Within Temptation

“We consider ourselves more an atmospheric melodic symphonic Metal/Rock band… In my opinion, we are not a gothic band but we have gothic elements,” Within Temptation’s vocalist Sharon den Adel offered.

“Enter” was the Dutch band’s debut studio album. Although the ’97 set failed to achieve immediate commercial success it entered the Dutch chart in ’02 after the commercial success of the sophomore set, “Mother Earth.” The sophomore set, which leaned on fantasy and nature themes, entered the Dutch chart at #82; It took two years for the album to rise to #3 and reach double platinum status in the Netherlands and Germany, selling over 800,000 copies.

“The Silent Force” was the first to feature lead guitarist Ruud Jolie and keyboardist Martijn Spierenburg replacing Martijn Westerholt, who had to leave the band due to illness.

The album’s atmospheric songs were inspired both by literature and the band members personal lives.

Reaching #50 on the Billboard 200, “The Unforgiving” was both a commercial and critical success. The band incorporated new musical elements on each release there were ’80s influences. The lyrics focused on telling a story with specific characters. A video accompanied each single in order to visually describe the story.

“Hydra,” a ’14 release, was notable for the guest vocalist: ex-Nightwish singer Tarja Turunen contributing to the lead single “Paradise (What About Us?), ex-Killswitch Engage vocalist Howard Jones, who was heard on the second single “Dangerous.” Soul Asylum’s Dave Pirner and Rapper Xzibit also appeared on the album.

Reaching #16 on the Billboard 200 it was the first album recorded with three guitarists.

Joining Jolie and Westerholt was rhythm guitarist Stefan Helleblad who made his Within Temptation studio debut since joining the band shortly after the release of “The Unforgiven.”

Following a brief delay, seventh album “”ЯƎSIST”” arrived in ’19 becoming the band’s longest gap (five years) between studio releases, Like its predecessor, the set featured guest vocalists including Papa Roach’s Jacoby Shaddix on “The Reckoning” and In Flames’ Anders Friden for “Raise Your Banner.”

Electronic and Industrial elements were incorporated with lyrics focused more on political themes.

Also like “Hydra,” “ЯƎSIST” land in the Top 20 on the Rock Albums and Hard Rock Albums charts but only made it to #129 on the Billboard 200.

Within Temptation then amicably left Vertigo Records, the label which had released their previous album. They opted to go independent In order to break the traditional cycle of writing a full album, promoting it through singles, and then touring. That meant releasing singles until there was enough material for an album.

“We love the new sounds of Metalcore bands and everything, what’s happening right now,” stated den Adel. “We’ll never be, of course, a Metalcore band, but we use the influences that we can use for our kind of music and make it a new, refreshing sound in a way.”

Following the criminal Russian invasion of the Ukraine in ’23, Within Temptation co-sponsored the Ukraine Aid Operations fundraiser for the Ukrainian Marines. And with the war still grinding two years later the documentary “Within Temptation: The Invisible Force” premiered exclusively on YouTube in ’25.

The film followed band founders den Adel and Westerholt as they became increasingly involved with the Ukraine war. A distant solidarity soon evolved into direct action, on stage and beyond.

The documentary revealed the impacts on those living in Ukraine but also how it affected the creative and moral compass of artists around the world.

Concurrently, Within Temptation and Ukrainian artist/Eurovision contestant Jerry Heil collaborated on the dramatic ballad single “Sing Like A Siren.”

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