Within Temptation
Hydra

And we start with the big returns of this year, with one of the metal bands that I'm currently following the most. After the semi-success of sales and criticism of the previous The Unforgiving, the Dutch Within Temptation are trying to change the cards on the table once again. Because, as we know well, their specialty is precisely to reinvent themselves with each new album, changing their sound, remaining always tied to symphonic rock/metal, but incorporating, from time to time, other always different genres: from the doom/death of Enter; the Celtic music of Mother Earth; the pure symphonic rock of The Silent Force; the alternative metal of The Heart of Everything; up to the dance/electronic of The Unforgiving. This time, the genre they have touched on is power metal, and here for me the first problems start.

I have never hidden from anyone my hatred towards this genre, I have never been ashamed of it and I will never be. I want to clarify that it is a hatred generated over time, and that it did not originate from the beginning. This for me is a factor that has greatly influenced my judgment on this album, from which I expected so much, but so much more. Another significant thing is the number of guests on the record, no less than five, two of whom are well famous and respected in their field (not necessarily by me), namely Howard Jones, ex-vocalist of Killswitch Engage, and Tarja Turunen, also ex of Nightwish. In the first case, we have a track entitled "Dangerous," one of the most power-influenced on the album, but fortunately saved by Howard himself, even if his voice didn't seem entirely convincing to me. Whereas, in the second case, there is "Paradise (What About Us)," and here it seems like you're hearing another band and not the Within, it feels like listening to the more saccharine and commercial Nightwish, could it be due to Tarja's presence? Probably, given that she is a singer I absolutely cannot stand. The last guest worth mentioning is the rapper Xzibit. Yes, a rapper, and no, until a few weeks ago I didn't even know who he was. However, I should meet him in person and shake his hand for taking part in the worst song in their entire repertoire so far, which is called "And We Run," one of the lowest points of their career. Apart from those with guests, the rest of the songs aren't really anything special, except for "Let Us Burn," which stays within the band's classic standards, perhaps a track discarded from the previous The Unforgiving, and "Silver Moonlight," where the guitarist Westerholt returns to singing in growl since their debut Enter. Everything else flows too smoothly, no interesting cues, and nothing that could encourage the listener to replay the entire album.

After 17 years, a misstep has also come for Within Temptation, something almost inevitable for anyone, a pity especially for those, like me, who expected a lot, or even more. But I repeat that my judgment is based on the fact that by now, for me, power metal is an intolerable itch for the ears. Nevertheless, the album is not all to be thrown away. Not entirely.

RATING = 5/10