Within Temptation-Unforgiving, Hydra, Let Us Burn

[JKL2000]

It's no secret that Within Temtation has gone in a less metallic, more pop direction for their last two albums. I just noticed Laser's Edge posted a new live Blu/Ray, DVD, 2 CD smorgasbord from them called Let Us Burn, which prompted me to wonder what, if anything, people here think about the band's last two albums.

I actually enjoy 2011's The Unforgiving. The songs are pretty good - in fact, it may be more interesting musically than some of their previous albums. But I haven't heard anything from 2013 album Hydra, and somehow I get the impression it's even more straight ahead mainstream stuff.

Anyone care to say what they think of these two albums? Anyone planning to get this new live set?

[Dusty Chalk]

I have to admit, before The Unforgiving came out, Within Temptation had become my favourite of the genre (femme fronted metal bands, such as Epica and Nightwish), as I thought Mother Earth/Silent Force/Heart of Everything were all perfection. And they got me all excited with all that stuff about the short movie and the concept album and I was finally going to be able to see them live and...and...well, I just didn't like it as much. So much so that, just recently, when I was digging through CDs to rip to my iPod for car listening, I ran across my unopened copy of Hydra.

So...uh...yeah, let me get back to you on that. (No, seriously, I did open and rip it to my iPod, so I will finally listen to it.)

I think I prefer Leaves' Eyes of late.

[JKL2000]

Leaves Eyes is very good. I saw them open for Blind Guardian once - cool show!

[Dusty Chalk]

Yeah, that's when I realized how much I loved them, when I saw them live. They were supposed to be doing support/almost double-header with someone (Kamelot?), and the header had to cancel, so they did as much of a show as they could and I was happy, because that's who I came to see anyway. Even when they were just tuning up the guitar and the bass, their tone was so sweet, I was practically drooling.

Also, their last couple albums are actually better than their first couple. Meredead, in particular, is one of my favourite things they've done.

[glawster2002]

I first saw Within Temptation in 2008, so I've followed them for a few years now.

What they have successfully managed to do, certainly in Europe, is move in a more commercial direction without alienating their early following, something not many bands manage.

I was at the Elements show and it was brilliant, people had travelled from nearly 60 countries to be there. I saw the Hydra tour @ Wembley Arena in London, their biggest UK show to date. They are headlining the Bloodstock Open Air metal festival in the UK next summer, so they must be doing something right.