The Heart of Everything [IMPORT]

Within Temptation

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 27, 2007)
• Original Release Date: March 27, 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Sony Bmg Europe
• ASIN: B000MQ3OSW
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #134,379 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Track Listings

1. Howling

2. What Have You Done - Keith Caputo, Within Temptation

3. Frozen

4. Our Solemn Hour

5. Heart of Everything

6. Hand of Sorrow

7. Cross

8. Final Destination

9. All I Need

10. Truth Beneath the Rose

11. Forgiven

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

2007 Issued Fourth Studio Album by the Dutch Symphonic Metal Band. Within Temptation Once Again Prove Themselves as Peerless Purveyors of Quality Gotihic-tinged Rock, Produced Again by Daniel Gibson and Mixed by Stefan Glaumann (Rammstein). While the Epic Grandeur of the Band’s Sound Remains, it Now Coexists with a More Contemporary "organic" Feel. Nowhere is this Highlighted More Than on the Single "What have You Done" (Featuring Life of Agony Vocalist Keith Caputo), which Manages to Be Both Passionate and Punchy. Elsewhere "Frozen" is a Classic, Streamlined Ballad and "The Howling" Swirling Tour-de-force.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not their greatest, but still praiseworthy., April 30, 2007

By	stargazer_eternal - See all my reviews

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

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What Have They Done Now?, March 28, 2007

By	Reijo Piippula "Rekko" (Turku, Finland) - See all my reviews

I really loved the earlier album "Silent Force" but this is even better! The vocalist, Sharon, proves that she is even better than Tarja Turunen (from Nightwish), and the whole band proves that they are not "a poor man's Nightwish". This album has much differen kinds of songs, and they all are great. The songs "The Howling" and "What Have You Done (feat. Keith Caputo)" have been played in radios but I prefer more the songs "Frozen" and "The Cross". It seems that Within Temptation have decided to make something newer than just pale melodic metal with opera vocals. Sharon's voice is delightful! She can sing so beatifully and her voice is not just an opera voice without depth. The last song "Forgiven" is a beautiful beautiful ballad! The lyrics are even better than in "Silent Force". There seems to be some Christianity in lyrics...could it be that...?
Stars: Frozen, The Cross, Our Solemn Hour

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WOW - From not a goth metal rocker, May 30, 2007

By	Vicente Arancon Nacher (Mexico City, Mexico) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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.