The Unforgiving

The Unforgiving
Studio album by Within Temptation
Released March 25, 2011
Recorded April - late 2010
Genre Symphonic metal, symphonic rock, hard rock
Length 53:42
Label Roadrunner
Producer Daniel Gibson
Within Temptation chronology

The Heart of Everything
(2007)		 The Unforgiving
(2011)		 The Q-Music Sessions
(2013)
Singles from The Unforgiving
  1. "Faster"
    Released: January 21, 2011
  2. "Sinéad"
    Released: July 15, 2011
  3. "Shot in the Dark"
    Released: September 9, 2011
Not to be confused with The Unforgiven (Metallica song). For other uses, see Unforgiven (disambiguation).

The Unforgiving is the fifth studio album by Dutch symphonic metal band Within Temptation, released by Roadrunner Records March 25, 2011. The album was released alongside a comic book series and a series of short films, to encompass a concept story. The first single, "Faster", was released on January 21, and the first short film, Mother Maiden, was released ten days later on January 31.[1] The second short film, Sinéad was released on March 21,[2] and the second single with the same name on July 15.[3] The first issue of the comic books, Penance, Part One, was released on March 18, 2011, and digitally released by Diamond Digital at the New York Comic Con on October 22.[4] The second issue, Penance, Part Two was released on May 13. The third issue, Penance, Part Three, was released on August 31 and the fourth issue, Penance, Part Four, on November 2.[5][6][7] As of November 2012, the album reportedly sold 313,790 copies exclusively on the iTunes merch website.[8]

Concept

Early ideas, realisation and development

The initial concept was to write the soundtrack to a film, however the band decided to change direction given the inconsistencies and other issues which movies can undergo. As vocalist Sharon den Adel commented:[9]

"What happened was that we wanted to write lyrics for a movie. We were searching for a good movie with a good story and everybody had different release dates. If something goes wrong, a movie can very easily be postponed for a year, and we couldn't take the chance to have to wait for that, otherwise we would have had to postpone our album as well. So we decided to take the matter in our own hands."

In searching for a new concept, they approached the writer of The Chronicles of Spellborn comics, who introduced the band to Steven O'Connell. However, upon his first meeting with the band, he failed to impress them with ideas involving zombies and fantasy, while they were hoping for a more mature approach rather than something unclear and superficial.[9] Sharon explained that, in trying to describe to O'Connell what they were looking for,[9]

"We told him what kind of movies we liked, what kind of books we read, and he thought about it and he came up with a basic idea, like 2 or 3 lines. The story is about people who have done bad things. Not because they are bad, but because they made bad decisions."

After the initial ideas were formed, O'Connell went on to complete the rest of the story with additional suggestions from the band. For example, Sinéad was initially "Maya", a South American woman, but, as the music to "Sinéad" had already been completed, Sharon requested that the name and nationality be changed.[9]

While shooting the three short films and music videos, Mother Maiden ("Faster"), Sinéad and Triplets ("Shot in the Dark"), the band and director (Joeri Holsheimer) came up with several other ideas, including the decision as to which song would be connected to which story. The band's decision to shoot three short films was mainly to avoid the restrictions imposed on music videos, as Sharon explained:[9]

"...we wanted to put all the money into the movies. You have a budget and then you have to make choices and, to be honest, MTV and everything, it is not so big anymore. And when you make videos, they always say "you can't use blood, you can't use guns, you can't use..." and we wanted to use everything: blood, guns... everything!"

Completed concept

The Unforgiving is a concept album based upon a simultaneously released comic book of the same name, written by Steven O'Connell (BloodRayne and Dark 48) and illustrated by Romano Molenaar (Witchblade, The Darkness and X-Men).[10] The story also unfolds in three short films released prior to the album, the first of which—Mother Maiden—was released on 31 January. The characters and stories are thus portrayed in three ways—by the artists in the comic book, by the band in the music, and by the actors in the films.[1]

Background

Recording

The band first announced that they intended to make a new album in October 2008, as they were finishing touring in support of The Heart of Everything.[11] The album was originally planned to be recorded in 2009, but was further delayed by vocalist Sharon den Adel giving birth to her and guitarist Robert Westerholt's second child. In an interview with Metal Ways at Appelpop 2008, Westerholt stated that the new album was "probably going to be kind of a concept, but it’s so early still that nothing is really sure yet. But we’re trying to look in that direction."[12]

