The last time Dutch symphonic rockers Within Temptation graced the UK was two years ago in a doubleheader with US rockers Evanescence, dubbed by MetalTalk as a retina-burning eardrum-blasting spectacle. Tonight, however, was all about Within Temptation. With an album, Bleed Out released in 2023, they were here to show how they have grown and developed as a live act and as musical artists.
Within Temptation
OVO Arena Wembley – 16 November 2024
Words: Adrian Stonley
Photography: Robert Sutton
Though Wembley Arena was not quite sold out, it was close, and it was very clear from the reaction that the venue was full of die-hard fans.
Opening with five songs from the Bleed Out album was possibly in itself a brave move. However, with the album now having been released for over a year, it is pretty familiar to fans, so perhaps this was not such an issue.
Certainly, it made a point with strong stage visuals for opener We Go To War, and with Singer Sharon den Adel wearing a crown and mask, it added to the theatricality of the piece.
With songs such as the album title track Bleed Out, and Ritual, Within Temptation set a high bar for that which was to come. Yet it was very clear that the band were fired up tonight. The songs came in such a fantastic and intensive musical flow that it was clear that they were having as good a time as the baying audience.
Lead singer Sharon den Adel is not only a fantastic frontwoman but also a person who is not scared to raise subjects that can make people wholesomely question themselves, and if that makes them uncomfortable, then so be it.
Her strong stance for the LGBTQ community has been noted in the past, and there was a very clear political message coming from the band tonight regarding standing with the people of Ukraine. Additionally, there was a very forceful message about the right to accept and recognise other person’s beliefs, although not to ram them down other’s throats and to respect people and not to overrule others beliefs. This came over very clearly in Don’t Pray For Me.
Once the newer songs were through, we were into greatest hits territory, with the band flying through their back catalogue and bringing favourite after favourite to the fore.
The Reckoning saw a storming guitar tour de force, and its Geigeresque back-drop provided some stunning visuals to back up the song. It was clear that the band were on fire as much as the fiery visuals on the screens around them.
A Fools Parade saw Ukrainian musician Alex Yarmak join the band on stage and this saw a very powerful and heartful performance and cry out for his people.
As part of the tour, Within Temptation have been very vociferous about the Ukrainian conflict with special T-shirts on sale with the proceeds going to Ukraine. They also have onscreen a QR code to help promote an initiative called Dronefall. which is involved in tackling the drone attacks on Ukrainian cities. Dronefall fundraises for the downing of 1,000 Russian reconnaissance UAVs.
With Alex departing the stage with his sobering message, the audience were sent in raptures when ex-Nightwish vocalist Tarja Turunen stepped out of the shadows to join the band, singing The Promise from the Mother Earth album before following this up with a song of her own, I Feel Immortal. This saw the most incredibly impressive duet and sing-off between Tarja and Sharon as the two operatic queens raised the vocal standards to another level.
The set closed with the hit Faster from The Unforgiving album, which saw the audience in ecstasy as they sang their hearts out with the band. The encore saw two songs back to back from the Heart Of Everything album, Our Solemn Hour and then the emotive power ballad All I Need. This showed the softer side of the band’s repertoire and saw the expected raising of phone lights as the audience swayed and sang along with the band.
Yet the night was not over as Tarja reappeared for a thunderous and rapturous Paradise (What About Us?) The night closed out with the title track from the Mother Earth album, which once more saw an enthusiastic response from the audience.
This may not have been the longest set played, weighing in at just over ninety minutes, but it was very much a case of quality over quantity.
Certainly, this was one of the most impressive performances I have seen from Within Temptation. Clearly, they are here for the long haul and still have plenty to say for themselves. More power to them.
