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Paradise (What About Us?) (2013) is an EP release by Ditch symphonic metal act Within Temptation. It's been released as part of the build up for the group's as yet untitled sixth studio album (though that may be seventh depending on whether you want to count the covers album The Q-Music Sessions (2013)), which is expected to be released in early 2014. The EP contains four tracks from the upcoming album, however it is only the title track that is presented in finished form, with the remainder of the EP consisting of demo versions.
Paradise (What About Us?) opens with its title track. This one is actually a duet between Within Temptation's Sharon den Adel and former Nightwish singer Tarja Turunen. I have to ask, are there any symphonic metal fans out there who are seriously going to say no to that? The song itself is just what anyone should expect to hear from Within Temptation in 2013, that is to say rather openly commercially inclined symphonic metal, although perhaps less so than prior album The Unforgiving (2011) was, as that album left some debate among fans about if the band was still really metal. Here the riffs are heavy and quickly assert themselves alongside the lyrical hooks and symphonic elements. As has become more common in their recent work a guitar solo is also thrown in, and both the singers sound in top form. In short, this is a real treat.
The demo tracks generally sound quite good considering they've been pointedly given that branding. I do think it's apparent when moving from Paradise (What About Us?) to Let Us Burn that the latter song doesn't hit quite as heavy with the riffs, but Sharon sounds great on it and it's another good song that serves to gear me up for the next album. Silver Moonlight follows and well, this is where things on the EP start to take a turn in an unexpected direction.
The EP is pretty much two songs along the lines of what you'd be expecting and then two that'll catch you off guard. Silver Moonlight because this song is actually closer to Within Temptation's older work. It's not exactly the doom influenced gothic metal of debut album Enter (1997) brought back, but it is the first song of Within Temptation since The Dance (1998) EP to feature death growls, as if the guitars weren't enough to assert their metal status again. I guess it's guitarist Robert Westerholt performing the growls again although they do sound rather different to they did on the past releases, so I'm not sure. I do know that they don't actually sound as good as those on Enter and The Dance so this is the one aspect of the EP that I hope is worked upon for the final version that will be released on the album. The song also has song background studio chatter near the end, but this is actually the only moment where you'll be reminded that you're only listening to demo versions.
Final song Dog Days may also surprise because it's definitely not metal and is arguably one of Within Temptation's most openly pop songs; more upbeat and catchy compared to their usually symphonic ballads. If anything I guess it's closer to alternative rock since guitars are still present in a much reduced form. I rather like it, it suits what Within Temptation is these days, but all the same I hope the following album focuses mostly on what they've presented on the other three tracks of this EP.
Paradise (What About Us?) does what a good EP of this nature should - get fans extra excited for that upcoming major release. The songs show off quality writing, a willingness to experiment, and perhaps even a little return to older stylistic leanings that some fans will no doubt have missed on The Unforgiving. An exceptional grade rating is deserved. If the growls on Silver Moonlight had been better I think this would even have been worth top tier.
93/100
(Originally written for Heavy Metal Haven: http://metaltube.freeforums.org/within-temptation-paradise-what-about-us-t3201.html)