The Silent Force [CD+DVD] [Enhanced] [Extra tracks]

Current favourite tracks are Stand My Ground, Angels & It's the Fear , but there really isn't a bad track on the album.
To sum up, if you liked their last album, you should adore this one. If you like Nightwish 'Once', this is similar but in my opinion a better album.
If you like the sound of female fronted metal with a symphonic backdrop, you'll love this and if none of that appeals to you, I'd urge you to give it a chance.

The album beings with a short introduction which leads straight in See Who I Am, possibly the catchiest song on the album. The dramatic opening gives way to vocals as smooth as silk. It urges you to move your head and listen to the gorgeous melodies. Dubbed "hopelessly romantic pop-metal", this song doesn't convince you to think of anything else. Except maybe "wow". If track two doesn't grab you, try Jillian (I'd Give My Heart); Slow beginning which leads to a cacophony of quite simply, beautiful vocals. Again, a very catchy chorus with operatic vocals which are very complimentary to the instrumental support from an orchestra. This song gets slower towards the end but does not disappoint.

Stand My Ground: In my opinion, the best song on the album. It's wonderfully catchy with a good message of self-defence thrown in. Also, very gentle on the ears at the beginning and dripping emotion. Still in keeping with the slower verses and the stark contrast of the faster bridges and choruses, the song teases with the end of the bridge before plunging into heart-felt choruses that urge you to sing along.

Pale is a particularly slow song with use of woodwind instruments create a sensation of calm. The vocals are gothic creating an aura of sadness combined with the slower pace of the song, Pale is by far the most romantic and the shortest song on the album. Nothing really ground-breaking here, but it does make you appreciate the next song, Forsaken a whole lot more. Forsaken immediately plunges you into a choir backed with full guitar riffs and hard drum beats. This song still isn't particularly fast, but it definitely has a richer sound. The thick guitar riffs carry the song along, contrasting still with the slower vocals which seem to slow the song down. The chorus saves this song but it still doesn't do a lot for the rest of the album.

The next track is Angels. This song is where it's at. It's beautiful, it's dramatic and it's a faster. Angels is one of the highlights to this album. It urges you to sing along and move your head as well as inciting emotions within you. The song ends with a small amount of piano, ending the song just right.

Memories is another good song, slow to begin with it soon gives way to a soft drum beat overlaid with melodious vocals. Memories is quite a sad song as well as being very chilled out but still with a very passionate chorus, and a beautiful ending.

Aquarius is the other passionately catchy song with very dramatic drum and guitar parts leading to the chorus. Again, quite sad but still oozing emotion and charm. Not really sure what the point of this song is, but still hugely enjoyable and hopelessly romantic. I just love the ending to this song, the slow decent into a close with a slow, melancholy instrumental and lone voice.

Its The Fear is another head-bopper. The title is much more pretentious than the song, so don't worry - it's not another nu-metal band trying-to-be-scary. Instead, this song is reminiscent of Lacuna Coil. The vocals are once more smooth and beautiful with the background dense with atmosphere created by the band and also the small orchestra that seems to lurk in the background of each song. It has a "guitar solo" in the middle, which is more like a small break for the singer, rather than the guitarist doing anything interesting. In fact, you hardly notice it other than the fact the vocals have stopped.

Somewhere reminds me of a pop band trying to be heavy or at least, deep and meaningful. Fortunately, Within Temptation pulls it off and creates an almost magical song. Unfortunately however, it is a little bit boring and nothing much distinguishes one part from another. At least you have violins gently moving the song along. The vocals are once again on top-form and very smooth. You can't see Sharon den Adel puffing away on cigarettes before they play.

Destroyed* is at last a song that properly gets going. Very strong vocal performances and an extremely pleasant rock song. Good strong guitars and drums, and of course the orchestral accompaniment that comes with the territory. Destroyed is by far the most beautiful song on the album, while being one of the most emotive. It does seem to end a bit abruptly though, but that's probably because its one of my favourites and I wish it didn't have to end. Onto the last song of the album, Jane Doe*, not a cover! It was written by Sharon del Adel. Jane Doe features another very strong vocal performance (does she ever mess up?) It opens with a guitar being played and then the drums follow. You hear growling which is to be assumed to be coming from a male member of the band. The song quickly enters a bridge and chorus and then just as soon as it began, it's over. Within Tempation's The Silent Force is out now on Roadrunner Records and is absolutely amazing. Well worth every penny, if you must download first, then please try out Stand My Ground, See Who I Am, Aquarius, Destroyed. For Fans of Nightwish, Evanescence and Lacuna Coil.