Band:	Charlotte Wessels
Album:	The Obsession
Style:	Alternative metal, Symphonic metal
Release date:	September 2024
A review by:	omne metallum

01. Chasing Sunsets
02. Dopamine [feat. Simone Simons]
03. The Exorcism
04. Soulstice
05. The Crying Room
06. Ode To The West Wind [feat. Alissa White-Gluz]
07. Serpentine
08. Praise
09. All You Are
10. Vigor And Valor
11. Breathe
12. Soft Revolution [2024 version]

So close, yet so far. 

It'd be easy to label The Obsession the album Delain never made, given that Charlotte Wessels' band is comprised of several ex-members of said band who left Westerholt decided to hit the reset button back in 2021. While that shadow looms large over The Obsession and dictates the narrative that this album is released into, it's a narrative that sells the music, and members, short. While The Obsession is evidently packed with talent, it doesn't consistently live up to its potential or make for the defiant statement of independence that the ensemble were aiming for. 

The Obsession sees Charlotte Wessels defer the experimentation of her prior work and focus instead on occupying the territory Delain used to inhabit back in their early years, to the point that "Chasing Sunsets" is the best album opener from either project since April Rain. "Chasing Sunsets" highlights the various different elements in the band's arsenal within one bitesize track, between the crunchy guitars, orchestral flair, and Wessels' catchy and soaring vocals. While the rest of the album doesn't hit the same heights as its opening track, "The Exorcism", "The Crying Room" and "Vigour And Valour" (the latter has interesting Vola vibes) are other highlights that help give The Obsession a character and quality of its own. 

The performances and production are easily the strengths on this album, with Charlotte Wessels making one of the best groupings in symphonic metal. From the bass run on "Dopamine" to the guitar work of Somers throughout the album, there is no shortage of talent to be found, and that's before you even get to Wessels herself, who has a strong case for being the best vocalist in the genre. Couple this with a powerful and well-balanced mix that render the symphonic cacophony of noise that make up the tracks as a coherent and enjoyable sound, and The Obsession stands strong. 

While Charlotte Wessels certainly has the talent amongst its ranks, The Obsession is hindered by the lack of consistent, matching, top-quality songwriting to showcase this talent. "The Serpentine", for example, has an excellent guitar solo by Somers alongside Wessels' strong vocals, but it doesn't hit the same heights as the best moments on the album owing to the surrounding song falling short. The same can be said for "Praise", with its strong choir-led chorus being let down by weak verses. If the band were able to combine these moments into full tracks, then The Obsession could be one of the strongest releases in symphonic metal in the last few years; as it is, it's one worth occasional spins, but not regular rotation. 

An album filled with talent and potential, The Obsession offers a lot, but falls short in offering the complete package. An enjoyable listen, it is worth listening to, though you will often find yourself sifting through songs like looking for gold, finding moments of brilliance amongst other unremarkable moments.