Customer Reviews

Heart of Everything (Hk) (Dlx) (Dig)

5 star:		(114)
4 star:		(21)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

First I'd like to make one note. There are three versions of this album out. This version is probably the smartest choice. It's less than half the cost of the imports and it also includes one more song, Stand My Ground. Sure Stand My Ground has already been released on Silent Force. But you're still talking about half the cost and one added bonus song. It sounds like a no-brainer to me.

I got into Within Temptation with their album Silent Force. I immediately fell in love with their music. Their mix of orchestral music and heavy mettle riffing along with Sharon's amazing voice range landed their music as an instant staple in my collection.

This album is no less amazing. The lyrics can be related to by anyone. The variety in each song keeps the album from getting dull or redundant.

If you like Within Temptation, this album will not disappoint. If you've never heard their music before, I heavily suggest both this album and Silent Force. This album would probably be a great starting point, though, given it's price.

It should be noted that I'm new to Within Temptation--this being my first CD by them--so with that in mind, I love this CD. For whatever reason I always got Within Temptation and After Forever mixed up (my apologies if you take offense to that), seeing as how I'm not a huge fan of dual male/female vocals like what After Forever sport, you'd see the reason I kind of passed over WT for so long. What brought me to finally buy a WT CD? Stand My Ground.

For me, The Heart Of Everything is one of those CDs where you kick yourself for not listening to it sooner. There's a little bit of everything on here...powerful riffs, sing-a-long choruses, great verses, excellent lyrics, and possibly my favorite ingredient, a few of the songs truly have that 'epic' feel to them. Since buying THOE I haven't stopped listening to it and it only gets better with each further spin. I only find myself saying "Oop! Now there's a good song!" It's been a long while since a CD has evoked this kind of emotion in me.

Being new to WT, I didn't really know what I was getting myself into so I just put the CD in and let it play. The Howling came on and, well, it's beyond the most perfect opener. It has that 'epic' feel I mentioned and Sharon's delivery only elevates the song more. Past that, if you're looking for some heavy tracks, What Have You Done (I prefer the extended version myself), Our Solemn Hour, The Heart Of Everything, Final Destination, and The Truth Beneath The Rose are all right up your alley. Feel like a ballad? All I Need and Forgiven are among the most tasteful I've heard recently. As for the rest, Frozen, Hand of Sorrow, The Cross, and Stand My Ground are all extremely impressive as well.

My favorite songs are The Howling, Frozen, Final Destination, All I Need, and Stand My Ground. If you're the least bit interested in female-fronted bands then definitely check this out. WT put most bands like them to shame and that's coming from someone who is in LOVE with female-fronted bands. Past that, I got nothing more to add. Highly recommended.

This album finds a more refined, focused and commercially viable piece of work from Within Temptation. Gone are the growling male vocals and long musical journeys. This statement without hearing the album could be a kiss of death BUT not so here. The band put Sharon Den Adel in front with a microphone and she delivered the goods. This is an excellent album, the songs have good melodies and hooks that make them very likeable. This is my second album by the band, the first one I bought the music was good but the production or engineering was bad which was a real shame. When you hear The Heart of Everything you will understand why there is boung to be comparisons to Evanescence. I don't own any of their albums. I heard the first one but didn't like it enough to buy it. Within Temptation have more tools in the box and do a better job with the genre. When I discovered bands like Nightwish, Tristania, Epica etc I could not believe this great music was out there and American radio was so narrow minded as to not introduce this music to the air waves. Hopefully Within Temptation can break through with this album and once established bring back some of the original rawness. Heart of Everything even has a couple ballads which are very good. As some one mentioned the songs do seem to have formula but it doesn't stop the talent from shining through. As some of the songs built up in emotion I was expecting a little jamming or more Progressive filler but some one kept the songs in a neat little package. I don't mean for this to sound critical, it's just that this album is very different from my other, Sins of My Beloved. As a finished product this is a good thing. I am enjoying this album a lot and expect it to be in my listening stack for some time to come. I hope the album does good things for the band. I encourage you to give The Heart of Everything a listen.

within temptation new and improved! after the successfull but slightly more poppier offering of "the silent force", released way back in 2004, wt has gone back to their roots & have tried to incorporate heavier elements into most of their newer material(s). the result is "the heart of everything", an album which, even though it still has the familiar wt vocal harmonies & brilliantly over the top orchestration, manages to sound a bit more edgier & heavier.


the album contains 11 songs, 12 if you purchased the deluxe digipak edition. (a rock edition of "what have you done" which sounds a touch like a nightwish effort is included as the bonus) standout tracks (for me at least) include the first single released "what have you done", "our solemn hour", the truth beneath the rose" and especially "the cross", which highlights the "new" sound wt have managed to achieve.


