Roadrunner
2007
1. The Howling
2. What Have You Done
3. Frozen
4. The Heart of Everything
5. All I Need
6. Our Solemn Hour
7. Hand of Sorrow
8. The Cross
9. Final Destination
10. The Truth Beneath the Rose
11. Forgiven
THEY SOLD OUT!!! You're bound to hear this crap. Probably from people who haven't even listened to this album or the types who made up their mind as soon as the band signed to Roadrunner. Just thought I'd get it out of the way for you there.
For those willing to give this album a chance, there is plenty to be happy about in this reviewer's opinion. There are some production changes and a single geared at a commercial audience but who didn't see that one coming? If a larger label becomes interested in an act it's because they see a chance to make money and they're going to do their best to make the band marketable. It's a fact of the music industry... live with it. As a whole however I don't think the band itself has changed... at least not more than the band has always varied between albums. From the death backed Enter to Mother Earth's folky/celtic atmospheres and the last which was a somewhat lighter and airier overall effort the band has never been afraid to experiment with their sound.
With that in mind it should be no surprise that this album also has it's own distinct brand of Within Temptation. Make no mistake though... it's still Within Temptation. Sharon Den Adel soars with passion as always, the music is powerfully orchestrated and emotional, and the songs loaded with memorable hooks. The guitar sound is more or less along the lines of Stand My Ground, the last commercialized single attempt from The Silent Force and the style is pretty much in the same simplistic but heavy crunch style it has always been in. Actually, I'd go as far as to say that this album is more metal sounding than the last as the guitar is felt much more often and there are fewer of the light moments present. More commercial maybe, but heavier sounding none the less and I like the consistent head moving feel that brings to the release.
What we have here is a catchy release with powerful singing and orchestration that brings force to the music. That's exactly what I wanted from the band and that's what they delivered. Really I'd say this is my second favorite release by them... ranking just a hair behind my favorite, Mother Earth. I'll be the first to admit the single made me a bit nervous with it's completely blatant attempt at Evanescence's Bring Me To Life, but that song does not really represent the album as a whole. I wouldn't even say that's a BAD song, but it's certainly not what I'd want an entire Within Temptation album to be modeled after. On the other side of the coin, The Howling is an amazingly powerful and pretty heavy sounding song with some interesting, more spoken vocals by Shadon Den Adel. That one has to be among my favorite songs the band has ever produced.
My overall feeling on this album is that if you keep an open mind going into it and you liked the band before then you will like them still. If you have not heard them yet and like female fronted metal with atmosphere and emotion... then what're you waiting for? Within Temptation could very well be the band to thrust themselves to the top of this genre and it is deserved.
Highlights: The Howling, Our Solemn Hour, The Heart Of Everything, Hand Of Sorrow
Rating - 4.0/5
2. What Have You Done
3. Frozen
4. The Heart of Everything
5. All I Need
6. Our Solemn Hour
7. Hand of Sorrow
8. The Cross
9. Final Destination
10. The Truth Beneath the Rose
11. Forgiven
THEY SOLD OUT!!! You're bound to hear this crap. Probably from people who haven't even listened to this album or the types who made up their mind as soon as the band signed to Roadrunner. Just thought I'd get it out of the way for you there.
For those willing to give this album a chance, there is plenty to be happy about in this reviewer's opinion. There are some production changes and a single geared at a commercial audience but who didn't see that one coming? If a larger label becomes interested in an act it's because they see a chance to make money and they're going to do their best to make the band marketable. It's a fact of the music industry... live with it. As a whole however I don't think the band itself has changed... at least not more than the band has always varied between albums. From the death backed Enter to Mother Earth's folky/celtic atmospheres and the last which was a somewhat lighter and airier overall effort the band has never been afraid to experiment with their sound.
With that in mind it should be no surprise that this album also has it's own distinct brand of Within Temptation. Make no mistake though... it's still Within Temptation. Sharon Den Adel soars with passion as always, the music is powerfully orchestrated and emotional, and the songs loaded with memorable hooks. The guitar sound is more or less along the lines of Stand My Ground, the last commercialized single attempt from The Silent Force and the style is pretty much in the same simplistic but heavy crunch style it has always been in. Actually, I'd go as far as to say that this album is more metal sounding than the last as the guitar is felt much more often and there are fewer of the light moments present. More commercial maybe, but heavier sounding none the less and I like the consistent head moving feel that brings to the release.
What we have here is a catchy release with powerful singing and orchestration that brings force to the music. That's exactly what I wanted from the band and that's what they delivered. Really I'd say this is my second favorite release by them... ranking just a hair behind my favorite, Mother Earth. I'll be the first to admit the single made me a bit nervous with it's completely blatant attempt at Evanescence's Bring Me To Life, but that song does not really represent the album as a whole. I wouldn't even say that's a BAD song, but it's certainly not what I'd want an entire Within Temptation album to be modeled after. On the other side of the coin, The Howling is an amazingly powerful and pretty heavy sounding song with some interesting, more spoken vocals by Shadon Den Adel. That one has to be among my favorite songs the band has ever produced.
My overall feeling on this album is that if you keep an open mind going into it and you liked the band before then you will like them still. If you have not heard them yet and like female fronted metal with atmosphere and emotion... then what're you waiting for? Within Temptation could very well be the band to thrust themselves to the top of this genre and it is deserved.
Highlights: The Howling, Our Solemn Hour, The Heart Of Everything, Hand Of Sorrow
Rating - 4.0/5
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