Within Temptation's 'Resist' - Album Review

There was a time when the Netherlands' Within Temptation were one of the most vital and important bands in the symphonic metal genre. Albums such as 2000's gothic Mother Earth, and 2004's more accessible The Silent Force were works that really helped to push the genre forward and they remain influential releases. The band's recent works however have been somewhat more mixed, with enjoyable albums sitting side by side with dreary efforts. 2011's The Unforgiving saw the band consciously trying to move away from their well-established sound. While it was quite a big shift in direction towards a more commercial rock sound, the songwriting was strong. The Unforgiving is an album that I still enjoy a lot, despite the change in direction, and shows that Within Temptation can operate outside of the symphonic metal framework. The same cannot be said however for 2014's Hydra (which I reviewed here). Despite a handful of good songs, Hydra cannot really be called anything other than a disappointment. I tolerated the album at the time, but over the years my opinion of it has lessened considerably. There are still a couple of tracks on the album that I enjoy, but otherwise I find it to be a very disposable and unmemorable release. The over-abundance of redundant guest vocal spots combined with extremely mediocre songwriting that was a far cry from The Unforgiving - let alone their earlier works - made for an album that showed that Within Temptation were out of ideas. It seemed that the band knew it too, and took a long break after the end of the Hydra touring cycle. Frontwoman Sharon den Adel has since revealed that writer's block was also a contribution to this extended hiatus, but I also think the band as a whole were taking stock and trying to rediscover themselves. Fast forward five years and Within Temptation have finally showed their hand, with their seventh album Resist being released earlier this month. It was originally scheduled to be released last December, but was delayed for a couple of months for reasons that were never really explained. Is Resist a return to form for Within Temptation? The answer is yes - in some ways in any case. While not exactly the return to their earlier sounds that many would have hoped for, Resist sees the band sounding fresh and energised. It is certainly a big step up from Hydra, and features a darker overall tone while still channelling the poppier sounds that have been present on their more recent work. Some of the issues that plagued Hydra are still present, such as a somewhat pointless over-reliance on guest vocalists who largely add very little to the album, but the songwriting is much stronger this time around. The melodies are much more memorable, and the production is much clearer despite the darker tones.

Opening with what sounds like a synthesised horn sound, lead single The Reckoning gets the album off to a strong start. It features the vocal talents of Jacoby Shaddix (Papa Roach; Fight the Sky) which certainly had me worried when I first read this news, but his contributions are fairly limited and do not have a negative impact on the piece. Three guitarists contribute to the band's studio albums these days and they lay down a murky riff for the song's intro, before everything drops out for the verse leaving Mike Coolen's percussive drumming and some swirling electronics. This allows den Adel's voice to shine, and when the guitars crash back in for the choruses the energy levels shoot up. Shaddix mostly harmonises with den Adel during the choruses, but also takes part of the second verse. His contributions recall Within Temptation guest spots of the past - fairly needless but unobtrusive - but it works well enough. The song is a good representation of the album, with heavy moments mixing in well with more accessible overtones. I think choosing a different lead single would have been beneficial, but the track works well as an album opener and gets things started nicely. Endless War is a bit tougher overall with a slow, muscular riff opening the piece and Martijn Spierenburg's keyboards providing a synth-heavy atmosphere. While much of the song sticks with the band's modern sound, the chorus seems to recall their earlier work a little. den Adel's voice soars, and a gothic choir helps to add that classic symphonic metal flavour. Despite the heaviness throughout this album being fairly one-dimensional, it is good to hear the band introducing some meaty guitar tones back into their sound. The chorus here feels weighty, although the keyboards could have been toned down a little to allow the guitars to cut through a little more. It is another strong song however, and feels like a good mix of the band's styles. Raise Your Banner is one of the album's highlights for me, and sees the band fully channelling their symphonic metal past. The main riff is a driving force, with the orchestral arrangements and Spierenburg's keyboards giving the song that dramatic flair which was missing from the previous album. Anders Fridén (Dark Tranquillity; Ceremonial Oath; In Flames) provides some harsh vocals throughout, which is an obvious throwback to their earlier work, and his contributions work well despite being fairly limited. It would have been nice if the verses were a little heavier to keep the pace of the song going, but when the chorus kicks in it does feel like you are listening to the Within Temptation of 15 or so years ago again. A fairly lengthy guitar solo is also present, something not commonly heard in the band's music, and it is great seeing the band's guitarists letting their hair down.

