WITHIN TEMPTATION — Resist (review)

WITHIN TEMPTATION — Resist album cover Album · 2019 · Alternative Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
2.5/5 ·
Kev Rowland
I have been a fan of this Dutch outfit for some fifteen years, since the release of their third album ‘The Silent Force’, so when I realised they were back with their seventh (it has been way too long since ‘Hydra’) I was incredibly excited as I have always loved the vocals of Sharon den Adel and their symphonic almost gothic approach to metal. Then I listened to it. According to Sharon, “After ‘Hydra’ we didn’t feel inspired anymore, up to a point where for the very first time we could see the end of the band coming near. After so many years of making music, only creative inspiration and innovation can motivate you to make a new record. And a very long break, no hasty decisions plus refilling your battery with new experiences. Like I did with recording my solo record ‘My Indigo.’ It eventually turned the tide. Our hunger to create and innovate awoke again. With this record, we’ve taken inspiration from modern music and gave it a face - a very dark one. Sometimes it feels that today’s pop music lacks a rebellious edge. Our main goal was to collect pieces from sounds we did like and roughen it up as much as we could. ‘Resist’ is our take on metal in a new way: to give modern music its rebellious edge.”

Which is all well and good, and I always want bands to change and move, but this just feels too artificial, where production and manipulation of sound has become more important than the end result. I am sure, I hope, that when these songs transfer to the live environment then they will be quite different, but as they stand at the present, they lack emotion and direction. The keyboards sound as if they have come straight from the electronic realm as opposed to the symphonic, the music feels ragged with sharp edges, and although Sharon’s vocals are as strong as ever, here they don’t have the impact they used to. I am sure there are plenty who will be pleased with the new direction of the band, but it just doesn’t work for me at all, and will watch with interest what happens with the next album. But given it has taken five years for this one to be released, I’m not sure when/if that will happen.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Metal Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

MMA TOP 5 Metal ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
Master of Puppets Thrash Metal
METALLICA
Buy this album from our partners
Paranoid Heavy Metal
BLACK SABBATH
Buy this album from our partners
Moving Pictures Hard Rock
RUSH
Buy this album from our partners
Powerslave NWoBHM
IRON MAIDEN
Buy this album from our partners
Rising Heavy Metal
RAINBOW
Buy this album from our partners

New Metal Artists

New Metal Releases

Letter Bombs Crossover Thrash
W70
Buy this album from MMA partners
Man Of The Mountain Doom Metal
MAN OF THE MOUNTAIN
Buy this album from MMA partners
Warts​-​N-​All Live From Brews And Cues Doom Metal
MAN OF THE MOUNTAIN
Buy this album from MMA partners
Darkest Red Melodic Metalcore
LOYALTY ENDS HERE
Buy this album from MMA partners
Toxic Grace Thrash Metal
EVILDEAD
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Metal Online Videos

LOYALTY ENDS HERE - Deadweight (Official Video)
LOYALTY ENDS HERE
Bosh66· 14 hours ago
LOYALTY ENDS HERE - Testament (Official Video)
LOYALTY ENDS HERE
Bosh66· 14 hours ago
CRAZY GRIZZLY - PARALLAX Feat RIKO AGUS [Official Music Video]
CRAZY GRIZZLY
Bosh66· 2 days ago
CRAZY GRIZZLY - ASPERSION Feat BEARFOURS [Official Music Video]
CRAZY GRIZZLY
Bosh66· 2 days ago
CRAZY GRIZZLY - TERRA LUNA [Official Music Video]
CRAZY GRIZZLY
Bosh66· 2 days ago
More videos

New MMA Metal Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Metal News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed