I’ve loved Within Temptation from the moment I heard The Unforgiving after which I purchased most of their back catalogue. So, when I found out they had a new album in the pipeline it was eagerly awaited. Resist, for me, is a fine example of what Within Temptation are about. All albums are different, but they always have that great symphonic metal sound!

With a five-year gap between albums, I found myself eagerly wondering what it would be like and I was not disappointed. There are driven guitars, keyboards, strings and choirs, all topped off by the beautiful and unmistakable voice of Sharon den Adel.

There were 3 or 4 tracks that particularly stood out for me on the album.

Particularly the track In The Reckoning (which was released as a single back in September). Jacoby Shaddix makes a guest appearance which adds to the quality of the song. Sharon and Jacoby’s voices sound very good together during the chorus and it makes for a brilliant track!

Firelight was a track originally written for Sharon’s solo project My Indigo but was seen as more suitable for Within Temptation. With Jasper Steverlinck on guest vocals, the song comes through great as a duet and their voices complement each other nicely.

In the track Mad World you have a great heavy mix that sounds great, with the male backing vocals in the chorus it gives it a great edge. The entire song is very catchy and definitely stood out for me!

Mercy Mirror was my favourite track on the album. It showcases Sharon den Adel’s vocal range beautifully with that stunning voice and is full of emotion. The use of the full band on the track gives a great musical backing to what is a wonderful song.

All in all this album is coming up on top for me right there with Hydra and The Unforgiving. After a break in recording Within Temptation are on top form and in summary it’s a great album of fantastic tunes that should be enjoyed by all!