CHARLOTE WESSELS – “The obsession” (2024)

“The obsession” finds Wessels on a very productive period as it is her 3rd Full Length since 2021. After leaving DELAIN, the artist has decided to follow a solo career with the first two albums being very experimental and not metal focused. This time things are different as even from the first singles revealed, it was evident that a heavier approach was followed. Another thing those early teasers accomplished was picking my curiosity as they were something good in a way I had not anticipated.

For me, the fact that the album ventured into the Metal field was necessary to make me give it a chance. Of course the instrumental part is not what brings out the virtues of “The obsession”, that is the job of Wessels which shines on the spotlight, but it still proves to be a very solid foundation for the singer’s vocal work. Responsible for this are some other ex-DELAINers, namely  Timo Somers (guitars), Otto Schimmelpenninck van der Oije (bass) and Joey Marin de Boer (drums), so you could name this collaboration as a reunion as well. 

Onto the songs of the album, they are diverse in atmosphere as some have a very cheerful background while others seem more personal and sentimental. Even those different shades are expressed in various ways, as ‘Dopamine’ is a very positive composition supported by heavy instrumentation, while ‘Praise’ is a happy moment as well that delves into more Pop-y waters. Sometimes this diversity in the sound stretches too much, resulting in a couple of songs that didn’t sit well with me, those being ‘Soulstice’ and ‘Praise’. Overall though, the tracklist flows in a great way and ultimately I prefer this creative approach than a canned copy paste alternative.

Being the solo album of a vocalist, the vocal work deserves its own attention. Charlotte’s voice is crystal clear and captivating to say the least and on top of that, is unique and instantly recognizable. Her winning card is not opting for over the top or show-off performances, but instead plays with her strengths. That is a combination of well crafted vocal melodies that are super interesting and fresh, along with a very emotional singing. ‘All you are’ is a great example of this which ended up as my favorite track. Picking a favorite does not reduce the value of the rest tracks, as almost all songs are on the same high levels. 

The situation is very simple. If you like the voice of Wessels even slightly, then give this album a chance. It is definitely a surprise release that I did not expect to vibe so much with. If future albums stay on the same level, we are talking about the potential of a career similar to that of TARJA, at least as far as the quality of the studio releases are concerned. 

80/100

Pavlos Pavlakis