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The Human Contradiction is album #4 from The Netherlands' Delain, a band that continues to refine and polish their Gothic/Symphonic Metal sound. The first time through I wrote The Human Contradiction off as a step back from 2012's We Are the Others, an album I lauded for its catchy songwriting and melancholic atmosphere. Further listens revealed that I had initially missed yet another step forward this band has taken in honing their songwriting craft. Songs like "Here Come the Vultures" and "My Masquerade" are every bit as catchy as anything on We Are the Others, yet deeper and more complex, making them ultimately more satisfying. Charlotte Wessels continues, unpretentiously, to be a fantastic singer and the rest of the band matches her, note for note. Even when Delain wanders into pop territory, like the opening synthesizers on "Army of Dolls" they make it sound like it is supposed to be there and not some left-handed attempt at gaining a wider audience. To top it off, Finland's Marco Hietala lends his distinctive vocals to "Your Body is a Battleground" and "Sing to Me," giving those tracks the same dynamic as classic Nightwish from the Tarja era.

As always, if you don't like your Metal smooth and polished, you'll need to look elsewhere for your fix. If you do appreciate just how majestic and haunting Heavy Metal can be, Delain is a band for you. The Human Contradiction displays an already accomplished band not resting on their laurels but striving to get even better.