Nearly four years had passed since Within Temptation had given the world a new album. In late 2000, their breakthrough album Mother Earth had been their last offering. Mother Earth had been their ticket to success; they would tour nonstop during these four years, giving fans little as far as new music with the exception of some b-sides to tide them over until the long-anticipated follow-up to Mother Earth could be made. But they would make up for that to most fans by touring constantly throughout Europe and other spots throughout the world. A DVD of their wildly successful tour would be made in late 2002 as a way to appease some of these “Restless” fans. However, for those of us who were not lucky enough to find Within Temptation coming to our town, a new album was all we had to look forward to. Among those who were fortunate enough to see the band live, anticipation for new material would heighten all the same when in 2003, new songs would begin to creep into the set list in their most basic forms. Hearing the songs unfinished, as good as they sounded to fans, only made them all the more anxious to hear them when they were completed. It only became all the more apparent that the rest of the world was ready to move away from Mother Earth and on to something new. But when would the band be?

Within Temptation had been under the protection of Mother Earth for quite some time. She had brought them fame, fortune, and new fans from all around the globe. Yet it was time for them to step out of her shadow. New music had to be made. Yet whenever it seemed they had a free moment to do so, Mother Earth would show her strength time and again whenever another country would fall prey to her seductive power, bringing this Dutch band more fans still, yet this also meant more tour dates and less time to focus on the new album. Since late 2003, fans that had been waiting anxiously for new material would be frustrated many times during the past year. Mother Earth had Within Temptation in her stronghold. Would they ever be able to break free? Fans began to wonder if the band would ever grace their ears again with new angelic vocals from Sharon den Adel or bombastic songwriting from Robert Westerholt. It seemed that every time word of a new album was in the midst, a roadblock would come up yet again, courtesy of Mother Earth, when her power would be felt in yet another country that had not yet heard her siren call.

Finally, in the late summer/early autumn of 2004, the news that many fans had been literally waiting years for finally came: the new album was complete and named The Silent Force, and a new single named “Stand my Ground” would be the first song to hit radio airwaves and video channels. News that they had worked with an orchestra in Russia only got the fans’ blood circulating all the more---the epic style of Within Temptation could finally be realized in its full capacity. The frenzy to hear the new single was outstanding: people online were happy to rip low-quality versions of the song just to be able to have some new Within Temptation in their ears. But as with any band with such achievement, it didn’t take long before debate was made.

When the “Stand my Ground” video debuted, many fans of the older sound of Within Temptation were disappointed by its similarities to another video by another female-fronted band from America, whose name I will not even give the honor of mentioning in this review. Constant comparisons to the new Within Temptation sound to this American band were made---even though it is never mentioned that the American band has been “borrowing” their sound from nearly every female-fronted band in Europe---Within Temptation included! Comments such as “they’ve gone commercial” or “old Within Temptation is dead” were not uncommon. But the final verdict could not be made for some fans until the album was released on November 15^th and they could hear for themselves. I would have to wait longer to give my ruling, as I would not receive my copy of The Silent Force until Christmas. It is hard for Americans to get good music on time, as our stores are too busy stocking teenage kiddie-television show stars-turned wannabe singers, instead of asking customers what they really want! But I digress…this review is not about my disappointments with lack of choice within American music stores!

When the happy day came and my new CD arrived in the mail, I was downed with the flu. But The Silent Force would make for good medicine! Without any further ado, let me explain why…

The first song is really more of an “Intro”, which is simply what it is called. It begins with soft chants from the choir, with very little music accompanying but for the sound of bells and percussion. It almost makes one feel as if they are witnessing a religious experience. And perhaps to some Within Temptation fans, they feel as if they are! Near the end of the song, Sharon’s melodic vocals come in strong and clear. She does not sing any words, just plain singing from the heart! After her singing ends, the song closes too by making a segue way for the next song…

“See Who I Am”…this is doubtless my favorite song on the album! It was what a fan like me had been waiting over 3 years for (as I did not discover Within Temptation until autumn of 2001). Grandiose orchestral work, passionate singing from the choir…and then Sharon’s voice gently comes in and invites you to “come into my world, see through my eyes”. Her soft vocals invite you right in, making one feel as if they have no will to resist, and then the chorus hits you full force, bringing back the dramatic feel of the beginning of the song. In the second verse, Sharon finds her lyrical influence from Ghandi by quoting him: “we must be the change we wish to see”. Then she offers to “come into your world” and “see through your eyes”. The chorus once again, and then a bridge where Sharon shows off her vocal chops. A delicate instrumental break with Sharon’s vocals and a lilting piano before it builds back up to the powerful chorus. Sharon punctuates this last “this is not the end” with fervor as the orchestra and choir bring it to a most climactic end.