The album was eventually recorded in the Summer and Autumn of 2010, with the band announcing via their website in November that the album would be entitled The Unforgiving, expected for release in March 2011. The band also announced that their planned tour dates, beginning in March 2011, had been postponed till Autumn due to den Adel's third pregnancy.[13]

Previews and promotion

A video for 'Where Is The Edge' was released on 15 December 2010, along with footage from the upcoming film Me and Mr Jones on Natalee Island.[14] The band also announced that the album would be released alongside a comic book series with the same name, forming a story surrounding the main protagonist, Sinéad.[10]

On 4 December Sharon commented via their official website that they had recorded three upcoming promotional music videos within the course of a week.[15]

Members of Within Temptation giving an acoustic performance at Q Music studios

The band also revealed that, alongside the record and the comic book series, three short films were to be released prior to the album.

The first single, "Faster", had its worldwide radio première on 96.3 Rock Radio on 21 January 2011. This was followed by the release of its music video on 31 January, along with the first short film, Mother Maiden.[16] The band also announced that each of the remaining films would also accompany a band performance.[1] An album trailer, featuring a clip of the new song "In the Middle of the Night" was released on 17 January 2011.[17]

On 3 February 2011, the first English review of the album was published by a freelance journalist online via last.fm and his blog.[18][19] Still in February, members of Within Temptation were in Paris to promote their new album in France. A first French interview with Sharon Den Adel was published on Metal-Ways.com (in English).[9]

Sinéad, the second short film, was released on 21 March.[20] The accompanying music video was officially released on 10 June 2011 to promote the song's single, which was released on 15 July. The single differs from the others, as it includes four remixes of the track by four different dance producers.[21] The band also went to Germany to promote the single on Television.[22]

Lead vocalist Sharon den Adel during a concert in Rio de Janeiro.

The band commenced The Unforgiving Tour on 10 August at the Sziget Festival, Hungary, playing a selection of songs from The Unforgiving as well as some of their more popular tracks. At the Huntenpop Festival, Netherlands, The Unforgiving was played in its entirety, as well as some older songs. Within Temptation went on to perform at several more summer festivals, such as M'era Luna and Heitere Open Air, before commencing a North American Tour and an indoor European tour in the winter.[23][24]

On 22 September 2011, the band performed "Where is The Edge" and "Lost" at the première of Me and Mr Jones on Natalee Island during the 31st Netherlands Film Festival, where the three The Unforgiving short-films were screened.[25]

The final short film, Triplets, was released on 1 September 2011.[26]

On 20 December, the band released their new music video, Fire and Ice.[27]

To continue promoting the album, the band started a South American tour, passing over Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Peru and Ecuador. After that, the band went back to Europe to headline several of the biggest European summer festivals, such as Sonisphere, Masters of Rock, Rock Werchter, Summerbreeze and Gods of Metal.[28][29]

Reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source Rating
Metacritic 63/100[30]
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [31]
Big Cheese [32]
Classic Rock [33]
Kerrang! [34]
Metal Hammer [35]
Q [36]
Rocksound [37]
Sputnikmusic [38]

Reviews from critics have been mostly positive, with particular praise for den Adel's voice and the band's innovative capacity. Metal Marketing commented on its "change in pace," calling it a career "turning point," but adding that it is "one of the best albums... in a long time," giving it 9.5 out of 10.[19] UK punk, rock and metal magazine, Big Cheese, were also very positive, giving it 5 out of 5 and remarking, "Every song is glorious and frontwoman Sharon den Adel truly is the star of this spectacular show."[32]

Metal Hammer were less favourable, giving the album a lower score of 7 out of 10, noting that fans of their former Celtic sound and "metallic symphonic thunder" may be disappointed, although praising the band for being "exceptional songwriters" and their shift in style, creating "an apt thriller soundtrack without losing their trademark symphonic elements."[35] Classic Rock also gave it 7 out of 10, calling it "grandstanding stuff, multi-layered, complex and rich" as well as "overblown."[33] Allmusic gave it 3.5 out of 5, stating that it "doesn't come off bombastic or overwrought" and that the band lets "the songwriting rule supreme."[31]

