Sharon Den Adel , vocalist of Within Temptation , has a theory about the difficulty metal fans have in accepting changes in band sound.
In an interview with Wikimetal about returning to touring and creating the band's new album, the singer reflected on the mixed reactions from the public regarding the evolution of Within Temptation's sound over almost three decades of their career, a common reality for any band that, at some point, decides to step out of their comfort zone with new projects.
“I understand. Everyone connects to music as memories,” he observed. “I also have my favorite bands, and as much as I understand that people need to change so that making music doesn’t become boring, people who listen to music don’t always understand that they’ve connected their own memories to the songs. That’s beautiful, no doubt, but it also prevents them from keeping an open mind to change.”
When it comes to heavy metal fans, however, this connection is taken to a deeper level. “I think rock and metal fans are very loyal and want to remain so because they have already chosen to be different and not follow mainstream music. Because of their loyalty, they are also more critical,” he analyzed.
In short, Sharon recognizes the metal audience as a different case from other musical styles with less involvement, since heavy metal is also a community: “I think if you like pop music, you can switch from artist to artist, but with heavy metal, it's people who really want to embrace your music. If the sound changes, there's more difficulty, because the fans want to hold on to it.”
