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Within Temptation: The Silent Force Tour |
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Monday, 06 February 2006 |
  Special Note: The Silent Force Tour is only available as an all region (R0) PAL format DVD. For more information on playing PAL DVDs on North American televisions, please refer HERE.
Let's face it, the American music industry is in bad shape. That's not to say there is no good music being made, because there is. A lot of it. It's the Industry which stinks. The studios, marketing and hype, not to mention the "artists" they choose to promote are the problems. It's no surprise so many musicians record and market their own music, but it doesn't work that way everywhere. In Europe there is a massive, thriving music industry that never even considers coming to the States. There is probably no style of music where this is more evident than with Rock. All forms of rock, particularly Metal. The number of successful Metal bands touring and recording throughout Europe and even the Middle East is impressive. Groups like Tristania, Beseech, After Forever, Epica, Leaves Eyes, and Theatre of Tragedy (just to name a very small sample) find a thriving music industry and plenty of enthusiastic fans. The problem is, it is not a $50 million mansion type of industry, which is all the American studios seem interested in. These groups manage to create enjoyable music, tour and release recordings. They may not make hundreds of millions of dollars, but they hardly go broke either. They also accomplish what the American studios claim is impossible. Sell 50,000-100,000 copies of an album, market it and sell it at the retail level, and make money doing it.
With the release of their 2005 album, The Silent Force, the Dutch Goth Metal band Within Temptation has become probably the most successful of all European Metal bands. To date, it has sold over 500,000 copies, which is almost unheard of in this particular area of music. In November 2005 a concert DVD set titled The Silent Force Tour was also released, which includes over 5 hours of total footage. The first disc includes performances throughout Northern Europe, but it is the 90 minute segment from a concert on Java Island in Amsterdam which is the real jewel. The cinematography and particularly the sound of this concert is some of the best I've ever found in a concert video. There is also a second disc with nearly 3 hours of interviews, videos and other behind the scenes material. There is far too much to go into, plus since this is not a DVD review site, I will focus on the group and the Java Island concert.
Within Temptation was formed in 1996 by singer Sharon den Adel and guitarist Robert Westerholt. They began as what is commonly referred to as a "Beauty and the Beast" style metal band, with silky female vocals accented by male vocals that are best described as "gutteral". I've never been a fan of the "Beauty and the Beast" genre, but the "growls" from Westerholt were far more subdued than other groups I have heard, and their music was noticeably more melodic from the beginning. Still, they dropped the growls for good on their 2000 release Mother Earth, focusing instead on den Adel's high pitched and very feminine voice. When I say high pitched, I mean scrape the paint off the ceiling high, which might sound like an odd choice for a Metal band, but the contrast between the feminine vocals and driving rhythm of Metal is the entire basis of most female vocal Metal bands. The only American group to have anything approaching the sound of ones like Within Temptation is Evanescence, whose 2003 release Fallen sold over 10 million copies, though the group promptly collapsed under the weight of their own success and other factors. One of many differences between the two groups is Evanescence singer Amy Lee has a darker, more "rock" sounding voice and the music on the whole has a much more angry tone.
The tone, or attitude of the music is probably where Within Temptation is most unusual. Don't get the wrong idea, this is definitely metal, with a slow, driving beat, pounding bass and virtually no solos. There is plenty of black leather and shaved heads, but missing is the anger. Maybe the first sign that Within Temptation is different from virtually all other metal bands is the broad smile on den Adel's face as she sings, and the stuffed animals. Yes, stuffed animals, dozens of them, thrown on stage along with other gifts. This is not the typical hatred infused music commonly found in metal. In fact, by metal standards, it is practically spiritual, making for an original and enjoyable experience. A friend described it best, calling it a Metal version of Renaissance, referring to the new-age British group that achieved its greatest popularity in the 70s. As odd a mix as that may be, it is a perfect description.
There is also a distinct difference between Within Temptation's live and studio performances. While the more recent studio recordings have leaned a bit too far toward the pop end of the spectrum, the live performances included in the Silent Force Tour set are distinctly grittier, and more enjoyable. The vocals are less ethereal but more musical. It is quite impressive den Adel is able to sing these difficult vocals so well in a live, rock concert atmosphere. The five musicians performing with her also manage to produce a remarkably large, powerful sound. This is BIG music performed with all the stops removed. Massive and bombastic without the slightest bit of restraint, Within Temptation is a full assault on the senses. Ironically, there is also a distinct lack of selfishness. It is grandeur without arrogance. The band just goes out on stage and lights it up. Add den Adel's elaborate gowns, stunning good looks and wonderful stage presence and it all adds up to a boatload of fun.
Important Note:
Within Temptation is not marketed in North America, so their recordings and concert videos are mainly available from European retailers such as Amazon.co.uk, who will ship overseas, or from American retailers such as Laser's Edge (not to be confused with the online DVD retailer of the same name) or from the marketplace at Amazon.com and the DVDs require a universal DVD player to work with North American TVs. For more information on universal DVD players, refer to Finding the Movies Reviewed Here. Within Temptation CDs will play in any CD player.
Starring: Sharon den Adel, Robert Westerholt, Jeroen Van Veen, Stephen van Haestregt, Martijn Spierenburg, Ruud Jolie, Martijn Westerholt, Ivar de Graaf, Michiel Papenhove.
Director: Richard Valk
Studio: Gun Records
Release: 2005
Reviewer: John Rice |
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