Kerrang! were more negative, giving it a "good" score of just 3 out of 5 and deeming it "pretty unsatisfying," while conceding it to be "flawless and expertly crafted."[34] Q gave it just 1 out of 5, the album's lowest rating, labelling the band "the metal T'Pau."[36]

The album currently holds a score of 63 at the aggregate review site Metacritic, indicating "generally favourable reviews."[30]

The Unforgiving was voted fourth and ninth in Roadrunner Records' Album of the Year and Album of the Century polls respectively.[39][40] Metal Storm awarded the album third place on its best symphonic metal albums of 2011 list and seventh on the "biggest surprise" list.[41] It was also awarded fifth place in Loudwire's list of The Top 10 Rock Albums of 2011.[42] Merlin Alderslade, from Metal Hammer, placed the album at ninth position in his top ten albums of 2011.[43]

Track listing

Standard track listing
No. TitleLyricsMusic Length
1. "Why Not Me"  Sharon den Adel, Robert Westerholtden Adel, Westerholt 0:34
2. "Shot in the Dark"  den Adel, Westerholt, Daniel Gibsonden Adel, Westerholt, Gibson 5:02
3. "In the Middle of the Night"  den Adel, Westerholt, Gibsonden Adel, Westerholt, Gibson 5:11
4. "Faster"  den Adel, Westerholt, Gibsonden Adel, Westerholt, Gibson 4:23
5. "Fire and Ice"  den Adel, Westerholtden Adel, Martijn Spierenburg 3:57
6. "Iron"  den Adel, WesterholtWesterholt, Gibson 5:41
7. "Where Is the Edge"  den Adel, Westerholt, Gibsonden Adel, Westerholt, Gibson 3:59
8. "Sinéad"  den Adel, Westerholt, Gibson, Spierenburgden Adel, Westerholt, Gibson, Spierenburg 4:23
9. "Lost"  den Adel, Westerholt, Gibsonden Adel, Westerholt, Gibson 5:14
10. "Murder"  den Adel, Westerholt, Gibsonden Adel, Westerholt, Gibson 4:16
11. "A Demon's Fate"  den Adel, Westerholtden Adel, Gibson 5:30
12. "Stairway to the Skies"  den Adel, Westerholtden Adel, Spierenburg 5:32
Total length:
 53:42
German bonus track (Saturn edition)
No. TitleLyricsMusic Length
13. "The Last Dance"  Spierenburg, Westerholt, den AdelSpierenburg, Westerholt, den Adel 4:26
Total length:
 58:06
Polish bonus track
No. TitleLyricsMusic Length
13. "Utopia" (featuring Chris Jones)Gibson, den AdelGibson, den Adel 3:56
Total length:
 57:37
Japanese bonus tracks
No. TitleLyricsMusic Length
13. "I Don't Wanna"  Gibson, Westerholt, den AdelGibson, Westerholt 5:02
14. "Empty Eyes"  Gibson, WesterholtGibson, Westerholt 3:42
Total length:
 62:26
iTunes Deluxe Edition
No. TitleLyricsMusic Length
13. "I Don't Wanna"  Gibson, Westerholt, den AdelGibson, Westerholt 5:02
14. "The Last Dance"  Spierenburg, Westerholt, den AdelSpierenburg, Westerholt, den Adel 4:26
15. "Empty Eyes"  Gibson, WesterholtGibson, Westerholt 3:42
Total length:
 66:52
DVD track listing
No. Title Length
1. "Mother Maiden" (short film) 3:22
2. "Faster" (music video) 4:23
3. "Sinéad" (short film) 4:32
4. "Sinéad" (music video) 4:24
5. "Triplets" (short film) 5:19
6. "Shot in the Dark" (music video) 5:05
7. "The Making of "The Unforgiving""   20:56
8. "Where Is the Edge" (promo video) 4:56
9. "Utopia" (featuring Chris Jones) (music video) 3:50
10. "The Unforgiving: The Prequel Comic"   1:25
11. "Credits"   0:53
12. "Facebook Names"   12:06

The special DVD edition comes with a poster featuring the names of those who promoted the "Where Is the Edge" video on their Facebook page.[44]

The music and lyric credits were taken from booklet.

