Rating: 9/10
Roadrunner Records 2011
Review by Kimmo Toivonen
In my books, Within Temptation have now three homeruns in a row. Their previous two studio albums were both excellent, and it didn't take long for me to decide that this one is a worthy successor to "The Silent Force" and "The Heart Of Everything". The music might be a little less metallic but it's still very symphonic, pompous and melodic, so I'm not complaining. What impresses me the most is Sharon den Adel's vocals - her performance is a bit grittier than on the previous albums, still angelic when needed but there's an edge to it which I find very appealing.
Out of the 11 songs on the album, there's not a weak song in sight. Even the spoken intro "Why Not Me" is something special. I must admit that the first two songs released from this album, "Where Is The Edge" and "Faster" weren't exactly what I was hoping for, but somehow they work better as a part of this album. The fact that "Faster" sounds suspiciously similar to the HIM version of Chris Isaak's "Wicked Game" is still a bit disturbing though.
The album's standout tracks include the second video song "Shot In The Dark", the gloriously anthemic "Iron" and the intense "A Demon's Fate", to name a few. This is really an album that doesn't really require any skipping. Highly recommended!
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