Within Temptation

Within Temptation 成立于1996年,自從荷蘭的美聲歌德金屬樂團The Gathering，約莫于95、96年開始，在歐洲大放異彩之后，使得這樣的美聲式柔美金屬樂型式，逐漸受到愈來愈多樂迷的喜愛，The Gathering的音樂風格也對相當多的新生代樂團產生啟發和影響，而The Gathering的影響力有多大，從同為荷蘭樂團的后生晚輩Within Temptation和After Forever身上就能聽得到！ 1996年，吉他手Robert Westerholt離開其原屬的樂團The Circle(后來更名為Voyage)，希望另組新團以展開全新的開始，首先他找來他的女友Sharon den Adel擔任主唱，接著他又邀請The Circle的前團員加入，于是bass手Jeroen van Veen和吉他手Michiel Papenhove兩人決定跳槽來新團，最后，他們再找來一位鼓手Dennis Leeflang，Within Temptation就這樣正式成軍。不過此時他們仍缺一名keyboard手，很快地這個位置就由Robert的弟弟所補上，WT的陣容也終于抵定。 不久后，他們想方設法聯絡了不同的唱片機構,WT錄制了一卷4曲的demo tape，并寄發給多家唱片公司，希望爭取唱片合約，而這張demo也引起多家廠牌的注意，Within Temptation 最后決定與 DSFA Records簽約。在與DSFA簽約之后,一切進入正軌,然而由于團員們與鼓手不合，于是鼓手的位置很快便由新任的Ivar de Graaf入替。 1997年4月，Within Temptation正式發行了首張專輯，令人印象深刻。專輯風格若扣除吉他手Robert的death vocal演出，事實上就是全然優美導向的gothic metal，不過正由于death腔的加入及厚重的吉他刷扣，使得這張專輯既能呈現動人的優美氣息，又不失金屬樂該有的重量感。整張專輯的編曲結構雖然簡單，但是豐富的情感和氣氛烘托，伴隨Sharon迷人演唱的引領，反倒能夠緊緊地吸引住聽者的耳朵！隨后WT便受邀參與年度大型金屬樂盛會Dynamo'97，此后的幾個月時間，WT都在歐洲各地持續地展開演唱行程。他們甚至進行了兩周的巡回演出，歷經德國到澳大利亞。隨后又有一些其它的精彩的演唱會，其中包括在Noor derslag。 97年年底鼓手Ivar離團，并由Ciro Palma入替。98年期間，WT除了參與了Dynamo'98，并繼續一些演出之外，也推出了一張EP。進入99年后，WT決定暫停演出活動，并開始著手新專輯的創作，而Ivar也在此間重新歸隊。 Goth metal stars Within Temptation marry the guitar-driven force of hard rock with the sweep and grandeur of symphonic music, and the results have made them one of the most popular bands ever in the Netherlands. Within Temptation were formed in 1996 by guitarist Robert Westerholt and vocalist Sharon den Adel, who are partners on stage and off. Within Temptation's early material caught the attention of the Dutch label DSFA, and they signed the group to a record deal; their first album, Enter, was released in 1997. Up until this time, Within Temptation had been a studio project, but the success of the album led to invitations to play several live shows, including the Dynamo Music Festival, one of the biggest live music events in the Netherlands. Within Temptation demonstrated their strength as a concert act, and began playing Germany, Austria, Belgium, and the Czech Republic. Booked to play Dynamo's main stage in 1998, Within Temptation felt recording new material was in order, and they released the Dance EP for the occasion. Shortly afterwards, Within Temptation went on hiatus as the group's members dealt with personal commitments and Westerholt and den Adel built a studio for their ambitious recording projects. In late 2000, Within Temptation returned with their second full-length album (and first for Sony), Mother Earth, and the band continued to appear at major music festivals in Europe and the Netherlands; the album was a major commercial success, and the song "Ice Queen" was released as a single, rising to number two on the Dutch charts. After several years of steady touring (including major festival appearances in France and Mexico), Within Temptation returned to the studio to record their third album, 2004's The Silent Force, an ambitious project featuring a full orchestra and 80-voice choir accompanying the band. It was their first disc to be released simultaneously in Europe and the Netherlands, and became a major commercial success, going platinum at home and reaching the Top Ten in Germany, Belgium, Spain, and Finland. Having become the Netherlands' best-selling international act, Within Temptation finally landed an American record deal with the venerable metal imprint Roadrunner, which released their fourth album, The Heart of Everything, in 2007. Black Symphony, a live CD/DVD recorded at the Ahoy Arena in Rotterdam with a full choir and orchestra followed in 2008.