Album Review: Within Temptation

With around 20 years under their belt, Within Temptation have managed to make themselves a profound name in the metal genre, producing everything from gothic metal in their earlier days through to symphonic metal and rock in contemporary periods.

Their previous work, 'The Unforgiven,' was described as ambitious and career defining, something that could definitely be hard to top with yet another album. Subsequently, 'Hydra,' is befitting to the name. Just as the myth is a lethal beast with many heads, this album is a showcase of the band's many different musical talents.

'Let Us Burn,' is a great atmospheric track to set the foundations for the rest of the full-length. This track proves just how well the group can do symphonic metal, with that beautiful orchestral element infused with powerful guitar and vocal work.

'Dangerous' offers a change of pace, with its more up-tempo, heavier sound and underlying Pop Synth sounds. The band also manage to shake things up with inclusion of the deeper, male vocals of ex-Killswitch Engage frontman Howard Jones to contrast with Sharon den Ade. We are met with some more male vocals in 'As We Run' in the form of rap. While they somehow make it work with their instrumentals over all the inclusion of this rap segment, it's one of the only downfalls here.

Other stand out tracks include 'Paradise', which offers something a little different from the band with its operatic influence mixed with some more gritty guitar work. Closer, 'Whole World Is Watching,' which features Dave Pirner is executed perfectly. The duet works well and the track is soothingly melodic.

Within Temptation have certainly done a good job at building upon their skills to continually outshine their previous works.

Within Temptation's latest album, 'Hydra,' is filled with the solid elements that they are so well known for, with their solid riffs, beautiful orchestration and the knock out vocals of Sharon den Ade. This album is all the best parts of Within Temptation but it still manages to build on their past sound, creating something new.

1. Let Us Burn

2. Dangerous

3. And We Run

4. Paradise (What About Us?)

5. Edge Of The World

6. Silver Moonlight

7. Covered By Roses

8. Dog Days

9. Tell Us Why

10. Whole World Is Watching