Charlotte Wessels, the former lead singer of Delain, has teamed up with Alissa White-Gluz from Arch Enemy for a new single titled "Ode To The West Wind." Released on September 18, 2023, alongside a music video, this track is part of Wessels' forthcoming solo album, "The Obsession," which is set to drop on September 20, 2023.
This collaboration marks the fifth time that Wessels and White-Gluz have worked together, showcasing White-Gluz's more melodic style in this release. Wessels revealed in a press statement that the track draws inspiration from Percy Shelley's poem of the same name. The accompanying video critiques humanity's treatment of the natural world, featuring reimagined iconic artworks, such as Caspar David Friedrich's "Wanderer Above The Sea Of Fog" and Raphael's cherubs from the "Sistine Madonna," all portrayed in polluted contexts.
Wessels expressed excitement about the single, stating, "I'm thrilled to present the fifth single from The Obsession and my fifth collaboration with the incomparable Alissa White-Gluz... I'm incredibly excited about how this song has evolved through my collaboration with the band and Alissa."
The single follows her previous collaborative release, "Dopamine," with Simone Simons of Epica, which will also appear on the album. Notably, this project represents Wessels' first full heavy metal album as a solo artist, following the exit of the original Delain lineup in 2021.
Wessels will lead her solo band, now featuring former Delain members Timo Somers (guitar), Otto Schimmelpenninck van der Oije (bass), Joey Marin de Boer (drums), and Sophia Vernikov (keys), on a European tour in October and November. For fans eager to catch these performances live, tickets are available via various platforms.