Within Temptation - The Heart of Everything

US version includes two bonus tracks, 'Stand My Ground' and 'What Have You Done' (Extended Version). 2007 release from the Dutch Gothic Metal band who have been pounding the Metal pavement with their unique brand of hard-edged Metal for over a decade. Their sound is the perfect combination of guitar-driven Hard Rock and ambitious Symphonic Metal. Underneath the aggressive wall of sound lies a secret beauty that can often be dark and uninviting. 13 tracks including 'Howling', 'Frozen' and 'Final Destination'. Album Description

The Howling made me a fan overnight!

Outstanding! I'm a newbie to this genre of music, but in the short time I've been into it I've been exposed to Within Temptation, Evanescence, Nightwish, Epica, and several others, and Within Temptation is my favorite of them all.

My background is guitar shred music, jazz, and classical. While in the past I've enjoyed the poorly labeled neo-classical shred genre, which is a sad misnomer of the term neo-classical, it was inevitable I'd outgrow it when every other artist out there offered too little substance once I actually did start listening to "real" classical music. In the end, I liked the gothic sound but was put off by the too often poor thematic development and harmonic motion that just became too predictable and derivative of one another.

I wouldn't have guessed that 15 years later, taking that genre of music and making the guitars heavier, pronouncing the string ensemble textures a little more, enlisting a choir in the background, and fronting the band with a beautiful soprano whose tone is silky smooth yet can be assertive on demand and having her sing themes that hook and haunt you would be the way to revive that neo-classical stuff into what it should have been in the first place.

I've become a very big fan of WT virtually overnight, and this release is a great one. It certainly offers nothing new, but it solidifies WT's place as the chief artist in the genre. September 23, 2008

heavy metal + syphony = awesome

Whithin Temptation has an interesting style of music which is heavy metal with symphonic sounds as well as a great female vocalist. If you like Evanescence, you'll love Within Temptation. My favorite song on this album is "Our Solemn Hour". September 1, 2008

Thanks Amazon for the recommendation!

I had never heard of Within Temptation before Amazon sent me a "recommendation". On a complete impulse buy, I purchased their latest CD, and I was absolutely blown away! The orchestra, the music, her voice, the lyrics... it was haunting and beautiful. Reminded me a great deal of some of the early Evanescence songs. It hasn't left my CD player yet. August 28, 2008

I don't get the complaints - this is their best album yet!!

Even better than their previous releases. Sharon has great vocal abilities, and you'll really hear the difference between her voice on this album and early releases (i.e., Mother Earth, Enter) Overall, excellent album from start to finish. The duet with Keith Caputo is also an incredible song. August 28, 2008

Symphonic, Haunting, Driving

I stumbled across Within Temptation while listening to Last.fm (frozen) and really enjoyed them. After buying the album I am even more thrilled. The vocals are strong but ethereal without becoming whiny. The orchestra/orchestration adds class and musicality to driving metal riffs in ways that leave other metal/hardcore acts shamed. Lyrics are thoughtful and yearning without falling into the emo pit of self-loathing. Well worth the download. August 25, 2008

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