Personnel

Within Temptation
Additional musicians

Chart performance

Album

Chart (2011) Peak
position
Australian Albums Chart[45] 27
Austrian Albums Chart[45] 7
Belgian Albums Chart[45] 3
Canadian Albums Chart[46] 40
Czech Albums Chart[47] 4
Danish Albums Chart[45] 34
Dutch Albums Chart[45] 2
Finnish Albums Chart[48] 3
French Albums Chart[49] 19
German Albums Chart[50] 7
Greek Albums Chart[51] 12
Hungarian Albums Chart[52] 39
Irish Albums Chart[47] 87
Italian Albums Chart[47] 57
Japanese Albums Chart[53] 36
Mexican Albums Chart[54] 66
Norwegian Albums Chart[55] 25
Polish Albums Chart[56] 6
Portuguese Albums Chart[45] 3
Spanish Albums Chart[57] 16
Swedish Albums Chart[45] 7
Swiss Albums Chart[45] 9
UK Albums Chart[58] 23
U.S. Billboard 200[59] 50
U.S. Billboard Rock Albums[60] 14
U.S. Billboard Hard Rock Albums[60] 6
Chart (2012) Peak
position
Belgian Albums Chart[61] 110
Dutch Albums Chart[45] 93
Finnish Albums Chart[48] 42

Singles

Year Single Chart Position
2011 "Faster" Belgium Singles Chart[62] 20
Dutch Singles Chart[62] 11
German Singles Chart[63] 48
"Sinéad" Austrian Singles Chart[64] 37
German Singles Chart[65] 64

Year-end charts

Chart (2011) Position
Dutch Albums Chart[66] 27
Belgian Albums Chart[67] 40
German Albums Chart[68] 98

