Within Temptation’s newest album, “The Unforgiving,” is unlike anything the band has done before. With four previous albums under their belt, the members of the successful Dutch band decided to take a unique approach to their latest release.
On the band’s website, guitarist Robert Westerholt explains, “Our first feeling was that we just couldn’t do the same things again. What we’ve been doing for all these years is trying to create our own sound.”
“On our last album, ‘The Heart Of Everything,’ we achieved our goal,” continued Westerholt. “For us, it’s the perfect album in that style. So the mission was over and now we had to do something new and free ourselves from any rules.”
The band decided to do a concept album that revolves around a comic book they created. Each song is from the point of view of a different character from the comic, and with the release of the album comes a DVD of short films that illustrate the concepts from the music and the comic.
Nothing that comes with this CD, however, can compare to the album itself. The music stands out from anything else the band has done. While some elements from previous albums are present, such as the orchestral strings; the heavy guitars and electronic beats are more prevalent. Lead singer Sharon den Adel’s vocals are outstanding as she rips through both hard songs and ballads.
The intro, titled “Why Not Me,” is a 34-second clip of Mother Maiden, one of the characters in the concept, professing her love for her role of fighting evil in her life. In the background of her soliloquy are strings that play a creepy tune, thus setting the tone for the rest of the album.
The first actual song, “Shot in the Dark” begins very softly and builds up into an explosion of flawless vocals on den Adel’s part. She demands, “What did they aim for when they missed your heart?” The combination of strong lyrics and den Adel’s vocals will grab you and leave you wanting more of this album.
Standout tracks include “In The Middle of the Night,” which is probably Within Temptation’s heaviest song since their first album. Den Adel’s rage towards the person who has wronged her subject keeps listeners hoping to never make her angry. “Iron” showcases den Adel’s vocals as she rips through lyrics like “You can’t hide what lies inside you/It’s the only thing you’ve known/You’ll embrace it and never walk away.” Other songs that require attention are “Faster,” “Sinead” and “Where Is The Edge.”
As much as Within Temptation are known for their hard anthems, they are also known for their ballads. Den Adel switches from her lower register into a stunning soprano on “Fire and Ice,” “Lost” and “Stairway to the Skies.” “Lost” is probably the best ballad on this album; den Adel will give you chills as she laments, “Help me, I’m buried alive!” While the band has been experimenting with different sounds, den Adel is well known for her soprano register, and she does not fail to deliver songs that will leave listeners breathless.
This is what seems to be the end of an evolution for the band. In “The Unforgiving,” the soft and vulnerable elements that were on their first albums are gone. This particular album packs a serious punch, and is highly recommended for even those who have not heard of this band before.
Lauren Versailles can be reached at [email protected].
