First published by Midlands Rocks, www.midlandsrocks.co.uk March 2011
The Dutch orchestral metalers have come a long way since their formation in 1996. Five albums in and they have matured from a band of Celtic folk-tinged, Goth-lite troubadours to the glossy, symphonic colossus we now know and love.
Each subsequent release was an exponential improvement on its predecessor and when 2007’s The Heart Of Everything arrived, it was difficult to see how it could be bettered. The bar was set at a level best described as intimidating.
Teasingly, the band dropped plenty of hints and cryptic clues regarding the direction the new album might take, with vocalist, Sharon den Adel, going so far as to state a radical departure from their existing sound was definitely on the cards. Well, they’ve done that, certainly, while cleverly retaining the trademarks that delivered the critical acclaim to which the band have, by now, surely become accustomed.
Interestingly, the new release is a concept album based on a comic book series by Steven O’Connell with each song reflecting the writer’s narrative, complete with illustrations by Romano Molenaar, of X-Men fame.
Fans frustrated by the band’s frequent penchant for burying the guitars under multiple layers of symphonic samples are in for a serious treat. Easily the heaviest thing the band has done, the guitars sit high in the mix and sound superb. Solos make a welcome return from their virtual absence on The Heart Of Everything and the first one arrives at around 3.40 during Shot In The Dark.
Likewise, In The Middle Of The Night kicks off with a syncopated, sequenced riff that soon evolves into a driving, up-tempo rocker more usually heard on Nightwish albums.
Track six, Iron, will also induce some enthusiastic head banging once the crunching, Celtic riffage, forming the spine of the song, gets under the listener’s skin.
The atmospheric samples and keyboards, so much a defining feature of the Within Temptation sound remain, of course, but take some unexpected turns with highly pleasing results. Sinead, for example, following a haunting motif, moves briefly into almost industrial territory before exploding into an 80s-style, electro-rocker of a verse and a ridiculously catchy chorus.
Picking highlights is an onerous task given the album is stuffed with gems but mention must be made of lead-off single, Faster. A self-confessed homage to Chris Isaak’s Wicked Game, one of vocalist, Sharon den Adel’s, favourite songs, all the elements of the new and improved Within Temptation sound coalesce here to stunning effect.
The songs are really quite superb and it’s a genuine delight to hear the band perfectly blend their symphonic trademarks with much heavier guitars, while pulling off the seemingly impossible task of actually producing their most commercial and accessible work to date. The melodies are sublime and with the brilliant Sharon den Adel on the form of her life, choruses soar and swoop with an irresistable appeal.
Epic, majestic and thrilling this is a remarkable artistic achievement and a quantum leap forward from the impressive The Heart Of Everything. This will be the album that finally breaks the band all over the world and delivers mainstream success. And deservedly so.
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