Review written by Nathan Scott, freelance journalist.

Originally published at http://bit.ly/eHs4uv

So, I received a pleasant surprise in the mail yesterday – sitting in my letterbox was the upcoming album from Dutch Rock legends Within Temptation. Thus, without further ado…

The new Within Temptation album opens with an eerie 34 second voice clip entitled “Why Not Me?” – coincidentally also used in the short movie bundled with the “Faster” single – which really helps set the mood and focus the mind for the story which follows.

“Shot In The Dark” begins on misleadingly quiet territory, lulling you into calm and gently leading you on. “I’ve been left out alone like a damn criminal” starts Sharon, before quickly leading into a chorus which packs one hell of a punch, bleating out “your soul is on fire, a shot in the dark – where did they aim for when they missed your heart?” which you’ll be singing long after the song is over.

“In The Middle Of The Night” comes up next, beginning with guitars blazing and Sharon’s haunting voice echoing ‘I don’t care if I’m playing with fire, I’m aware that I’m frozen inside’. This is definitely one of the strongest songs on the album, both musically and from a production perspective.

“Faster” is the first nominated single from the album, and offers a good example of the new direction that Within Temptation have gone in for their first concept album. Powerful vocals and a catchy chorus make for an impressive rock anthem, a wise choice!

“Fire And Ice” slows down the pace, and is the first ballad on the album. The highlight of this song definitely lies in the power and capacity of Sharon’s voice – ‘where’s the love we once had, is it all a lie?’ haunts the first verse, before the tempo picks up for the second with strong orchestral elements and a steady bass line.

If “Fire and Ice” slowed down the pace a bit too much for your liking, “Iron” brutally forces it right back up again! A symphonic introduction with heavy, fast paced guitars precedes Sharon belting out ‘you cant live without the fire, it’s the heat that makes you strong’ in yet another catchy chorus.

In what is a good choice for just past the halfway mark, “Where Is The Edge” is a medium paced showcase of talent in a specific Within Temptation style – albeit in a slightly predictable manner.

“Sinead” will be the 2nd single released from the album, and is as far away from “Faster” as it’s possible to get. ‘Now I’m crossing the border, sealing my fate, I’m not afraid’ – definitely an accurate description of what Within Temptation demonstrates with this track. Lyrically mainstream but musically epic, this is the defining song to showcase their breakaway from albums of old.

The slow tempo of ‘Lost’ perhaps contrasts with the rest of the album. Acoustic guitars compliment Sharon’s vocals at the start, with striking range and lyrics which will leave you pondering – right before you’re brutally overwhelmed with the sudden kick of a full blown orchestra directly after the chorus.

“A Demon’s Fate” has the most interesting start of any of the songs on the album, and would sound more in place on a pop-rock record from the 80s. With less orchestra breaks than usual, it could be considered an easygoing song that is guaranteed to appeal to a wide range of musical taste.

As you’d expect from a song with such a title, “Murder” uses dark and theatrical structures in order to transport the listener into a world, which could resemble an Edgar Allan Poe-esque scenario. Certainly unique, this is one song which is hard not to listen to again, simply to see if you missed anything the first time.

The album concludes with a ballad called “Stairway To The Skies”, led by a piano based start accompanied by the combined efforts of a few violinists, joined one last time by the haunting vocal talents of Sharon. Making use of such lines as ‘My Angel is coming down from heaven to take me’, we can only hope that these particular Angels will grace us with their music for many years to come.

9.5/10 – Whilst its certainly a change in pace and direction for a well established band, its nonetheless one of the best albums I’ve had the pleasure of listening to in a long time. Less emphasis on choirs, more emphasis on rock’n'roll, this marks a turning point in the long standing career of Within Temptation – for the good.

- Nathan Scott ([email protected]) - http://metalmarketing.wordpress.com