Customer Reviews

Mother Earth

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This title single from Within Temptation's second studio album, Mother Earth, is an amazing force that channels the mystical side of nature with powerful metal and emotional vocals. Since the single's release, "Mother Earth" has become a signature song for the band, and even made it into their iconic Black Symphony concert.

Beginning with a simple flute, "Mother Earth" opens with a sense of mystery, almost a mystical reverence for nature. Then it transitions into some epic metal, backed by some fairly basic orchestral sections. All, of course, led by Sharon's phenomenal vocals. With seemingly effortlessness, Sharon transitions from elegance to reverence to mystery and even a hint of something conniving throughout the song. Seriously, her emotional range here is amazing, and gives the "Mother Earth" vivid characterization. I must admit that I enjoy the full version of the song a little more because it includes a small choir section backed by almost tribal-sounding drums that gives the song an extra level of mystery and epicness that just doesn't come across as well in the single version.

There are a few different versions of this single out there, including an exclusive maxi-pack. The version I got through the Amazon marketplace is the basic one: it includes the single version and a live version of "Mother Earth." An earlier version of the single included "Bittersweet," "Ice Queen," and live recordings of "Mother Earth" and "Our Farewell." Another version of the single includes "Dark Wings" and "Our Farewell." The maxi-pack (exclusive to Germany) includes B-side "Jane Doe" and live acoustic recordings of "Ice Queen" and "Never-Ending Story."

While virtually all of these songs are available on other releases, this is the first (and one of the rare) releases of the acoustic versions of "Ice Queen" and "Never-Ending Story." Most notably, this is the first release of Mother Earth B-side "Jane Doe." Though the song will not have wider popularity until later on (it was actually released as a bonus track on song versions of The Silent Force), it's probably my favorite WT song ever. It's got this unsettling, menacing feel, Sharon's soaring vocals, a hint of the WT's earlier doom metal days that make "Jane Doe" so haunting and unforgettable.

Mostly for WT collectors, I'd say skip this single and just go for the full albums.

Hello, Many of you may have read my long winded review of the album Mother Earth by that fabulous Femme Fronted, Dutch Symphonic Metal group known as Within Temptation. If you did, then you probably have a good sense of what this band is like.

Unlike the album, whose original release was August 21, 2001, this single was only released on October 13, 2003, along with a five song EP and a DVD+, which is a five song video, plus the five song EP.

Mother Earth (the album) is a true masterpiece, that has generated more spinoffs than the old Archie Bunker TV show. There are now a total of ten releases of music (not counting video) from the original blockbuster album and since singles have not been released on my personal favorites, I expect more.

A blockbuster, you say? I never heard of it. Well that's not surprising. Very little import music gets heard on the radio, especially mainstream radio and most import music is not offered in the stores either, therefore, since it doesn't get heard, nobody buys it and since nobody buys it, it doesn't get heard, the old vicious circle.

Surprise!!! Despite the odds, Mother Earthis being purchased. It's not being played on the radio but "Mother Earth Junkies" (a term from a buyer) are buying the album for big bucks without hearing any song but Mother Earth. See my Conclusion.

I suppose it's rather unusual for a single to be released 26 months after the album but Mother Earth seems to have a life of it's own. It just won't go away, quietly, into obscurity.

Within Temptation band members are: Sharon den Adel (Vocals), Robert Westerholt (Vocals, guitar), Martijn Westerholt (synths & keyboards), Ivar de Graaf (drums), Jeroen Van Deen (bass), Michiel Papenhove (guitars).

Track List

1) Mother Earth (studio version) 4:02 (shorter than album)
2) Mother Earth (live at Lowlands) 5:32

There is no doubt in my mind that Sharon den Adel is one of the truly great sopranos in the world and her singing surely adds greatly to the song but, to me, the song and the arrangement stands on it's own.

"Mother Earth" starts with lush keyboards a flute and the choir, before the guitars, synths and a very timely French horn raise the tempo and intensity. Sharon's incomparable voice joins in @ 1:03 sometimes accompanied by violins and soars above the choir and everything else, not obliterating but enhancing the amazing textures herein.

"Mother Earth" (live) as live tracks go this one is superlative. This version is a minute and a half longer than the studio version because of the addition of some instrumentation and some male choir singing @ 3:20. This version mimics closer the version on the original album release.