Within Temptation
The Heart Of Everything

THE REVIEW

Describing this album in a small space without getting lost in digressions and praise seems improbable, but I'll try.

Since the first album of Within Temptation, things have changed. Over the years, the band's sound has evolved, as it naturally should, for better or worse, it's not for me to say. In this new chapter of the band's discography, those expecting deep male voices like in "The Gatekeeper" might be disappointed, while others just have to dive into listening to "The Heart Of Everything," which marks a more metal turn compared to tradition, without losing the right contribution given by the atmospheres, sometimes so understated, sometimes truly captivating, enhanced by the strength of the lyrics. I would also like to emphasize the effectiveness of the orchestral accompaniment, which makes the melodies majestic and solemn, yet without overshadowing them: truly remarkable.

The album begins with "The Howling," and the choice to open with this song immediately proves excellent, truly beautiful. A dark atmosphere, interesting rhythmic work; Sharon Den Adel immediately proves her excellent voice and interpretative charisma. It continues with "What have you done," where Sharon duets with Keith Caputo of Life of Agony, in a song reminiscent of Evanescence (and this makes me cringe, I never wanted to make such a comparison). Everything is decent, not particularly innovative but sharp. It follows with "Frozen," a rather slow opening track that continues with powerful riffs softened by an orchestral background, for an extremely enjoyable result. With "Our Solemn Hour," in my opinion the best song on the album, well-structured and powerful, Within Temptation reach a very high level of expressiveness. The choral background and the contrast it creates with Sharon's voice are stunning. The fifth track is "The Heart of Everything," which starts with the best intentions, with a very gothic atmosphere that continues even in the instrumental interludes, then Sharon's voice, following a more aggressive line here, does not always manage to seem appropriate, at least in this song, with which she nonetheless demonstrates a certain vocal versatility. "Hand of Sorrow" opens very slowly, then continues with smooth and gripping vocals. One of the best songs, also in terms of lyrics. "The Cross" starts in a very curious way, with a voice challenging a distorted guitar over a hallucinatory background; it creates a very "metal" and at the same time mysterious atmosphere. Sampled voices for "Final Destination", in a very hard and powerful piece. "All I Need" is perhaps the most pop-leaning song, not ugly for that reason, but perhaps not the most successful on the album. Sharon's voice nevertheless elevates its fortunes.

"The Truth Beneath the Rose" starts off very epically, an excellent track, along with its lyrics and the great closure entrusted to the orchestra. An extremely important contribution to the entire album is provided by the dark voices of the choir, certainly a strong point. The latest effort from our Dutch friends closes with "Forgiven", a beautiful slow song where Sharon's voice, accompanied by a piano, engages in delicate vocalizations. A very moving, very melancholic song, which to an inattentive listener might seem banal, but truly dramatic in its lyrics and accompaniment.

Once again, Within Temptation leave us pleasantly surprised and offer us this "The Heart of Everything," which will undoubtedly represent a very important phase in their evolution.