The two-headed hydra.

With this new album comes a whole lot of questions. The group will he make his music more accessible, more flirting (dangerously?) With the boundaries of pop and dance music, as was the case with "Sinead" on the latest album, " The Unforgiving ", especially with the cover album that followed or, conversely, get tough? I am among those who wish the second option but I am no longer too long ago dillusions me ("The Silent Force"), because it must be acknowledged that the Dutch found their way and seem very comfortable in this navigation between two waters, that of Symphonic Metal and the dune smoother music, more consensual in a word, more formatted.

The first big news of this new album, this is the significant number dinvités. There is never was much on an album. Four duos ahead. On reading these duets (and before tuned), some are scary (Xzibit, hip hop star), others are much more obvious. I refer of course Sharon duo / Tarja Turunen on "Paradise (What About Us?)" Or simply, the duo that everyone expected ... so we compared these two singers at the time when Tarja was in Nightwish it was natural that they find themselves one day. It is done. The song (as everyone already knows, I suppose) is nice and quite place her role with its very single unifying refrain. Let's say that it fits perfectly with what one expected from the group, with the added pleasure of seeing these two great singers together for the first time. And their performance is obviously outstanding. The song is one of the most symphonic album that, and it was already the case on "The Unforgiving", no longer puts orchestrations first.
The second duet (but first on the album), perhaps even more interesting because the song is my most successful point of view, is the one with Howard Jones, former lead singer of Killswitch Engage on "Dangerous". The song is quite aggressive (for the Within, jentends) on a well-tempo. As so often with the group, the refrain is fly and the title is also called cartoning.
We were worried for the duo with Xzibit and we were right. The rapped part does not, in my opinion at least, great interest and breaks this piece that was going well yet. Rap and enough electro side of the chorus (though nice), this is a bit too much for me. This is a title that could BE zapped with every listen. Still, there may be among you to enjoy this kind of exercise.
Finally, the last pair, the one with Dave Pirner of Soul Asylum on "Whole World Is Watching", this album ends on a rather cool note. A piece not totally uninteresting but not transcendent. A little too bland for my taste. However, the two voices complement each other well.
Good, but this album is not limited to his duets. And other pieces are interesting, starting with the introduction, "Let Us Burn", which include the lon lon Within that known for "The Silent Force" king of the catchy melody and chorus that hits the right spot. A good way to warm us. Follow three duets already mentioned then comes "Edge Of The World". Again, a title totally stamped Within Temptation, very quiet at the beginning, which sénerve a bit later and on which Sharon reminds us what moon is always the best singers of the circuit.
At this stage of the album, the opinion is quite positive but I already know that "Hydra" not négalera first albums. Nor I found the magic that emanated dun "Mother Earth" or of a "Enter". That said, I expect my, surprise nest so not bad.

The second part of the album begins with "Moonlight Silver". The piece is introduced quietly, but rapidly, the pace sintensifie, it becomes very dynamic, there are "oh, oh, oh", the chorus is huge, and there, what's going on? Yes, I have, of course, there are grunts! Amazing, I thought I would hear from Within insofar apart on linédit "Jane Doe" from 2004, the only pieces containing growls dated dil there is a long time. THE big surprise of this new album! This title is monstrous, that's the type of song long ago jattendais. So they can do it again And here we inevitably has enormous regret: why, but why did they not put nen more? Grunts instead of rapping part of "And We Run" and a more muscular chorus, it would have been over mouth, confess? Anyway, this group has not stopped surprising his world.
"Covered By Roses" that follows is a very good piece, the rhythmic banging well. Again, the melody in your cortex sincruste never to leave him. This is the effect addictive Within Temptation! The small child's voice in the middle of the title is very Nightwish.
We think the next song that starts quietly at the piano, "Dog Days" is the first ballad of the album (yes, you have noticed, we are in the eighth track and still no ballad). Actually, not really. If the song is not hyper energetic either, the pace nest certainly not the dune ride. What is also not "Tell Me Why", which means that this new album does not contain the usual two or three ballads that we book the band for "Mother Earth". When I told you that this group could still surprise us.
But back to "Tell Me Why" which is still a well-paced piece and has, once again, a chorus that makes fly. Here again an excellent title, again with dun guitar solo (I do not remember hearing much about a group album since) and that makes me all the more regrettable that "And We Run" almost anachronistic. Lhydre the two heads of the cover, which should symbolize the two facets of the band's music, jen would have kept one, the most fierce.

So quon sattendait more or less, after the episode of occasions at a very consensual album, very pop-oriented, the Dutch offer their spiciest album for a long time. Great moments ("Dangerous," "Moonlight Silver", "Covered By Roses," "Tell Me Why"), unfortunately some less interesting moments too ("And We Run", "Whole World Is Watching"), but in the end The balance leans largely on the good side and we have a very interesting album that should run for a while on my plate.
Do not be afraid, Within Temptation is always part of the family and Metal proves the best of ways!
16/20

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