Within Temptation has released their highly anticipated eighth studio album, Bleed Out . Available since October 23rd, the album features eleven new tracks, as well as instrumental versions of each song. The releases for Bleed Out were done differently, with several singles released prior to the album, giving a preview of what was to come with the complete work.
In an exclusive interview with Wikimetal, vocalist Sharon den Adel explained the recording and writing process for the new album, noting that even with the pandemic, things didn't change much because they were never "a band that got together to play in a room."
Literally translated, “Bleed Out” means “to bleed,” but the album title carries a deeper meaning: “ Bleed Out is a metaphor for how things are going in the world from different perspectives, from different issues. It’s like you can’t continue with life the way it is now. So you need change.” The vocalist believes that “it’s not like we can move mountains,” but hopes that “we can, through music, keep this issue somewhat present in our own fans. Hopefully.”
Bleed Out addresses several topics that are widely discussed today, from the war in Ukraine to religious freedom. Regarding issues like these, she reflected: “I don’t think this is being addressed enough [in the music] world, unfortunately. I think there are a lot of people talking about mental health, which is also a big problem in the industry, of course, and I think in the world.”
Speaking about the music, Adel further explained the inspirations for the new album. Within Temptation has always been "inspired by the world," but in past albums, they talked "more about metaphors," and he explained that now, "we talk more about the real things that happen in the world" and how they are "inspired by that."
“We weren’t prepared to, perhaps, be so open about it, about what we were talking about,” he admitted, “because we’ve always been inspired by freedom and that sort of thing, but also by history, like William Wallace and World War II. But there are also a lot of social topics, of course, but still, done with a lot of metaphors.”
The song “Don't Pray For Me” is the eighth track on the album, and it addresses women's freedom of choice: “I don't believe it's a good or bad thing to have an abortion. What happens is that I believe in an individual's right to choose, and it doesn't matter what the person decides to do, because I think in the end it will have a big effect on someone's life, and I think that's the decision. The only person who can make that decision is the one who is in that position.”
The singer reflected on the song, “And of course, we’re going to listen to the scientists who say, ‘Okay, you can’t do it after so many weeks,’ things like that. But we’re not going to do it for people who are driven by religion, because I think those are the wrong people deciding about other people’s lives. And I think scientists say what is possible and what is not possible, and that our laws should be based on that.”
The title track also addresses the theme of religion in its lyrics, “ Mahsa Amini was an indirect reason for writing 'Bleed Out', because of the revolution that began with her death, of course. And for people who wanted to have more freedom within their religions.” Mahsa Amini was a young woman arrested in September by the Iranian Morality Police, allegedly for improper use of the veil. Days later, she died in police custody, triggering a series of protests in Iran and around the world. The police claimed the young woman died due to illness, but her family says she was beaten.
“Furthermore, if you want to be religious, to express yourself in a certain way, that should also be allowed to a certain extent, but so should the opposite. If you don't want to be pushed into a certain way of life in your own country, then yes, that should also be possible.”
Sharon den Adel believes in democracy and human rights, describing herself as a "humanist." "And that's what all these songs are motivated by: we're so conflicted with each other about what people should or shouldn't do that sometimes we forget to be human."
Other songs like “Go To War” and “Worth Dying For” were based on the conflicts in Ukraine: “How can we allow Russia to attack a sovereign country that wants to be a democracy?”
Bleed Out is an album that tackles difficult issues, and the vocalist explained that the songs are “very emotional because they all deal with subjects that are so close to our hearts.” She cited some, such as “Bleed Out,” “Go To War,” “Worth Dying For,” “Unbroken,” and “Don't Pray For Me,” as being possible to “really feel the emotion more,” and that live, they become even more powerful. “It comes even more alive, I think, because you really feel the same kind of, well, frustration in a way, I think frustration and sadness, in a way.”
Bleed Out marked the long-awaited return of Within Temptation, described as "a step forward for us, musically. We've developed a new sound, and also a different way of writing again."
He concluded by saying, "This is another step in our growth evolution."
Within Temptation is confirmed as an act at the second edition of Summer Breeze Brazil, which will take place in São Paulo on April 26, 27 and 28, 2024. The band will perform on the second day, along with groups such as Hammerfall , Lacuna Coil and Angra . The vocalist revealed she is "anxious" about returning to Brazil and highlighted the "passion" and "enthusiasm" that fans here have for the Dutch group. She recalled a show "where people were outside the gate already singing songs that we were playing and we were like 'oh my God'".
READ ALSO: Within Temptation Interview: Sharon den Adel answers fans in Q&A about new album