The next song, “Jillian (I’d Give my Heart)” was known only as “Orff” to the Within Temptation fans that had heard the new songs being played during the tour. This was one of the few songs that had “working titles”, of which the real names would not be revealed until the release of the album. It starts off much differently from the previous song. It fades in, and you do not really hear the music until about 30 seconds into the song. Then the drums roll in, giving way to the choir once again. My first impression of this song was that I was disappointed that the song had “dropped an octave” compared to what I was used to hearing from the bootlegs. But that was something that would quickly pass, as this song has been a favorite of mine since the days when it was called “Orff”. I had been waiting a long time to hear what this song would become. Beautiful high notes by Sharon! Lyrically, the song was inspired by the Dragonspell book by Katherine Kerr, a fantasy writer. I won’t ruin the story by trying to explain the song…just listen to the words of lost love yearning to be found again, and decide for yourself if you should take a chance on the book. The song ends with a most impressive high note from Sharon, making you feel the sense of loss that the lyrics convey.

“Stand my Ground” was the song that caused debate, both friendly and not-so friendly, among fans of the band. It is definitely the most “radio-friendly” song on the album. I had heard the radio edit before the release of the album, and when I got to hear the album version, it disheartened me to know that Robert’s ripping guitar riff in the beginning of the song was omitted. It definitely gives the song a certain crunch that you would not know existed if you only went on the radio edit. The orchestra is still here, but much less prominent, almost like background vocals. The chorus is so catchy that you find yourself singing it in the grocery market, in the shower, wherever it strikes you! Within Temptation songs can be addicting that way! A song like this, why it has not been picked up by American radio, is baffling to my mind. It has all the ingredients…it’s catchy, the words are easy to understand and sing along to, the singer of the band is “visually appealing” for MTV audiences…what is the problem here?

The music begins to take a slow turn with the Celtic-influenced intro of “Pale”. Sharon’s voice is like glass: both crystal-clear yet fragile. When I first heard the album, this was one of the songs I had the most troubles getting into, now I find I can’t get enough of it. Songs do that to me sometimes. The music is very simple and sweet, yet there is slow yet commanding percussion work by Stephen. It is apparent that this song’s strong points are not so much the heaviness of the music or the prominence of the orchestra, but it is centered around Sharon’s singing; and fittingly so, her haunting vocals make for a brilliant centerpiece.

Sharon’s harmonious vocals only carry further on into the next song, “Forsaken”, which returns us to the power of the orchestra and choir. Powerful drumming to accompany Sharon’s vocals before the chorus. The singing of the choir is exceptionally moving here. I cannot emphasize enough my preference for the drum work on this tune. The break in the song comes when Sharon whispers in the middle over the dominant choir. Half of the chorus once more before coming back again to the awesome drums, and then another rousing chorus. Stephen’s drumming comes to a climax and then an explosive end to the music as Sharon plaintively sings “the day has come…” a few times before the song ends.

“Angels” couldn’t be a more fitting title for the seventh track. Sharon sings like an angel in the beginning of the song before breaking into a most catchy chorus. Here is another song that would appeal to radio audiences, especially with the lyrics of the chorus about how “you took my heart, deceived me right from the start”. The choir or orchestra is not as noticeable here. Some more awesome high notes from Sharon on the lyric “could have been forever, now we have reached the end”. The bridge of the song showcases the orchestra without being too prominent. Then Sharon sings the “could have been forever” line again with that striking high note before the song tapers off with a poignant piano.

