Soon at the Gasometer

Within Temptation: “Today I know what I want”

Has had her male rascals under control for almost 30 years: Within Temptation frontwoman Sharon den Adel.

(Bild: Barracuda Music)

Within Temptation have been a constant in the symphonic metal firmament for almost 30 years. Frontwoman Sharon den Adel tells us in the "Krone" talk how she overcame musical crises, why she is not afraid of AI and why her children have changed her outlook on life.

How time flies. For some fans, it still seems like yesterday when Dutch band Within Temptation first conquered the charts with their second album "Mother Earth" around the millennium and reached a large number of people outside the symphonic metal scene. Front woman Sharon den Adel melted the hearts of fans with the single "Ice Queen". With her expressive voice, a clearly defined opinion on various things in life and her striking stage presence, she has shaped the "female fronted metal" genre - now frowned upon by name - as much as probably only Nightwish's original singer Tarja Turunen. However, while she had repeated quarrels with her band, nothing can upset the community between the nobility and their male troupe. There has only been one line-up change since 2001. Despite everything, it hasn't always been a bed of roses in the band camp.

Turning point in life
"I was fed up for a while many years ago," she explains in the "Krone" interview, "a turning point was my solo album 'My Indigo' in 2017 and the death of my father, which went hand in hand at the time. I started so young in this band that I lost focus at times. The band was often on a rollercoaster, but the positives usually outweighed the negatives. At some point, however, everything started to falter and we reached a creative low point." Den Adel decided to take a longer break, which is why Within Temptation's albums no longer appear as regularly as they used to. The last three albums "Hydra" (2014), "Resist" (2019) and "Bleed Out" (2023) were released over a huge period of almost ten years. "The balance between music and private life is much better these days," explains the singer, "taking longer breaks in between is good for everyone."

Den Adel is also a mother of three, her husband is band colleague Robert Westerholt. The children are already young adults and later teenagers, which makes it easier for her to devote time to her profession as a singer. For the socially aware and attentive Dutchwoman, the birth of her children was a turning point: "Above all, it's a huge opportunity to create a good awareness of sustainability. In songs or interviews, I can only say what's important to me in a few minutes. In raising children, I can pass on the right values for a long time to come." In a way, Within Tempation also do this with their music. "We used to sing about the world wars and the past, but the reality is so harsh that today we can easily write about the present reality. Because of the state of the world, a lot of frustration comes out of me, which I can vent through the songs."

Curiosity about AI
Den Adel also has a very relaxed attitude towards technological advances. She is not afraid of AI. "Why should I be? I'm curious myself about what they can bring together and where the journey is going. As long as the technology is used well and sensibly, it's great. It's always had a dark side, but that side comes from humans implementing it through technology. An AI that creates music itself is nothing more than a sign of modern times. I see the problem more in the fact that things are now developing so quickly that we can no longer keep up with the right legislation and classification. When I look at the world today, I hope above all that it gets into the right hands. It would be important for people to once again value honorable behavior and the communication of truth and facts more than is currently the case."

On "Bleed Out", Within Temptation not only experiment more clearly with the quirky sub-genre of djent for the first time and sing about omnipresent themes such as women's rights, battles against inner demons and oppression, they have also broken away from the former major label after years in order to have the reins even more clearly in their own hands. "Over the years, I've learned to express my opinion more clearly. In our older songs, we hid a lot of topics behind metaphors because I wasn't sure whether it was okay to say what I had to say. But we only live once and in this short time in the universe it's important to stand up for yourself and your interests." The temporary band fatigue is long gone. "I now know much more clearly what I want to write about and I can feel the fire inside me. The team structure fits very well and it can go on like this for a long time."

Live at the Gasometer
First of all, Within Temptation will be performing their new album "Bleed Out" at the Vienna Gasometer on October 21. Tickets for the only Austrian show on this leg of the tour are still available at www.oeticket.com.