WITHIN TEMPTATION have followed a lot of paths during their long tenure as one of the best original symphonic metal bands fronted by one of the most incredible voices in the scene. Following the release of their two albums, they came into more mainstream notice with the release of “The Silent Force” in 2004, with the heat only increasing with its follow-up, “The Heart of Everything” in 2007. However, the poppy direction in which “The Unforgiving“ moved was dividing for fans, meaning that “Hydra” was bound to turn heads upon release. We’re looking back at this album today, January 22nd, for its 10th anniversary, to see how it holds up.
For the critical acclaim this album has generally received, I’ve often found the fans to still be fairly divided about “Hydra.” Personally, I’ve always felt that Sharon den Adel‘s love of Lana Del Ray can be felt in the indie-pop style in which many of the songs are sang, as well as in the way the ballads feel. Perhaps those who were offended by the poppiness of “The Unforgiving” were not so convinced that “Hydra” was much better, while others question the use of so many guest vocalists, considering it a bit gimmicky.
From what I recall from an interview we did during this tour for Musicalypse or Rumba, Sharon had said that they had so many guests simply because they had reached out to a lot of people who had agreed, simple as that. It makes sense, as each of the songs does seem fairly tailored to the vocalist, as opposed to their sound: “What About Us” has an interplay as Sharon and Tarja Turunen trade lines, while “And We Run” allows Xzibit full reign to rap. The duet between “The Whole World Is Watching” with Dave Pirner (SOUL ASYLUM) is a softer near-ballad, while “Dangerous” with Howard Jones (ex-KILLSWITCH ENGAGE) is an upbeat banger. No two collabs are alike, so in a way, this has always given the feeling that this is a big part of the album’s identity, as the varied nature of these guest appearances ties everything together through the diversity: this is an album for experimentation and trying new things.
That said, if you’re looking for symphonic metal, this album is liable to be a disappointment. Looking back at the pure pop-metal “The Unforgiving,” there’s an easy division: you may like the album for the move away from the radio-friendly pop-metal sound into what I would call indie-pop-metal, or you may find that it lost the last of the speed it had left. This does lead to the album being understandably dividing, as it certainly doesn’t return to its symphonic origins, one way or the other.
The album’s journey is interesting: “Let Us Burn” is a pretty clear next step from “The Unforgiving” to the new material, with some of the remaining energy from the preceding album crossing over as this album gets started. Then we have a bunch of collaborations, followed by what I’ve always felt to be experimentation with infusing indie-pop into metal, which is something you’re liable to love or hate. Critics loved it, so maybe the hardcore metal fans didn’t, but one way or the other, it certainly turned heads. On reflection of their career, I would call “Hydra” an interesting stepping stone that led towards their current sound, which started with “Resist“ in 2019 and evolved into last year’s “Bleed Out,” returning somewhat to the more heavy and symphonic spheres, but keeping a touch of that indie feel.
Written by Bear Wiseman
Tracklist
- Let Us Burn
- Dangerous ft. Howard Jones
- And We Run ft. Xzibit
- Paradise (What About Us) ft. Tarja
- Edge of the World
- Silver Moonlight
- Covered by Roses
- Dog Days
- Tell Me Why
- The Whole World Is Watching ft. Dave Pirner