lead singer sharon den adel's performance here is simply superb. while i cannot stress enough how much i enjoy listening to her, there have been comments or criticisms from various quarters in the past about the sameness of her vocals. criticisms which would be out of place regarding "the heart of everything" where she manages to combine her usual high pitched notes with innovative vocalizations & operatic style singing. the guys as always give a solid performance & overall, the production of the album, from it's audio quality, to the beautiful artwork and the innovative usage of the opendisc technology (which links the purchaser with bonuses & exclusive wt content or features) is simply top class...


to be sure, there ARE issues. for example i didn't care much for the track "all i need". vocally its sounds a bit off key. (perhaps problems during the mastering of the album?) regardless though "the heart of everything" is without a doubt (after the dissapointment of evanescence's "the open door") one of my better purchases so far this year. i highly recommend it. can't wait till nightwish's new album is released...:)

*Everything I state hear is MY OPINION! If something doesn't sound right to you, I'm sorry. As for song descriptions, well those are my own views on the meaning, so please don't be angry or confused if they do not match your own or that of the artist! That said....

I've had the leaked version for a few weeks and am really really really impressed. I've been a fan for a long time, and was pretty sure all their music would be in the same vein, but I was wrong. On this album they totally prove what they can do, Sharon in particular. Her range is extensive and she is gorgeous. Sharon's voice really brings the whole thing together, but lets not forget the amazing music! So often lead vocalists are the only point of view for a band, but you can honestly say that the band wouldn't be nearly as good if not for the members it has now. The band is really impressive and they make beautiful music together.

01. "The Howling" - How great is this song? Forget that it is mostly associated with the online game The Chronicles of Spellborn, it's a great metaphor for whats going on in the world today.

02. "What Have You Done (Featuring Keith Caputo)" - Now I usually don't like "duets", as they speak more of a romantical nature to me, and I'm not as interested in that as other types of music, but Sharon and Keith really sound great together. Their vocals don't sound strained and out of pitch trying to blend together like so many songs featuring other artists. It speaks of a love gone wrong, though both partners don't really want it to end. At least, that's my take.

03. "Frozen" - What can I say about this song? IT'S WONDERFUL. Nuff said.

04. "Our Solemn Hour" - One of their first songs with historical sound bites and latin "chanting" in the background. If ever I thought Sharon could do opera, this was it. She really sounds so beautiful in this song. The song speaks of chaos and getting free of torment and torture.

05. "The Heart of Everything" - Mainly speaks of not giving up, facing things head on, and not giving up what you are, cause what you are is the heart of everything.

06. "Hand of Sorrow" - Gorgeous music to this one, and highly recommended listen. Story of a slave to the gods or a mercenary of some higher power and how he wants to be free, but doesn't know what to do. At least, I think so. Prolly a metaphor for people that do this same thing to themselves.

07. "The Cross" - Quite a haunting quality to this song, and prolly my most favorite from the album. Sounds like a relationship going sour, one partner wanting to be real, while the other only sees what they want to see. We've all been through that at one time or other, whether in love or friendships.

08. "Final Destination" - Trying to break free from what seems inevitable, being overwhelmed with life.

09. "All I Need" - One of their most beautiful songs. My mother doesn't like a majority of the music I listen to, but this song is too much like the way we live each and everyday. This song is way way up there with "Somewhere." Speaks of a person wanting to be safe and comforted and not be taken down for their needs.

10. "The Truth Beneath the Rose" - Looking for a reason for what we do, why we do it, and if it's justified.

11. "Forgiven" - We all want to be forgiven, to feel like we are welcome. This song is a beautiful reminder about forgiving and being forgiven.

12. "What Have You Done (Featuring Keith Caputo) - Rock Mix" - If you buy the Deluxe version here, then you will get a really really wonderful extra song. This song is the same as track 2, but with an added twist - it's with the band! Of course, it's with the band anyway, but this version is more metal / rock, and doesn't have any orchestral aspects. It's still great if you are wanting a change from the beautiful symphonic wonders of the album version.

I totally recommend this album to ANYONE that likes good music; especially rock/metal with orchestral accompaniment. I love this album, and really hope that their future work is at least this good.

wow, I thought Evanescence was great, Within Temptation (though a less creative band name IMO) took it one step further!!! they truly concentrated on theatric and classical opera-like theme, which makes them sound more "gothic-like". And unlike Evanescence's The Open Door (which I also enjoy very much), WT did not focus too much on making the lead singer's voice shine by creating so much choruses with her voice, but simply use higher and higher pitches of vocal that made it sound both more chilling and hunting, and I have to admit, makes them sound more like a band (I do sympathize with complainers of Evanescence's new album that it sounded like "Amy and Evanescence").
That said, so what if they clearly adopted many Evanescence influence with their newest album? After hearing The Silent Force, Mother Earth, and this album, I really have to say that this one is the best, it's more powerful, more prominent, more rock, and will definitely be the album that will make them stand out. What Have You Done is gotta be my favorite, and I really don't think it sound THAT much like Ev's Bring Me To Life. And their lyrics are much much more dark and more subtle in the message and more fairy tale opera-like (which is definitely their strength)
However, I don't think their mellower ballet-like songs, such as All I Need, is as good as Ev's My Immortal, Good Enough etc (tune-wise). I sometimes have to listen a few more times before making out the tunes of those songs, and they don't combine as well with the rest of the album, I think it's something they need to work on.
I know some people get irritated when WT is so constantly compared with Ev, but honestly, I have tried other goth-rock bands with the characteristic of female lead-singer, and no other bands can compare IMO(this include Nightwish, Leave's Eye, Stream of Passion etc) except WT, Within Temptation is definitely going to be Evanescence's rival from now on.