The upcoming second single for the band is the song “Memories”. It was a good choice, with its gentle piano intro, strings and “memorable” chorus. It is a slower song, but not an all-out ballad, which is a good medium for appealing to radio stations. At first I did not understand why this song was chosen as the next single, but as I found myself at random moments with the chorus stuck in my head, it began to come together. Sharon’s vocals really move me towards the end when she promises, “darling, you know I’ll love you ‘till the end of time”. Her voice is just so clear, sincere, and sweet on that verse. Then the strings end the song evocatively.

My second-favorite song is the ninth track, “Aquarius”, which has seemed to be the general consensus among fans to be the heaviest song on the album. Robert’s guitar riffs are so tight on this song! Nice, crunchy, and heavy. The orchestra even has a part in the heaviness as well, their part in this song feels the most over-the-top to me. Sharon sounds like a beggar on her knees when she sings, “I need you, Aquarius!”, and this is only punctuated with her tortured, almost strangled way of singing the word “Aquarius” at the end of the chorus. A tiny bit of techno influence in the break of the song as Sharon expresses her need to be with Aquarius once again, and then a heavy build-up back to the chorus. Word is that there will be an orchestral version of this song released with the “Memories” single; while I think its heaviness is its most endearing factor, I cannot wait to hear how it is done. To me, on this song, even the orchestra was rocking! With all that intensity, the song ends surprisingly mellow.

“It’s the Fear” starts off with a piano intro, and then busts out into all-out rock! Another favorite song of mine, and another catchy chorus that creeps into your mind at any given moment. I’m most privy to the way Sharon sings, “because my fate is horror and doom” in the chorus, it’s almost as if she’s deceiving you, it sounds so happy! The strings make themselves heard in the middle of the song too, adding that special something to the song and making way for the intense guitar solo, then the chorus and end.

The final track, “Somewhere”, starts off with soft humming by either Sharon or the orchestra, and then Sharon’s mournful vocals. This was another song that took some time to appeal to me, but again, it has become a song that I want to hear repeatedly these days. Like “Pale”, Sharon’s vocals are the heart of the song, accompanied by nothing more than the strings, unobtrusive drums, and the choir. Her voice is melancholic in the song, her lyrics expressing a need to find someone that has been lost to her for some time. It is one of those songs that I would love to use in my “lyrics do matter” debate, because it is the depth of the lyrics and the strength with which Sharon sings them that makes the song great; not fast guitars, heavy drumming, or any other musical accessory. It is one of those songs where simplicity is its greatness. The first few times I listened to the album, I thought it to be a most anti-climactic end to such an eloquent piece of work. But now I realize that there couldn’t have been a song more fitting to end the album. After your ears and mind have been taken on such a journey, it is nice to rest and unwind.

Overall opinion: The years between Mother Earth and The Silent Force have done the band good, musically. They endured some line-up changes in between the time, but you would never know it by the polished sound of the band. The years spent touring have only made them better. Sharon has really learned how to utilize her voice and bring new emotions to the style of Within Temptation. She has seemingly harnessed that aspect of her voice that people who are not fans have often called “screaming”, and trained her voice to have the same intensity without losing any vocal ability. If anything, her voice has become so much better between the last album and now. The entire band has improved; the songwriting skills have changed for the better. They have become accustomed to write shorter songs without compromising the epic sound that encompassed their longer songs of the past. If there were any “gripes” or “negative feelings” that I may have about The Silent Force, it would be that there were none of the long songs that they were once known for on this album; each song clocks in conveniently less than 5 minutes. But if they are expected to follow up on the success of Mother Earth, then the sacrifice of the epics is one I must learn to live with! Within Temptation has a more polished sound, it is true, but however, their spirit and style were not buffed over. The band we all loved from albums like Enter and The Dance has not disappeared, they have only honed their musical skills---in short, they’ve “grown up”. Their new style has not seemed to lose too much of their fanbase; within just less than two months of the album’s release it has already gone 3-times platinum in countries where their previous album had hung onto the charts for months. It looks to me that Mother Earth has let them go forward at last, and with her blessing.

Photos provided courtesy of Jan Hedman:
http://groups.msn.com/WITHINTEMPTATIONnorway

Reviewer: C.

    (5 out of 5)

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