Almost three years have passed since the arrival of The Silent Force, but finally, Holland's most popular symphonic metal band Within Temptation is back. And thanks to my cousin from Germany, I've been enjoying a totally authentic, crisp little copy of their new release before it hits stores here in the States.

I must say, Within Temptation is my least favorite of the Dutch four (rounded out by the far superior Epica, The Gathering, and After Forever). I feel that they'd be nothing special without their excellent vocalist (we'll get to her later), and their lyrics are frequently really, really, really lame.

I still love them.

Of course, I desperately wanted to see what they had in store this time around. The insanely beautiful Sharon den Adel has a great voice, and her talent alone is quite frankly 99% of Within Temptation's appeal, yet many have complained about her lack of range and versatility. I think that complaint will fade away after more people listen to The Heart Of Everything. It may not be the band's most impressive work to date, but it's certainly their most versatile, especially in terms of Sharon's voice. Some of her vocal experiments work and some don't, which is to be expected of experiments. The fans are happy. The band seems happy. They could very well get more attention here in North America, due to a recent opening slot on Lacuna Coil's Hottest Chicks In Metal tour.

Yes, yes, the Dutch sextet clearly want more recognition in the U.S., and I sincerely hope that's the only reason they released "What Have You Done" as The Heart Of Everything's first single. To be more precise, I sincerely hope that's the only reason Within Temptation recorded this mess of a song. "What Have You Done" starts out nicely enough, with Sharon's whispery vocals backed up by distant keyboards that gradually increase in volume. But once Life Of Agony frontman Keith Caputo joins in with his agonizingly (bah hah) generic, nu-metal-happy shouts of "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE NOW?", anything redeeming about this track slips away -- no, sprints away -- into oblivion. Add to all of this the fact that the main guitar riff is nothing we haven't heard before from, say, Linkin Park, and it's clear to see why this is song must be avoided at all costs.

I feared that The Heart Of Everything would be full of songs like the aforementioned radio-friendly single, but thankfully that is not the case. The choir-heavy opening track "The Howling" is a headbanger coated in sweeping, dramatic, symphonic bliss. Sharon's vocals do leave a bit to be desired, as her performance in the intense verses lean more toward shouting than her usual angelic coo. That said, if you're not singing along to that empowering chorus by the time this song makes its abrupt exit, I am forced to question your musical integrity.

The latest single from The Heart Of Everything is a lovely ballad by the name of "Frozen," allows Sharon a chance to display her incredible vocal capabilities. Her voice is uniquely emotive; not only can you understand the pain, pleasure, or whatever it is she chooses to portray, you can feel it. Within Temptation's musical atmosphere lies almost entirely in Sharon, as she is the undeniable strongest link in this otherwise average band. Chaotic in the best possible way, the blissfully heavy "Our Solemn Hour" really shines due to the prominent presence of chanting choirs in the chorus: "Sanctus espiritus! Redeem us from our solemn hour / Sanctus espiritus! Insanity is all around us!"

Despite what Within Temptation may want you to think, "The Heart Of Everything" is indeed the album's catchiest song. Sharon goes nuts in the verses, trying out a low, husky, evil vocal tone that actually works quite well. The latter half of the song emphasizes some of Robert Westerholt's more interesting guitar work as he riffs and whirs away amidst a sea of elegant keyboards.

Then there's "The Cross," which I must refer to as the most unique Within Temptation song ever. Its pace is not speedy, nor is it a ballad; it just slithers smoothly along. Sharon's voice is at its absolute best, reaching impossibly chilling heights at many points. She truly manages to turn what could have been an average "woman scorned" song into something that sounds, well, demented. In the most angelic way possible, of course. This song is something that must be heard to be believed, and even then, you may not believe it.

On the flipside is the forgettable "Final Destination," which is interestingly based on the movie of the same time. Throw a mishmash of dull guitar work in with simplistic, emotionless vocals and you get a really dull follow-up to the magnificence of "The Cross." And the 'rock mix' of "What Have You Done" apparently intended to be a cool bonus track, but it is entirely unnecessary as it only strips the song of its only redeeming factor (Sharon's pretty vocal passage at the beginning).

The Heart Of Everything, cheesy title and all, surprised the hell out of me. I expected the worst and got Within Temptation's most versatile release to date in return. It's easy to listen to, and takes unexpected turns at the least expected moments. Whereas previous Within Temptation releases maintained the same 'vibe' throughout the entire album, The Heart Of Everything is refreshingly diverse. I'm excited to see whether it will do well in North America upon its July 24 release. The increasing radio play of the terrifyingly bad first single makes me think 'yes', but I don't know how quickly fans of bland, watered-down mainstream rock will latch on to the majority of this very unique material. Those usually drawn to symphonic rock and metal are likely to enjoy this album. With a handful of ballads and a nice assortment of uptempo songs (some catchy, some admirably bizarre), there's something here for every Within Temptation fan.






Recommended: Yes