly harder music.

In 2021, there was a brief fear that the band Delain might completely fall apart after the split of the longtime members. However, they currently impress with such magnificent live performances that there is no need to worry and there never was. The native Romanian powerhouse, Diana Leah, who now lives in Italy and showcases her incredible skills and enchanting voice in a Dutch band, sometimes appears shy while not singing and profoundly grateful to be able to follow her passion. You must fell in love with her!

The band invites the audience to follow on a journey through nine albums plus one live-album and over 20 years of bandhistory, celebrating the bombastic and diverse music. And the audience eagerly jumps on this train. The band is supported by a crowd that knows the lyrics by heart. Anthem-like songs with symphonic elements, both new and old tunes, rain down on the audience from the setlist for more than an hour and a half, with the audience soaking in each song.

What a ride! Certainly, a heartfelt recommendation! Let us be the others and let’s sing the song that angels sing and the spell that calls the gathering!

A side note for fans of beautiful lyrics full of emotions:

At the merchandise stand, you can find the wonderful Robin La Joy – responsible for some of the poetic lyrics of Delain or the project Eye of Melian where she is a member together with her husband Martijn Westerholt. A little talk with her is fantastic! Such heartwarming person!

Setlist Delain:
The Cold
Suckerpunch
Burning Bridges
The Quest And The Curse
April Rain
Get The Devil Out Of Me
Sleepwalkers Dream
Invidia
Queen Of Shadows
Your Body Is A Battleground
The Gathering
Don’t Let Go
Moth To A Flame
Not Enough
Mother Machine
Control The Storm
We Are The Others