Within Temptation thread

[gazinwales]

As annoyed as I am with this band, I was in a mood to listen to them and stumbled upon this show from 2012:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUzEE-GTlRE

Stunning.  There were truly some awesome tracks on The Unforgiving, and some of them are showcased here along with some of their classics.  Although I guess I shouldn't be, I am pleasantly surprised at how awesome In The Middle Of The Night is in a live setting. 

Oh, and did Sharon and Robert break up, or is that him in black with the long(ish) hair and I am just not recognizing him?

Yeah pretty good show, although the drumming sounds very strange, I dunno just seems different to their albums.
Sharon is a beautiful woman, but this outfit is horrendous. Looks like something out of the original 1960's Star Trek series.

[bosk1]

Albums not being released here that are released elsewhere, and no ability for the U.S. fans to purchase them on the band's website.  No tour dates here.  And just a general attitude of "American fans?  Eh, whatever."

EDIT:  To elaborate on the albums:
-Black Symphony:  Deluxe edition not sold in U.S.  On their website, which was the only place to find it at the time, they would not ship it to the U.S.  Not that the standard edition was bad, but still.  I would love to have the extras, especially since it is a whole extra concert!
-An Acoustic Night At The Theatre:  Letting go of the misspelling of "Theatre," not available in the U.S. and they will not ship it to the U.S.
-Q Sessions:  Same thing.

[Ben_Jamin]

I'm upset about the Q sessions.  I love their version of Skyfall, and Titanium.

[Prog Snob]

Just bumping to see if anyone has heard any new news with the band or saw any of the recent shows.

[cramx3]

I saw them in the fall but I believe they've been on break and prepping for a small venue tour that should be starting soon so not a whole lot in the news for them.

[ErHaO]

Yes, they play in a lot of theaters, instead of regular concert venues. My mother is interested in seeing them, so maybe I can tag along    She saw them at vrienden van Amstel live once, which is all kinds of dutch artists (pop, rock, metal, folk, basically every succesful Dutch artist) doing their own songs with guests, covers and other special stuff.

Here is a pro shot Within Temptation covering Coldplay's Sky Full of Stars about a week ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmpgj1LyjKk (warning: very poppy  Good performance and epic stage setup though).

Sharon also performed with the Golden Earring that night, but there is no pro footage of that. Wish they just released everything.

[cramx3]

Thanks for sharing and thats cool, but is that actually within temptation or just Sharon?  Almost looks like the bass player but not sure about the rest of the band.

[ErHaO]

Ah, good point. I think it is just Sharon with an orchestra and band,  but not officially WT (could be some of them playing though). Within Temptation played twice before on this event, so I just kind of assumed it were them. Sharon performed more Coldplay songs even, but no pro shot footage (you can order a DVD to be released when buying Amstel beer, so maybe that includes more).

[Prog Snob]

I'll take anything with Sharon.  Thanks for the link.

[ErHaO]

Maybe you guys do not know these either. A few vids between last year and now, in case you might have missed those (some are relatively well known though). Most of them really Within Temptation, not just Sharon 

Acoustic performance of Sinead at Ruud de Wild's broadcast a few weeks ago:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSRyTtSyJ6w

Sharon performing a new (Dutch language) song with rapper Ali B (in his program) last year:
From 34:30 onwards, full song follows: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0PQ36h2khs

Within Temptation performing the whole World is Watching at the RTL4 Late Night Show last year, with Wudstik:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAwyofZrUnM

Live performances in the studio of radio 538 in the morning broadcast last year (they did this before in 2012):
https://www.538.nl/programma/16/evers-staat-op/nieuws/757/within-temptation-live-in-evers-staat-op

[cramx3]

Maybe you guys do not know these either. A few vids between last year and now, in case you might have missed those (some are relatively well known though). Most of them really Within Temptation, not just Sharon 

Acoustic performance of Sinead at Ruud de Wild's broadcast a few weeks ago:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSRyTtSyJ6w

Sharon performing a new (Dutch language) song with rapper Ali B (in his program) last year:
From 34:30 onwards, full song follows: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0PQ36h2khs

Within Temptation performing the whole World is Watching at the RTL4 Late Night Show last year, with Wudstik:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAwyofZrUnM

Live performances in the studio of radio 538 in the morning broadcast last year (they did this before in 2012):
https://www.538.nl/programma/16/evers-staat-op/nieuws/757/within-temptation-live-in-evers-staat-op

Awesome, thanks for sharing! By the way I only pointed it out that it wasnt WT because I didnt think it actually way, but I really enjoy these performances regardless.