"I don't want to sound like we are the best band ever but I think we do have something very genuine, just like classical music"--Amy Lee

well Amy, you better watch out from now on, there may just be a band yet that can do just as good, if not better, than yours can!! :P

Within Temptation are back with their latest arsenal of symphonic rock and metal songs bound to infest themselves in the listener's mind for days on end, and while The Heart of Everything may not benefit from strong orchestral emphasis (as seen on their previous album), it will surely retain WT's loyal fanbase, and will no doubt be their key to crack into the US market.

When I first listened to this album (half asleep on a tour bus in France, mind you), I wasn't sure what to think. There are some notable changes from the band's last album: Sharon's vocals don't quite come off as angelic as they did on "Jillian" or "Dark Wings," instead remaining in a somewhat lower key for the majority of the first few tracks - with virtually none of the high-pitched screeching that distinguished them from the rest of the symphonic metal pack. "The Howling" is a good example of this - much of the verses feature shouted vocals from Sharon that may take some getting used to, but actually suit the song quite nicely.

The next two tracks, "What Have You Done" and "Frozen" were rather disappointing for me. The first makes "Stand My Ground" look like Dark Tranquillity, and I can only assume that this was forced by the band's label. Anyone who said this song sounded like "Bring Me to Life" was right on the mark. Half the vocals are done by Life of Agony frontman Keith Caputo, and as far as I'm concerned, he's no longer welcome on a WT song again. :P That aside, there's really little here to maintain my interest, and "Frozen" is nothing to write home about either. Sharon's vocals seem strained during the chorus, similar to those of Alanis Morissette's, but not in an attractive way.

Fortunately the album picks up its pace with the appealing "Our Solemn Hour," which will surely win over a live audience. The strangest track of the album, the title track, follows, which marks the biggest departure for Sharon - entirely abandoning her falsetto roots for a deeper, grungier vocal. And this time their experimentation worked. "Hand of Sorrow" revisits the older days of WT, sounding closer to Mother Earth-era writing than anything else.

Another favorite, "The Cross," benefits from a well-rounded chorus and better-than-average lyrics, while "Final Destination," a slightly less memorable but altogether decent track should please fans. "All I Need" is the second ballad from the album (they usually come in threes), and while not their finest ballad to date, still surpasses "Frozen." "The Truth Beneath the Rose," the longest track of the album is a success - combining a beautiful symphonic intro with reflective lyrics that may or may not have been inspired by the Beauty of the Beast. Our third ballad, "Forgiven," is also a winner, stripped down to a keyboard and Sharon's beautiful vocals that will send chills down your spine.

Overall, I think this was a very good buy. It doesn't look like the band will surpass their magnum opus, 2000's Mother Earth, but that doesn't mean they'll stop putting out other great albums for their fans. While there are a couple misses, the majority of the songs here are hits and I hope any Americans with taste in music will make the wise decision to buy this CD when it's released domestically in July.

Highlights: The Howling, The Heart of Everything, Hand of Sorrow, The Cross, The Truth Beneath the Rose, Forgiven

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Originally reviewed on April 30. Here's hoping more American fans will check out this great band, and hopefully dig into their back catalog as well. :)

For quite a while I had been searching for this kind of music, my first experiences were with Nightwish and Evanescense and I really think that Within Temptation tops them all!

I do not know why this kind of music is not aired in the radio or on TV, it is surely far, far better than the garbage we watch and everyday from teeny bands that beleive they are rockers.

I have only listened to this record once, but so far the best songs are: The Howling, What have you done, Frozen and All I need (a very pop-style song that could hit high on the charts if it had a chance).

Finally, if you like the combination of sexy, hipnotizing and scary female vocals, buy this record.

I'm ashamed to say I wasn't paying attention, and didn't notice they had a new album coming out this last March. Well only a few months behind, I just recently bought this to add to my already favorites of 'The Silent Force' and 'Mother Earth'. As I do with many albums, I fell in love with certain songs (1-4) and played them over and over. Once I gave the rest a fighting chance, I completely fell in love with 'All I Need'. This is a beautiful change for Sharon. Although many songs of theirs have that ballad feel, none seem to have the sweetness of this song. It was a pleasant surprise. And go ahead and splurge on deluxe import, it's worth it for the extra track. Sorry to say I'll be missing them and Lacuna Coil in S.F. on 6/1.

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.