Silent Force (Bsed) [Import]

Within Temptation | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 21, 2007)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Bmg Int'l
• ASIN: B00062ZE58
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (131 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #250,563 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Intro

2. See Who I Am

3. Jillian (I'd Give My Heart)

4. Stand My Ground

5. Pale

6. Forsaken

7. Angels

8. Memories

9. Aquarius

10. It's the Fear

11. Somewhere

Editorial Reviews

2004 album from the popular Dutch melodic/goth metal outfit. Picture CD with no cover artwork. 13 tracks. * Please note there are no liner notes included on this release, as intended by the label!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Weaving the best of, well, all the worlds!, December 20, 2004

By 

Jake LaForet "Jake LaForet" (Milford, PA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Silent Force (Audio CD)

With "The Silent Force", WT scores a direct hit, capable of satisfying fans in all backgrounds without coming across as shallow or "watered down". Silent Force contains the trademark WT angelic vocals, but with far more organic and original symphonic orchestration and backing choirs than any of their previous works, following a widening trend in the wake of other "operatic" female vocal-fronted bands like Nightwish, Epica, or Octavia. (Though not to say WT are pretenders to the throne and playing copycat. They were one of the original pioneers of this sound many years ago, and have matured and refined this sound to the present magnum opus of The Silent Force.)

The Silent Force is anything but silent, and the album envelops you into a very rich and textured musical environment, weaving Sharon's beautiful vocals into a tapestry of crunchy guitars and lush orchestration. The chorus and anthems are epic, the softer songs are tender and moving, and the heavy parts just plain rock. This album has something for a wide range of music fans: from Evanescence-type music fans, to Gothic metal fans, to those who prefer "intelligent" symphonic music, or who are just looking for something different than the usual top 40 pop-tart music.

The first single released from this album, Stand My Ground, was purely designed to be a single, and sticks out from the rest of the songs on the CD. It is not stylistically representative of the rest of the songs on the album though by itself it is pretty enjoyable to listen to. Though some fans have cried foul and "sellout" when hearing this track on the radio (and I admit that when I first heard the single on the radio, I got worried that the new album would be entirely like Stand My Ground) it serves to give WT a foothold on the cookie-cutter radio and TV stations, which I have little problem with.

Stand out tracks that immediately captivate the listener and run through one's mind long after the CD has been turned off are Jilian (an orchestrated and epic metal anthem), Memories, Forsaken, See Who I Am, and It's The Fear (catchy chorus, probably a good choice for the second single).

All songs on this album are good, and the long wait after WT's last album was sure worth the wait. Buy this album, and disappointment will not be found!

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Silent Force, February 21, 2006

By 

D. Bridglal "Metal Lordess" (England) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Silent Force (Audio CD)

This is the third full-length album by the Gothic Metal band Within Temptation. Firstly it is very different from their very first album Enter. In Enter, the songs were much slower, longer, Sharon's voice was more wailing, and had male death vocals in. The atmosphere was melancholy and practically gothic doom. Silent force is more up-tempo, Sharon's voice has noticeably improved and there are no death vocals. The songs themselves are very dynamic, from very gothic ("Forsaken") to ballad-like ("Pale").

They enjoy large orchestral symphonic strings, and gothic choral background singers add to the atmosphere. A personal favourite is "Jillian" where Sharon's voice is beautiful and crystal clear, signing to a large ensemble and the choir in the background. (I like Nightwish, but whilst Tarja's voice is overpowering opera singing, Sharon's voice is more classical) Other songs like "Forsaken", "It's The Fear" and "Stand My Ground" (the introduction) all have the memorising but slightly eerie choir singing.

People don't like "Stand My Ground" for some reason: maybe because of it's mainstream popularity but I find it to be quite endearing. There is large introduction before the actual song starts. Lot of the songs have a really big huge introductions, including "Jillian" and "See Who I Am."

The slower songs "Pale", "Somewhere" and "The Swan Song" don't feature any guitars at all. All of them attribute a very gentle beat, so gentle it's barely noticeable: yet you couldn't imagine the song without it. There's a deep bass in the songs and lots of strings. "The Swan Song" has a viola in it, making it almost Celtic like.

The two songs that aren't very fast and heavy, but not as slow as the above three songs are "Angels" and "Memories." The guitars though are quite heavy. "Memories" is very pretty, with the pianos, violas and strings and whispering near the end.

This is a brilliant album, with lots of atmosphere. I think it is the strings and pianos, which give it the most atmosphere and depth.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exceptional, February 9, 2005

By 

Mr D. "Artist/Designer/Kibitzer" (Cave Creek, Az United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Silent Force (Audio CD)

Within Temptation is a talented band from Holland or Netherlands if you prefer who's lead singer is Sharon den Adel and she's as pretty as her voice is. There's a video of one of the songs on the album and she's a knockout. The music is symphonic metal with orchestral and choir backing. It is highly melodic and enchanting. If you know and like the band Nightwish then this is for you.

Some of the best songs are "See Who I Am", which starts with a huge sound then smartly slows down only to come back with the big catchy chorus, "Jillian (I'd give my Heart)" is just great with it's gigantic intro followed by the choir and Sharon's impeccable voice on the choruses and Stand my Ground" is slick the way it starts out sedately then explodes into a "don't mess with me" warrior mentality with the orchestra and choir. "Angels" is kind of appropriate with a heavenly Angelic sound and what can you say about "Pale"? Has there ever been a prettier melody in a song?

Taken as a whole there isn't much variety since each song does resemble the others but that homogenous sound doesn't bother me. In some ways it reminds me of a fine musical score where a change of style could be jolting.

I am really amazed that there are people that gave this album less than four stars. From beginning to end it's a great album. Is it better than their previous blockbuster, Mother Earth? It's close, I'd say probably not but only by the slimest of margins.

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