Back in black
It’s been a little more than two years since Within Temptation released its last album, The Unforgiving, but fans need wait no more. Today marks the North American release of the female-fronted Dutch symphonic metal band’s latest EP, Paradise (What About Us).
The album features four songs, all of which have the band’s signature sound with Sharon den Adel as lead vocalist. The true gem of the project is the title track and lead single. Ever since its announcement on July 12, fans everywhere had been anxiously anticipating its release.
What makes “Paradise (What About Us)” such an appealing development is its inclusion of Tarja Turunen, former lead singer of the Finnish band Nightwish. Turunen made a name for herself worldwide as the queen of symphonic metal and found success as both a band member and solo artist. The two leading female vocalists of symphonic metal join forces on one breathtaking track that is stunning to behold. The sound is sensational and memorable.
“[The song] sounds great,” said Barak Oxman, a junior accounting major and longtime Nightwish fan. “I like that the vocals are a lower octave than you usually hear in Within Temptation’s songs.”
Indeed, den Adel leaves the high harmonies to Turunen in much of the song, singing her part in a lower register than usual. This change of pace is refreshing and extremely entertaining, lending a different aspect to den Adel’s particularly light mezzo-soprano voice.
The other three songs on the EP feature den Adel’s angelically high vocals as the band returns to its gothic roots — something they seem to have strayed from on their previous album. Den Adel is as radiant as ever, her voice strong and clear. The songs “Let Us Burn,” “Silver Moonlight” and “Dog Days” all leave listeners with a the feeling that they want to hear more. That, of course, is the band’s goal because these songs are just demos for its forthcoming full album.
These demos are purposefully missing certain symphonic elements in order to keep the fans intrigued and excited for what’s to come. However, despite the missing finished mix, den Adel’s vocals are still backed by powerful instruments that leave the listener no choice but to move along to the beat of the music.
Overall, the EP is strong and points to a promising future for the band. If Within Temptation’s forthcoming album is nearly as good as Paradise (What About Us) then we know they are doing things right.
