The Return of Within Temptation

It’s been seven years since the Dutch band Within Temptation last toured the United States. (Yes, they played a select few venues, but only a few in 2011.) That’s a long time. The landscape appears very different than it used to, even for those of us seasoned enough to remember the Bush era for example. To that end, not much is different politically, including new leaders inheriting old problems. That being said even lead singer Sharon den Adel mentions this fact mid concert and how we’ve managed to somehow “fuck it up” even more. Some things never change.

What has changed is that Within Temptation is back on the US scene as the seasoned beasts from the east (east from the U.S. anyway) with guests Amaranthe. For the fans, they know that they haven’t lost a step. They proved this by rocking Club Nokia in Los Angeles to a packed house. They are amazing as is their 2013 release, Hydra. Proof positive that Within Temptation remaining a relevant act was their live rendition of “And We Run.” It had the kind of impact that surprised even me. Even as Xzibit occupied the video wall behind den Adel in the role of Big Brother, the song worked. It worked so well that it was chilling and proved that the “collaboration” album was the right move for Within Temptation as they moved forward through the night with new and old music in tow.

Not to be forgotten, Amaranthe, who opened the show are poised to make their own mark too. They are attempting to be the faces of the new Metal scene and already have two albums under their belts. What works for them is their hybridization of several styles that seems to mesh well with just the right amounts of synthesizers, crushing guitars, growls and harmonies that caused me to originally take notice with their release, The Nexus. They will soon be releasing their third album, Massive Addictive, and if it’s anything like The Nexus, they are a band worth mentioning. Amaranthe are a fun band to watch, though, Within Temptation sets the bar pretty high and Amaranthe isn’t to their level yet. That’s not to say that they should be ignored especially if you thought that the art of making music videos died with Duran Duran. It hasn’t. Amaranthe, if nothing else, invests heavily in the art of cinematic masterpieces that are worth your time and have the style and sizzle of a mini Hollywood film packed into a three to four minute video masterpiece.

Back to the night as a whole, this billing is a good one. The acts compliment each other well. It’s one that shows where Amarathe can be in a few more years if they keep making music together. And as far as Within Temptation goes, they are amazing (and I was glad to finally have a chance to see them live) having been an avid follower of their sound for years. Keep your eyes on both acts as Within Temptation is far from finished and the sky is truly the limit for the current underdogs, Amaranthe.