Delain's "The Human Contradiction" - out April 8, 2014
- Thread starter miel
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- Feb 17, 2009
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Good interview with Charlotte here
Excerpt:
The new album 'The Human Contradiction' is based upon a concept around the sci-fi novels 'Lilith's Brood' by Octavia E. Butler. How is this represented in the songs themselves?
Within the books, the human contradiction is described as the fact that we are as a species both intelligent and hierarchic.This human contradiction causes an ‘us versus the others’ mentality; an attitude which makes humans randomly select qualities in others and use those qualities to justify ranking them higher or lower on the socially constructed ladder; it allows for the creation of dualisms; of man and woman, black and white, human and nonhuman, nature and culture... Basically it is an attitude, which in the book - as well as one could argue, in reality - proves to be most self-destructive.
In that way, The Human Contradiction presents a broadening and deepening of the lyrical concept of our previous record We Are the Others: ‘otherness’ and how people relate to this, is a topic that I have been obsessing over both artistically and academically for the last couple of years and it has become a recurrent theme in Delain’s lyrics. Whether it is otherness within our species, so towards people who are perceived as ‘different’ by other people (which was We Are the Others’ main focus and returns now in songs such as ‘Army of Dolls’ and ‘Your Body is a Battleground’
or in our attitudes towards nonhuman ‘others’, which is the lyrical addition made by our new record on songs like ‘Tell Me, Mechanist’, and ‘The Tragedy of the Commons’. Most directly, the song ‘Stardust’ is inspired by the first book of the trilogy, Dawn.
~Jen
Excerpt:
The new album 'The Human Contradiction' is based upon a concept around the sci-fi novels 'Lilith's Brood' by Octavia E. Butler. How is this represented in the songs themselves?
Within the books, the human contradiction is described as the fact that we are as a species both intelligent and hierarchic.This human contradiction causes an ‘us versus the others’ mentality; an attitude which makes humans randomly select qualities in others and use those qualities to justify ranking them higher or lower on the socially constructed ladder; it allows for the creation of dualisms; of man and woman, black and white, human and nonhuman, nature and culture... Basically it is an attitude, which in the book - as well as one could argue, in reality - proves to be most self-destructive.
In that way, The Human Contradiction presents a broadening and deepening of the lyrical concept of our previous record We Are the Others: ‘otherness’ and how people relate to this, is a topic that I have been obsessing over both artistically and academically for the last couple of years and it has become a recurrent theme in Delain’s lyrics. Whether it is otherness within our species, so towards people who are perceived as ‘different’ by other people (which was We Are the Others’ main focus and returns now in songs such as ‘Army of Dolls’ and ‘Your Body is a Battleground’
or in our attitudes towards nonhuman ‘others’, which is the lyrical addition made by our new record on songs like ‘Tell Me, Mechanist’, and ‘The Tragedy of the Commons’. Most directly, the song ‘Stardust’ is inspired by the first book of the trilogy, Dawn.~Jen
Mardoch
Defender of the Universe
Harvester
The Promoter
Mardoch
Defender of the Universe
I've heard about this band for some time, and was curious to check them out. I tried getting into this cd, but unfortunately it did nothing for me. Delain's generic song structure, contrived lyrics, coupled with Charlotte's penchant for singing through her nose made it unlistenable.
And then there is grumpy cat - who let him near a microphone?
The repetitive introductions drove me crazy, and made listening to the whole thing impossible. Perhaps I'll try again in a few weeks. But unless someone removes grumpy cat from the tracks, keeps Charlotte from singing through her nose, and changes the introductions so they don't all sound alike, it's going to be a tough sell.
3/10
And then there is grumpy cat - who let him near a microphone?
The repetitive introductions drove me crazy, and made listening to the whole thing impossible. Perhaps I'll try again in a few weeks. But unless someone removes grumpy cat from the tracks, keeps Charlotte from singing through her nose, and changes the introductions so they don't all sound alike, it's going to be a tough sell.
3/10
delainnation
Member
Today is the North American release date for the new album "The Human Contradiction". Please join us in the celebration over at the Delain American Street Team. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Delain-American-Street-Team/334505269990981
DADRocks
Member
- Jul 14, 2006
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Got my cd in the mail last night...been through it one full spin, gotta say it's a home run. Nice heavy feel to the whole cd, I feel a lot less commercial sounding than We Are The Others. Make sure you pick up the 2cd version, a couple good bonus tracks and a few live ones. Very well done!!
Got the album today and ran through it twice. I liked it. A lot. Top to bottom, it may be their heaviest album yet.
Kinda funny. I went into the store to see if they had a copy and I was approached by a store employee asking if I needed help. Normally, I decline but on a whim, I asked if thy had the new Delain album. He had one in his hand, lol! It was one reserved for someone else but he gave it to me and retrieved another for the other person.
Good album. I expect to wear it out!
Kinda funny. I went into the store to see if they had a copy and I was approached by a store employee asking if I needed help. Normally, I decline but on a whim, I asked if thy had the new Delain album. He had one in his hand, lol! It was one reserved for someone else but he gave it to me and retrieved another for the other person.
Good album. I expect to wear it out!
TENTH DREAMER DECEIVER
Halcyon Way Sufferer
- Jan 7, 2002
- 3,859
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Noticed someone buy the cd today. Was checking to see how much another cd was and a hand shot out. A millisecond later that face from the artwork was in my peripheral vision. Guess touring helps as they will be in town this September.
KingsGene
God of Thunder
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