Within Temptation
The Silent Force

THE REVIEW

There are those who are not fully convinced by this album, but as far as I'm concerned, I can say I fully appreciate it. With their third work, released in November 2004, Within Temptation show, in my opinion, that they improve with each album and certainly possess musical talent. The sound quality has certainly improved not only thanks to the well-defined mixing but also thanks to the presence of a real Russian orchestra, which is particularly noticeable through the use of flutes and violins, as well as wind and string instruments in general.

It starts with an instrumental "Intro," lasting almost 2 minutes, where gothic choirs intertwine, led by the sharp and crystalline voice of the vocalist Sharon Den Adel. Right afterward, the first track, "See Who I Am," kicks in with a rather gritty introduction characterized by strings and gothic choirs, which recur throughout the very pompous song, yet overall a well-done song that urges one to always follow their dreams without ever giving up. The listening continues with one of the best tracks on the album, "Jillian (I'd Give My Heart)," the story of a woman searching for the meaning of life, understanding it only when hers comes to an end. The song begins with a gradual entry of dark and gothic sound effects, which then burst into a drum attack by Stephen Van Haestregt, followed by an exciting gothic choir riff. The song unfolds in a verse where Jeroen Van Veen's bass is very prominent and drumming, while the chorus picks up the initial choirs, but Sharon's voice dominates them. Then follows the third track, "Stand My Ground," the first single released by the Dutch band. Many voices claim it's a copy of Evanescence's Bring Me To Life, but I see very little similarity to Evanescence; the instrumental arrangement, predominantly strings, is entirely different. At most, the similarity in the video clip may lie in the similar building backdrop, but certainly not in the song, which is rather heavy-sounding, with a wonderful interplay between electric guitars, violins, and vocals. The chorus, an invitation to never give up even in the toughest situations, immediately sticks in your head. With the fourth track, "Pale," the green Irish hills are evoked, a melancholic yet somewhat optimistic song, with an excellent musical structure, very moving. Then follows "Forsaken," for a burst of pure pessimism, characterized by choral support and a very dark atmosphere. The third single from the album is "Angels," track number 6, a story of broken love, mostly based on strings, which start the song, over which the voice sings, initiating the drums with the first chorus. "Memories," the seventh track and second single, is a moving anthem to memories, characterized by a cello and piano capable of eliciting strong emotions in the listener. With "Aquarius," the critical point of the album is reached: many positive opinions judge it the peak of the album, but equally many negative opinions consider it the disgrace. An anthem to love compared to the sea, heavy electric guitar riffs, and strings characterize the entire song, in my opinion very artistic and atmospheric. "It's The Fear," the fears that block us in life, an introduction of keyboards followed by electric guitar, then verse and chorus, with a solo in the middle of the song, a pleasant interplay between the guitars of Robert Westerholt and Ruud Jolie. The album closes with the tenth and final track, "Somewhere," a sad ballad in search of lost love, choral introduction of Sharon Den Adel with Martijn Spierenburg's piano in the background. However, in the Premium version of the CD, two additional tracks can be found, "A Dangerous Mind," quite nice to listen to, and "The Swan Song," a medieval base centered on flutes and violins.

Overall, I would give the album a full 5, finding no "commercial" songs to appeal to the public nor any imitation of Evanescence at any point to entice listeners, an excellent, exciting, and varied album. While waiting for the new Within Temptation album, due out in the summer of 2006, I recommend it to listeners of any music group, although the gothic style characterizing the band never disappoints, as it manages to perfectly mix gritty and energetic moments with sweet and relaxing ones.