Certifications

Country Certification
(sales thresholds)
Poland Gold[69]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Faster & Mother Maiden short film | Within Temptation
  2. ↑ Revealing the “Sinéad” short film! | Within Temptation
  3. ↑ "Sinéad- JPC". Retrieved 2011-10-11.
  4. ↑ "TU Comic Unveiled at New York Comic Con". Retrieved 2011-10-11.
  5. ↑ "Introducing the 2nd Unforgiving comic: Penance, Part 2". Retrieved 2011-10-11.
  6. ↑ "TU comic, "Penance: part three"". Retrieved 2011-10-11.
  7. ↑ "Welcome to Facebook - Log In, Sign Up or Learn More". Facebook.com. Retrieved 2012-12-28.
  8. ↑ "Worldwide iTunes Song Chart Point Totals". Retrieved 2012-12-28.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 Metal Ways – Interview with Sharon Den Adel @ (Paris) 07.02.2011
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Within Temptation: next album
  11. ↑
  12. ↑ "Within Temptation – Interview @ Appelpop (Tiel) 13.09.2008". Metal Ways. Retrieved 2010-04-15.
  13. ↑ Sharon: Important news… | Within Temptation
  14. ↑ "Where is The Edge release". Retrieved 2011-07-17.
  15. ↑ Sharon: Three in one | Within Temptation
  16. ↑ "Faster release". Retrieved 2011-07-17.
  17. ↑ "The Unforgiving Trailer". Retrieved 2011-07-17.
  18. ↑ metalmarketing’s Journal – Within Temptation – "The Unforgiving" – Last.fm
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Within Temptation – The Unforgiving « MetalMarketing [dot] co [dot] uk
  20. ↑ "Within Temptation release "Sinead", second short film". 2011-03-21. Retrieved 2011-03-22.
  21. ↑ "Sinéad video clip and details". Retrieved 2011-07-17.
  22. ↑ "Within Temptation on German television". Retrieved 2011-08-30.
  23. ↑ "Within Temptation, Tour archive". Retrieved 2011-08-30.
  24. ↑ "Within Temptation, August festival tour". Retrieved 2011-08-30.
  25. ↑ "Me and Mr Jones première". Retrieved 2011-08-30.
  26. ↑ "Revealing the "Triplets" movie". Retrieved 2011-09-01.
  27. ↑ WTofficial (2011-12-20). "New Music Video: Fire And Ice". Within Temptation. Retrieved 2012-12-28.
  28. ↑ "On tour". Within Temptation. Retrieved 2012-12-28.
  29. ↑ "Tour archive". Within Temptation. Retrieved 2012-12-28.
  30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 "The Unforgiving Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 10 November 2011.
  31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 Prato, Greg (2011-03-25). "Allmusic review- 'The Unforgiving'". Retrieved 2011-03-25.
  32. ↑ 32.0 32.1 Within Temptation – The Unforgiving | Album Reviews | Big Cheese Magazine – punk, metal and rock music news, reviews, interviews and more
  33. ↑ 33.0 33.1 Wilding, Philip (May 2011). "Within Temptation- The Unforgiving". Classic Rock (157).
  34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 Travers, Paul (2011-03-26). "Within Temptation: The Unforgiving (Review)". Kerrang! (1356).
  35. ↑ 35.0 35.1 Wright, Holly (April 2011). "Within Temptation- The Unforgiving (Review)". Metal Hammer (216).
  36. ↑ 36.0 36.1 "Within Temptation: The Unforgiving". Q magazine (297). April 2011.
  37. ↑ Moorhouse, Giles (2011-03-30). "Rocksound: Within Temptation- The Unforgiving". Retrieved 2011-04-01.
  38. ↑ "Sputnik music: Within Temptation- The Unforgiving". 2011-03-25. Retrieved 2011-04-01.
  39. ↑ "The Unforgiving at Roadrunner Records Album of The Year". Retrieved 2011-12-08.
  40. ↑ "The Unforgiving at Roadrunner Records Albums of the century.".
  41. ↑ http://www.metalstorm.net/awards/archive.php?year=2011#cat247
  42. ↑ "Loudwire- Top 10 Rock Albums of 2011". Retrieved 2011-12-08.
  43. ↑ http://www.metalhammer.co.uk/top-posts/the-hammer-office-pick-their-top-ten-albums-of-2011/
  44. ↑ Revealing the “Sinéad” short film! | Within Temptation
  45. ↑ 45.0 45.1 45.2 45.3 45.4 45.5 45.6 45.7 45.8 "Unforgiving chart positions- Belgium, Netherlands, Australia, Sweden". Retrieved 2011-04-03.
  46. ↑ CANOE – JAM! Music SoundScan Charts
  47. ↑ 47.0 47.1 47.2 BLABBERMOUTH.NET – WITHIN TEMPTATION: More 'The Unforgiving' Chart Positions Revealed – Apr. 8, 2011
  48. ↑ 48.0 48.1 "Within Temptation: The Unforgiving". Retrieved 2011-04-07.
  49. ↑ "French albums chart- 2nd April 2011". Retrieved 2011-10-05.
  50. ↑ "MusikWoche – The Unforgiving" (in German). Retrieved 2011-04-09.
  51. ↑ Steffen Hung. "Greek charts portal". greekcharts.com. Retrieved 2012-12-28.
  52. ↑ "MAHASZ – Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége". mahasz.hu. Retrieved 2011-01-26.
  53. ↑ "WT Albums in Japan". Retrieved 2012-01-20.
  54. ↑ "Mexican top 100". Retrieved 2011-04-13.
  55. ↑ "Norway albums chart- week 13". Retrieved 2011-04-06.
  56. ↑ "Poland albums chart- 11 April 2011". Retrieved 2011-04-08.
  57. ↑ orkut – [CHARTS] The Unforgiving
  58. ↑ "Official UK Albums chart- 9 April 2011". Retrieved 2011-04-03.
  59. ↑ BLABBERMOUTH.NET – WITHIN TEMPTATION's 'The Unforgiving' Cracks U.S. Top 50 – Apr. 6, 2011
  60. ↑ 60.0 60.1 http://www.billboard.com/artist/431491/within+temptation/chart
  61. ↑ "Within Temptation - The Unforgiving". ultratop.be. Retrieved 2012-12-28.
  62. ↑ 62.0 62.1 "Faster- Dutchcharts.nl". Retrieved 2011-10-11.
  63. ↑ "German Singles Charts". Retrieved 2011-10-11.
  64. ↑ "Sinéad: Austrian Charts". Retrieved 2011-09-15.
  65. ↑ "Within Temptation: German Singles chart". Retrieved 2011-09-15.
  66. ↑ "Within Temptation: Year-end Dutch Charts". Retrieved 2012-01-02.
  67. ↑ "Within Temptation: Year-end Belgian Charts". Retrieved 2012-01-02.
  68. ↑ "Within Temptation: Year-end German Charts". Retrieved 2012-01-02.
  69. ↑ "Polish album awards, 2011". Retrieved 2011-10-23.