Supernova is another single, and it is an extremely catchy piece with a sugary chorus and some flashy synth work throughout. Spierenburg, who is usually a big contributor to the band's songwriting, has been absent in that regard this time around but his keyboard work is still a big part of the Within Temptation sound. Dancing synths characterise this song, but it is perhaps the chorus vocal melodies that will stick out the most. den Adel has shown over the years that she can easily craft poppy vocal melodies in a somewhat heavy setting, and that knack has not diminished over the years. The chorus here is worthy of Top 40 pop, and may be too much for some of the band's fans. Within Temptation have been moving in a poppier direction for years now, so songs like this do not really surprise me. A symphonic metal breakdown that features the gothic choir again should pull a few back in, but this is likely to be somewhat of a divisive number overall! Holy Ground opens with a mid-paced heavy riff that could be from the band's early days if it was not for the electronics that accompany it, but overall this is another song that relies heavily on poppy melodies to get by. The verses in particular are extremely poppy, and do not even sound like they are by a supposed metal band! Trippy electronics and percussion back den Adel's vocals, which use melodies borrowed from various big recent pop singles, and the choruses are not much different - albeit with a heavier guitar and drum backing. I do not mind the band's poppier side, but I think this song might be the one that steps too far over that line. There is very little weight to the song, and it sees the first real dip in quality after four strong opening tracks. In Vain, to me anyway, recalls 2007's The Heart of Everything - the album which saw Within Temptation really break through into the mainstream - and features that album's watered down brand of symphonic metal. The guitars often drone away in the background, and den Adel turns in another really strong vocal performance - especially during the sparse verses which see her at her emotional best. This is certainly poppier than that 2007 album, but the vibes given off are quite similar. Firelight, which features the smooth vocals of Jasper Steverlinck (Arid; Guilt Machine), slows everything down and is the album's main ballad. The song is built around a slow drum beat and some dark-sounding electronics, and this is a great backing for den Adel and Steverlinck's interweaving vocals. Most of the band's guest vocalist spots are fairly disposable, but I really like Steverlinck's contributions to the track. His gentle delivery really compliments den Adel's more shrill approach to the song, and the two play off each other and harmonise well. The choruses are a little heavier, but still maintain the overall feel of a ballad. Orchestrations really help it to sound big, and the two vocalists sing the lyrics together to create something that really stands out.

Mad World, which is not a Tears for Fears cover, picks up the pace and is a fairly strong mid-paced rocker with a decent chorus which again recalls The Heart of Everything. The song's main riff is quite energetic, and is backed with a sparking keyboard arrangement that helps it to stand out. My main criticism of this album would be that the guitar work is extremely basic for the most part, but this song sees them used for a bit more than just creating a heavy backing. I would have liked to see more proper 'riffs' here though, especially with three guitarists contributing to the songs! That being said however, this song still manages to whip up some energy and I think would go down well live if the band choose to perform it. It has that bouncy atmosphere that would go down well in the live setting, and it will be interesting to see if the band choose to include it in their setlists going forward. Mercy Mirror is another slower track and opens with some gentle piano melodies before some drums and electronics join in to drive things forward with a little more purpose. It never really ups the pace however, and seems content to move in a fairly laid back way. The pop influences are back here in full force too, with the choruses once again seemingly borrowing heavily from modern Top 40 tropes. den Adel has the voice for these kinds of melodies however, and she helps to make the song work. The chorus is pretty infectious, and I am sure that people are going to struggle getting it out of their head - even if they are not so keen on the overall style. The album comes to a close with Trophy Hunter, a song which feels a little more like the Within Temptation of old with sharp guitar riffs throughout and a more symphonic feeling with big orchestral arrangements and less of an emphasis on the poppy melodies. den Adel even sings in that ever-so-slightly sharp way that she used to sing at times during the band's early days at points during the song, and that helps to bring back memories of the band's old sound. It is a song that sounds quite different to everything else on the album, so it does stick out somewhat at the end, but the heavier feel and the more guitar-based musical approach should please many. It shows that the band can still write this type of music, and might indicate their possible future direction? Overall, Resist is a bit of a return to form for Within Temptation, but is an album album that is certainly going to be divisive. I know there are lots who are not all that keen on the album, but I am glad that I have found so much to enjoy here - especially after Hydra. I do think the band need to freshen things up further going forward however, and I think a break from producer Daniel Gibson might facilitate this. He has produced and co-written every album from The Silent Force onward, and I think a change in mindset might help the band settle in their new style. It worked wonders for Epica, and I think it would have a similar effect for Within Temptation.

The album was released on 1st February 2019 via Vertigo/Universal Music Group. Below is the band's promotional video for The Reckoning.