Dressed in black from head to toe, a silhouette advances through the newly opened portal, followed by mist and mystery. Sharon den Adel , a witch of our times, makes a blood pact in search of redemption and bewitches millions with the unique voice that has made Within Temptation one of the most successful melodic metal bands in the world for the past 26 years.
The ritual performed in the "The Purge" music video is a representation of the need for purification that humanity has incessantly expressed throughout the centuries, aware that this theme transcends the boundaries of fantasy and proves urgent in today's world. The internal struggles for acceptance and self-knowledge become more difficult when the global population is still trying to survive a pandemic with no definite end in sight.
Since Within Temptation is a band of storytellers, whether in their lyrics, music videos, or post-apocalyptic virtual reality worlds in the grand live stream The Aftermath , broadcast in July , current themes such as mental health and finding the strength to rise again after destruction set the tone for the band's latest singles.
Since magic isn't an option to banish evils, Sharon advises seeking psychological support – even for those who are currently doing well. “It’s important to realize you’re carrying something inside. I like to face things head-on; I don’t want any shadows eclipsing my happiness. I think it’s important to know what you want in life so you can do the right thing to get rid of traumas,” she advised in an interview with Wikimetal . “It’s good to talk about life choices; it doesn’t always have to be about the difficult parts of life. It can be, but it doesn’t have to be.”
Two years after Resist (2019), the Dutch band is preparing their eighth studio album. Still without a title or release date, the singles already released reflect Within Temptation's progress in the studio, something unprecedented in their career. "When you're writing, a song emerges and the album comes out two years later. Sometimes you lose the emotion and the idea you had when you wrote it," said the vocalist. "Before COVID-19, we decided we would do this: okay, let's write, release, feel the [public's] reaction and move on to the next one to see how it works."
Throughout almost three decades, the band hasn't been afraid to innovate, and this new approach to the album is just another sign of that. As soon as they decide to record a new project, the members seek to understand the new trends in the music market and get to know other bands, in a constant search for renewal and evolution that isn't always well-received by long-time fans.
“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’ve already chosen to be different and not follow mainstream music. Because of that loyalty, they’re also more critical,” he analyzed. “I think if you like pop music, you can switch from artist to artist, but with heavy metal, these are people who really want to embrace their music. If the sound changes, there’s more difficulty because the fans want to hold on to it.”
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As someone who knows the therapeutic power of music in her own life, Sharon isn't afraid to let her emotions flow when she writes or sings. “It’s difficult, it doesn’t always happen; most of the time you can sing without breaking down, but sometimes the emotion arises, some things happen, and the feeling returns. When you’re vulnerable, it’s okay to let it show. If it’s spontaneous and honest, it’s fine, everyone can understand. On stage, you show a vulnerable part of yourself; it’s a piece of your soul.”
In “Shed My Skin,” the band’s most recent release, the rebirth from the ashes stems from a place of vulnerability and pain. “It’s about becoming who you’re meant to be. Sometimes, because of the family you were born into or certain circumstances, you can’t understand who you are. You want to change, but that’s not accepted, but that’s a growth that can’t be stopped, it’s important to embrace it,” he explained. “You’re only alive while you’re growing.”
With a tour with Evanescence confirmed for 2022 after postponements due to the pandemic, Within Temptation has already experienced the thrill of performing live again. Their grand return took place in Finland on July 29th, for an audience of 10,000 people at the Kuopiorock festival. "The bizarre thing is that the audience wasn't divided into 'bubbles,' they were in one big crowd! Fans didn't need to wear masks; apparently, the government can't force citizens to," commented the event producer after the show.
Passionate about fashion, the singer even went to college and worked in the field before diving into music. This knowledge helped create her stage image and some of the stage sets for which the band is known. “It started as a metaphor for changing from the Sharon of everyday life to the persona on stage. It's not a transformation or acting, because it's a bigger version of yourself, but it makes things easier. You feel prettier,” she laughed. “Especially in the beginning, it helped me do the shows. I embraced the fact that I was different from the guys and didn't mind showing it. It's just another way of expressing myself.”
When the band emerged in the 1990s, there were even fewer women in the metal scene. Encouraged by her family from a young age to listen to music, with a monthly allowance earmarked for buying vinyl records, Sharon was fortunate not to face prejudice and embraced the differences of femininity as a major asset for Within Temptation, bringing "fresh air" to the genre.
“I will always be a woman first and foremost; it’s the first thing people see. I embraced that, I like it, and I’m happy with who I am and in my own skin,” she said. “I’ve always tried to bring a melody and softness, I’ve always liked the clash between the female and male voices in the weight of the music. As women, we bring a new flavor with higher-pitched voices; it’s a different sound with softness, tenderness, and contrast with all the weight – which I love, but I like being a counterpoint.”
