Album Review: Charlotte Wessels - Tales From Six Feet Under

I should begin this review with some context regarding Charlotte Wessels' time as the singer in Delain, but I'm not going to do that, because it says more that I would have to go back and do some research in order to be able to. Delain certainly established a profile for themselves, but none of their music ever stuck with me, so I was not left wondering what to think when the band's lineup disintegrated.

Over the last year, Charlotte used her time no longer spent on Delain, and the time spent locked down during the pandemic, to start writing and recording music entirely on her own. Other than a guest vocal on one song, everything on this album is Charlotte's doing, which is something I have great respect for. Unlike a lot of singers who will sing anything you put in front of them Charlotte is very much an artist here.

There are interesting textures to the opening "Superhuman", where strings weave in and around a programmed drum rhythm, creating something that sounds modern and fresh. It's the building block for something with a real presence, but Charlotte's vocal line doesn't take it to the next level. Her voice sounds great, but it floats when the song needs something to bite.

That carries through much of the record. Charlotte is exploring the sounds of modern pop quite often, doing it with a clarity of production that shows her skills are quite impressive. Her songwriting, however, isn't able to measure up often enough. Song after song, we're getting nice musical backdrops that sit under vocal melodies lacking the requisite hooks. It makes for pleasing ear candy, but it's a passing sugar high. The parts of music that are the most satisfying aren't present in these songs, and that means all the lovely sounds in the world aren't going to add up to a great record. You need to have either great melodies or searing passion, and this record is too restrained in both respects.

On songs like "Victor" and "New Mythology", the sounds are gorgeous. Charlotte shows a deft touch for building a production for herself, making a record that shines the spotlight on herself perfectly. I can't say anything bad about how she has made the transition to a more pop-oriented sound. That is flawless. And because of that, it's a shame the songs don't have the ability to stick the landing. This could have been the best pivot from a metal band to a pop album in recent years. I really believe that, if only the songwriting was as committed to the change as the production.

We'll call this a case of what could have been. "Tales From Six Feet Under" is a beautiful sounding album, but I don't think that's enough, as much as I want it to be.