Also, The Whole World is Watching is one of my favorite WT songs.  Its just so awesome.

[Prog Snob]

Her voice is so beautiful.  She used to be my favorite female singer but after hearing Simone Simons, I'm torn.

Is it me or does the rap from the Ali B song seem totally out of place?

Who is the second singer in The Whole World is Watching?

[ErHaO]

Yeah, I am not too fond of the rap. But it his television program after all, and I respect his genuine passion for music and enthousiasm. This episode was very personal, Sharon even cries when she recalls her past.

That second singer is Wudstik, a dutch R&B/Hip Hop artist. But he has an outspoken passion for metal and prog (DT fan) and can be heard on Ayreons 10101, for example.

As for our best female (metal/rock) singer, I'll go with Floor    Too bad nothing with Simone and Floor charted high in the Netherlands, otherwise we would probably be enjoying many broadcasts with them as well (alltough there are the occasional instances).

[Prog Snob]

I like Floor too but she doesn't appeal to me in the same way as the other two. 

I've heard the name Wudstik before.  Maybe someone on the forum mentioned him.  He sounded good in the performance. 

[ErHaO]

I like Floor too but she doesn't appeal to me in the same way as the other two. 

I've heard the name Wudstik before.  Maybe someone on the forum mentioned him.  He sounded good in the performance.

Well, considering this is a WT thread, Wudstik was also the main vocalist of Ruud Jolie's solo project (which has an appearance of Sharon on the song Keep Breathing too. Which is nice but also a bit of wasted potential due to it's briefness).

[cramx3]

Simone is definitely my favorite... and the Simone/Floor version of Sancta Terra is amazing, but yea nothing to do with WT

[bosk1]

Simone is definitely my favorite... and the Simone/Floor version of Sancta Terra is amazing, but yea nothing to do with WT

I love the version on Retrospect, but I have seen another performance or two on YouTube that were somewhat underwhelming.  Simone and Floor have stronger voices than Sharron, but I could certainly see why some might prefer Sharron to either of them.

[cramx3]

Simone is definitely my favorite... and the Simone/Floor version of Sancta Terra is amazing, but yea nothing to do with WT

I love the version on Retrospect, but I have seen another performance or two on YouTube that were somewhat underwhelming.  Simone and Floor have stronger voices than Sharron, but I could certainly see why some might prefer Sharron to either of them.

I was referring to Retrospect as thats the "official" version of it I guess you can say which is magical.  Agreed about Sharron, she is definitely great and has an amazing stage presence, I just think Simone and Floor are both better vocalists and I enjoy their voices more, specifcally with Simone, but I may like Sharon's voice over Floors... thats a bit tougher and I dont have enough of Floor's material to go off of honestly since besides one After Forever album and her contributions to Nightwish thus far, I havent really heard much of her work.

[ronnibran]

Oh my...  Just discovering this band and loving them.  I've spent the last several months obsessing on other female fronted bands like Epica, Delain, Stream of Passion, etc.  For whatever reason never gave Within Temptation a proper try....

So I listened to a little on spotify and liked enough to decide to buy an album.  I ended up getting their newest live album as my first album (mp3 version on amazon).  OMG, blown away.  I can't stop listening to it.  And I'm not even normally a big fan of live music.  But it was like a double album for around the same price as the studio albums so I thought it would be wise to get as many different songs as possible for the price.  Good decision.

I love this band.  Def gonna have to buy more albums.

[Prog Snob]

Oh my...  Just discovering this band and loving them.  I've spent the last several months obsessing on other female fronted bands like Epica, Delain, Stream of Passion, etc.  For whatever reason never gave Within Temptation a proper try....

So I listened to a little on spotify and liked enough to decide to buy an album.  I ended up getting their newest live album as my first album (mp3 version on amazon).  OMG, blown away.  I can't stop listening to it.  And I'm not even normally a big fan of live music.  But it was like a double album for around the same price as the studio albums so I thought it would be wise to get as many different songs as possible for the price.  Good decision.

I love this band.  Def gonna have to buy more albums.

Check out The Unforgiving next.  It's filled with catchy songs. 

[bosk1]

I love this band.  Def gonna have to buy more albums.

If you really want to love them, watch this:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8OSqPjIcuY

And because they cut it from that set:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkiJB496TTk

[Prog Snob]

Nice bosk!

[cramx3]

Yea, the bonus concert with the Black Symphony blu ray!   

