Review Summary: Heavier Chapter in Within Temptation, welcome to the crazy dark path of "The Heart Of Everything"
Like in any band, after an album has been made and the touring is finished they must examine the errors of the past. The reason to this is so the next album will not follow in those negative features. A band must look at the performance of the album and the artistic creativity that comes along with it. If they seem the music was too out of the edge of their image then they might leave that path and walk another. But if that path was too show some bright light at the end, well we may see a revolution in the music.
Now lets apply this Within Temptation. A symphonic metal band from "The Netherlands" who has gotten a lot of attention after their second album "Mother Earth". The album exploded with popularity in Europe (especially in the bands home country) and Within Temptation was at their peak. But we're they at their peak of their music? Well for some people the era of within temptation was over for them and they said goodbye leaving with them "Enter". But some would stay to witness "The Heart Of Everything" a new chapter in within temptation.
Now for many people who listened to Within Temptation, they usually express more of an angelic setting in their music. But 30 seconds into "The Howling" we see a metamorphosis of Within Temptations music. It's not the intro you would expect compared to the harmonizing intro from "The Silent Force". No it's a whole different environment in "The Heart Of Everything". We have a different version of Sharon and I'm not sure if I should like it or not. Most know Sharon for her powerful but yet light angelic singing. It's not going to stand out in this album that's for sure. Sharon Den Adel is no longer the angel like in "The Silent Force", she is now a vocal powerhouse filled with styles not yet seen in the band. The witchy tone in songs like "The Howling" and "The Heart Of Everything" create a dark emphasis in the mood and meaning of the songs. We still see old Sharon in songs like "Hand Of Sorrow", "All I Need" and the most expressive one "Frozen".
I mean its not only the singer who went through a remarkable change in vocal performance , its the entire band as a whole. "Hand Of Sorrow" is perhaps the best example, we don't just get ourselves attached to one sound in the song, no its very co dependent, its a song influenced by teamwork. Without the insane drumming the melodic jog in the music wouldn't run. Sharon is obviously important with the nice operatic vocals combined with soft clean vocals. With the insane bass and guitar going at it during the middle of the song "Hand Of Sorrow" defines "The Heart of Everything". I am not going to waste my time with the ballad because Within Temptation always makes great ballads. To sum this up, the album is a dark heavy adventure from the first song til the end.
A dark atmospheric environment inside the world of "The Heart of Everything", we meet a different journey in each song. Every song goes well together, its a dark chain connection. So with this review at an end I will say this. When a band gives out their best in a new album, it sets a higher standard for them. For Within Temptation there nothing you can't expect in them.
