The Heart Of Everything
The Heart Of Everything lets Within Temptation think big without losing the recognisable song. Heavy guitars, strings and choirs support melodies that quickly become clear. Sharon den Adel remains at the centre. Her voice gives the careful arrangements a personal character that matters more than their size alone.
The Howling establishes that relationship immediately. The singing sounds more threatening than the softer image often associated with the band, while the backing builds the tension on a broad scale. The song shows that a memorable melody can also feel unsettling. The album does not need to approach metal's extremes to achieve that effect.
What Have You Done turns the contrast between two voices into an obvious strength. Guest singing from Life of Agony gives Den Adel a forceful counterpart, and the chorus keeps the duet easy to follow. Its familiar construction will surprise few listeners, but the performance makes convincing use of that simplicity.
Frozen draws more from the combination of ballad and symphonic arrangement. Guitars, piano and strings give it both softness and weight. Hand of Sorrow makes a related connection with firmer rock. Those smooth transitions keep the music accessible without weakening all of its drama.
The drawback is a familiar formula that does not work equally well everywhere. Some middle tracks stay in the memory less easily, and the large sound cannot completely hide the similarities between songs. Forgiven closes the original album convincingly with piano and a voice that needs less surrounding activity. That quieter finish recalls why the record works: the orchestras provide the setting, but the singing gives the music its character. The Heart Of Everything offers few major surprises and plenty of carefully developed melodic strength.