[Prog Snob]

Since I got paid yesterday, I think I'm going to spoil myself and get the Blu-ray show.  The only WT home video I have is back from the Mother Earth tour. 

[King Postwhore]

Saw them with DT........that was enough.  not my cup of tea.

[cramx3]

Since I got paid yesterday, I think I'm going to spoil myself and get the Blu-ray show.  The only WT home video I have is back from the Mother Earth tour.

Which one? Black Symphony or Let Us Burn?  Both are very good.  Black Symphony is probably the best overall concert, but Let Us Burn has two concerts.

[Prog Snob]

Since I got paid yesterday, I think I'm going to spoil myself and get the Blu-ray show.  The only WT home video I have is back from the Mother Earth tour.

Which one? Black Symphony or Let Us Burn?  Both are very good.  Black Symphony is probably the best overall concert, but Let Us Burn has two concerts.

Hmmm Maybe I'll get one this week and the other one in two weeks when I get paid again.  I'll probably go for Black Symphony first. 

[bosk1]

That concert that I linked to is the bonus disk on the European version of Black Symphony.  It became almost impossible to find shortly after release, so I never saw it until recently finding it on YouTube.  I have the standard edition that has only the main concert.

I didn't really care for Hydra, so no plans to get Let Us Burn.  Plus I'm somewhat boycotting them for giving the U.S. fans the finger in recent years.  I may change my mind at some point if they start putting out great music again.

[Prog Snob]

That concert that I linked to is the bonus disk on the European version of Black Symphony.  It became almost impossible to find shortly after release, so I never saw it until recently finding it on YouTube.  I have the standard edition that has only the main concert.

I didn't really care for Hydra, so no plans to get Let Us Burn.  Plus I'm somewhat boycotting them for giving the U.S. fans the finger in recent years.  I may change my mind at some point if they start putting out great music again.

You disliked it that much?  It's not my favorite CD of theirs but there are a few tracks on there I really love.

[bosk1]

"Dislike" makes it sound like I actively disliked it.  It was more of an, "eh, this does nothing much for me" reaction.  After a couple of quick listens, I just put it down.  I hated the song with the rapper, but otherwise, it was more of a case of it failing to make an impression.

For a bit of background, I got into the band during the The Heart Of Everything era.  Bought The Silent Force not long after, and liked it, but not as much.  Same with Mother Earth.  Loved Black Symphony.  Mostly loved The Unforgiving.  I feel the band was kinda finding their way and improving album by album up until their peak of THOE, and were still hitting full stride with The Unforgiving but just made a few creative choices that I disliked on The Unforgiving.  Hydra just did not live up to that.  And with how they were treating the American fans, I just lost interest.

[cramx3]

I was not a big fan of Hyrda either initially, took quite a few monthes to give it more listens and then finally seeing them to really love the album.  Its not as good as the previous albums, but still solid.  The only song im not big on is the one with the rapper as well, it was solid live but still not a great song IMO.  The Let Us Burn DVD, the first concert is from the Unforgiven tour so its lots of those songs though and also with choir and orchestra.  Great performance and lots of other cool parts to the stage show they did.

[bosk1]

Well, I DO have it on my work computer.  I will listen...


EDIT:  My thoughts as I am revisiting this so far:
Let Us Burn is okay.
Dangerous and And We Run are mostly horrible.
Paradise (with Tarja) is good (not great)
Edge of the World...not bad.  I do not love this band for its ballads, but this one has some interesting melodies that make it a little different.
Fell asleep at my desk during Silver Moonlight, so I dunno.
Covered By Roses is pretty cool.

But nothing that jumps out at me and makes me want to give this repeat listens.

[Prog Snob]

I think that THOE of The Unforgiving are definitely them at their best. I was listening to Enter the other day actually and since I already am a fan of that gothic metal sound, it's still fun to listen to.  However, like I mentioned earlier they are better at writing the more poppier sounding metal riffs like on The Unforgiving. 

I agree with both bosk and my NJ neighbor about the rap song. Sorry guys, you aren't Anthrax. Some of the songs on Hydra took a while to grow on me.  I think I would rank the CDs like this:

From favorite to least favorite:  The first two could easily be a tie.

The Heart Of Everything
The Unforgiving
Hydra
The Silent Force
Mother Earth
Enter

[ariich]

From favorite to least favorite:  The first two could easily be a tie.

The Heart Of Everything
The Unforgiving
Hydra
The Silent Force
Mother Earth
Enter

Literally my exact ranking.

[Evermind]

Huh, Enter is easily my favourite.