I can't help but wonder just how many heartfelt "Thank You" cards have been sent to the Arkansas-based rock band Evanescence over the past few years. Sure, Amy Lee & Co. didn't invent the dramatic, female-fronted brand of rock music . . . but it's safe to say that their music opened people's eyes and boosted the genre's popularity. Similar foreign bands were suddenly being recommended en masse to Evanescence fans. The whole scenario reminded me of those perfume bottles that I'd always see in stores a few years ago. You know, the ones that would say "If you liked [insert name here], you'll loooove [insert another name here]." It heightens interest. It peaks curiosity. It's human nature to be intrigued with that which has been compared to what we all know and love.

Anyway, after seeing Holland's Within Temptation mentioned thousands of times on Evanescence's message boards, I could no longer resist. I simply couldn't refrain from checking them out. I guess you could say that I gave into temptation. Har, har, har *snort*. And, yes, I've blindly went into some purchases and came out disappointed. Luckily, that's not the case with WT. I checked out their 2004 release, The Silent Force, and was quite pleased. Now, I find myself with their 'eh' 1997 debut, Enter.

As with any Within Temptation release, vocalist Sharon den Adel is the focal point...it's as simple as that. I'm not necessarily insulting the other band members, but I have to be blunt -- her amazing voice is certainly the band's most impressive element. Even though Enter is chock-full of Sharon's beautiful soprano coos, guitarist Robert Westerholt shares the vocal duties here. His rough, snarly voice is what many would call a 'cookie-monster growl'. Occasionally, this "beauty and beast" combination is effective and lovely, but I can't help but feel that it's overdone on this record. Thankfully, the band eventually did away with that.

To no surprise, Enter's most astonishing moments shine through in its piano ballads. The best example is probably "Restless", the creepy album opener. It is simple, yet breathtaking. It's solemn, ethereal, and Sharon's voice sounds more gorgeous than ever as she murmurs, "You're the ghost haunting through her heart." "Enter" boasts fantastic drumming from Ivar de Graaf. Unfortunately, though, Robert does most of the vocal work here. His grunts and growls subtract severely from the song's captivating symphonic arrangement.

The epic, sprawling power-ballad "Pearls of Light" carefully incorporates chimes, prominent choirs, and bizarre sound effects into its already ethereal atmosphere. Although some of its lyrics are bleak ("The blue rain covered my roots, and I forgot where I came from"), Sharon's vocal tone is uplifting and remarkably powerful. "Deep Within" serves dual roles as this album's heaviest and most unimpressive number. The guitar riffs are loud, sure, but they're unforgivably repetitive and bland. Robert does all of the vocal work, and his monotonous growls are void of any real personality or passion.

The midtempo, unmemorable "Gatekeeper" is a bit more sinister than any of the other songs. I'm sure that the crushing guitars and groaning choirs contribute to that notion, and the lyrics aren't exactly happy-go-lucky either -- "A morbid hunger for blood lies in their cold black eyes / They've come to take our lives away," Robert howls. "Grace", an atmospheric, bass-heavy quasi-ballad of sorts, is much more enjoyable. This song sees Sharon toying with her vocal range a bit. When Robert joins in for a mini-duet in the song's bridge, the beauty'n'beast combination actually works to the band's advantage.

The album's shortest song comes in the form of "Blooded", an eerie instrumental with a wonderful rhythm. The drumming is absolutely frantic, the guitars are as crunchy and fizzy as ever, and by the end of the song, I find myself disappointed that the actual music on most of their tracks doesn't even begin to compare to this. "Candles" closes Enter excellently. It makes unpredictable, yet surprisingly smooth transitions from soothing to heavy without a second's notice. The sweet, albeit repetitious, piano melodies are catchy, and Sharon's tinkly voice seems to take on this super-cool ECHO that will resonate in your head for hours and hours.

Enter is a fine debut from WT, but their best work definitely came in their later attempts. The excessive cookie-monster grunts seem to lessen the appeal for me -- and by that, I'm not saying that all CM growls are entirely unappealing. I just don't think that Robert's vocals mesh well with the band's instrumentation, and I strongly feel that Sharon's soaring soprano voice is much more enchanting. Fans of Nightwish, The Gathering, Tristania, After Forever and Origin-era Evanescence will most likely be pleased with what they find here. Those who are strangers to Within Temptation shouldn't hesitate to check this album out, but my suggestion is to start with their latest one, The Silent Force. Work your way back to this.

Recommended: Yes