The Silent Force

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This article is about the Within Temptation album. For the Dutch band, see Silent Force. For the television series, see The Silent Force (TV series).
The Silent Force
File:Withintemptation-silentforce.jpg
Studio album by Within Temptation
Released 11 November 2004
29 August 2005 (UK)
Recorded 10 May–29 August 2004
Studio Wisseloord Studios, Hilversum
Sound Park Studios, Schiedam, Netherlands
ICP Studios, Brussels, Belgium
Studio #5 and Documentary Studio, Moscow, Russia
Genre Symphonic metal, folk metal
Length 46:34
Label GUN (Europe)
Roadrunner (rest of the world)
Producer Daniel Gibson, Stefan Helleblad
Within Temptation chronology
Mother Earth
(2000)Mother Earth2000		 The Silent Force
(2004)		 The Heart of Everything
(2007)The Heart of Everything2007
Singles from The Silent Force
  1. "Stand My Ground"
    Released: 17 November 2004
  2. "Memories"
    Released: 31 January 2005
  3. "Angels"
    Released: 13 June 2005
  4. "Jillian (I'd Give My Heart)"
    Released: 2005

The Silent Force is the third studio album by Dutch symphonic metal band Within Temptation, released on 15 November 2004, by GUN Records. This album is the first to feature Ruud Jolie on lead guitar, as well as Martijn Spierenburg on keyboards, after Martijn Westerholt had to leave the band due to illness.

It was released as three versions: a basic version with jewel case and no booklet; a standard version with jewel case and an eight page booklet; and a premium version as a digipak with luxury artwork, enhanced CD-ROM content and two bonus tracks (see below).

Only one week after its release, the album reached Gold status in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Finland.

On 5 August 2008, The Silent Force along with Mother Earth were released in the United States on Roadrunner Records.

Production and recording

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Plans for the band's third album came to fruition in 2004, with the release of The Silent Force on 15 November 2004, across Europe. It was produced by Daniel Gibson.

The band was present at several big European festivals.

In an interview on Buzznet, lead singer Sharon den Adel discussed the title of the album:

"The title of our latest album 'The Silent Force' is actually taken from the title of a book from the beginning of the 19th century from a Dutch writer (who lived in Indonesia when he was young) called Louis Couperus. All the songs on this album are in some way related to that book (or at least the title)."[1]

Release

In support of the release they embarked on another large international tour in 2005, with dates across Europe (including their first festival appearance in the United Kingdom headlining Bloodstock Open Air) and a one-off show in Dubai. "Stand My Ground" and "Memories", the first singles from the new album, continued the band's run of chart success in the Netherlands, culminating in a second Edison Award. The third single was "Angels". "Stand My Ground" was later to be promoted on the trailer for the film Blood and Chocolate. The band also provided some of the sound track to the videogame Knights of the Temple: Infernal Crusade, released in March 2005.[2] As of 2005, the album had already sold more than 400.000 copies only in Europe.[3]

In January 2006, Within Temptation won the Dutch Pop Prize (best Dutch pop contribution) and Dutch Export Prize (best-selling Dutch artist outside the Netherlands); the latter one given to them for the third time in a row. The band also reported that they would start playing at festivals starting in April, in addition to going on an international tour at the end of the year.[4] On 5 August 2008, The Silent Force was released in the US for the first time through Roadrunner Records.[5]

The following music videos were released to promote the album and the tour:

  1. "Stand My Ground"
  2. "Angels"
  3. "Memories"
  4. "Jillian (I'd Give My Heart)" (promo video for the DVD The Silent Force Tour)

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Blabbermouth.net 9/10 stars[6]
Lords of Metal 94/100[7]
Metal Storm 7.5/10 stars[8]
Lead vocalist Sharon den Adel during a concert of The Silent Force Tour.

The album earned positive reviews from critics and mixed reviews from fans. Critic Martin White from Blabbermouth.net gave the album a score of 9 out of 10 stars, stating that "amazingly enough, the thick instrumentation and Sharon's angelic delivery are never at odds with each other — a rare feat when it comes to music as complex and involved as Within Temptation's is." Although, the listeners rating from Blabbermouth earned a score of merely 6.5 stars out of 10.[6]

The webzine Lords of Metal was very positive and gave the album 94 out of 100, stating that the album is "one of the most outstanding cd’s of the year". The website also compared the album with the two previous albums Mother Earth and Enter allegating that "it lacks the variety of Enter or the finesse of Mother Earth – but it remains one of the best albums recorded on Dutch soil in the last ten years."[7]

A review coming from Metal Storm webzine was less positive, saying that it's just "a good album" and stating that the band "lost their magic in their new songs" in comparison with what the band did in their previous albums.[8]

Live history

Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. "Jillian (I'd Give My Heart)" was played in 2003 under the working title of "Orff", during the final year of the Mother Earth Tour. During The Silent Force Tour all songs, excluding "Pale", "It's the Fear" and "Somewhere" were played often, although "Pale" and "It's the Fear" were played a few times. "Somewhere" was played once during the tour; at the special show at Java Island, Amsterdam.

In The Heart of Everything World Tour in 2007, "See Who I Am", "Stand My Ground", "Forsaken", "Angels" and "Memories" were played often, with "Jillian (I'd Give My Heart)", "Aquarius", "It's the Fear" and "Somewhere" being played on select dates. During the second year of the tour, 2008, "Jillian (I'd Give My Heart)", "Stand My Ground", "Angels" and "Memories" were played often, with "See Who I Am", "Forsaken", "Aquarius" and "Somewhere" being performed on select dates. During the Theater Tour in 2008 and 2010, "Jillian (I'd Give My Heart)", "Stand My Ground", "Pale", "Angels", "Memories" and "Somewhere" were played on all shows.

At the start of The Unforgiving Tour in 2011, "Stand My Ground", "Angels" and "Memories" were played on most shows, with "Memories" being replaced by "Lost" and "Where Is the Edge" (from The Unforgiving) later on. "See Who I Am" joined the setlist half way through the tour, replacing "Deceiver of Fools" (from Mother Earth) at most shows. "Jillian (I'd Give My Heart)" and "Stand My Ground" were played during the Sanctuary Theater Tour in 2012.

When The Silent Force Tour started in 2004, one of the album's B-Sides, "A Dangerous Mind" was played at most shows. "Towards the End" was played at the show at Java Island, Amsterdam in 2005, and on the Theater Tour in 2008 and 2010. "The Swan Song" was played at the Black Symphony show in 2008, and on the Sanctuary Theater Tour in 2012, along with "Overcome" and "Say My Name".

Track listing

No. Title Lyrics Music Length
1. "Intro"     Martijn Spierenburg 1:58
2. "See Who I Am"   Sharon den Adel, Robert Westerholt Spierenburg 4:52
3. "Jillian (I'd Give My Heart)"   den Adel, Westerholt Spierenburg 4:47
4. "Stand My Ground"   den Adel, Westerholt Daniel Gibson, Han'some 4:26
5. "Pale"   den Adel, Westerholt Westerholt 4:28
6. "Forsaken"   den Adel, Westerholt Westerholt, den Adel 4:54
7. "Angels"   den Adel, Wetserholt Spierenburg, den Adel 4:00
8. "Memories"   den Adel, Westerholt den Adel, Spierenburg 3:51
9. "Aquarius"   den Adel, Westerholt Gibson, Han'some 4:47
10. "It's the Fear"   den Adel Westerholt 4:07
11. "Somewhere"   den Adel, Westerholt den Adel 4:14

Bonus tracks

Limited Edition versions videos

No. Title Length
1. "Stand My Ground"    
2. "Angels"    
3. "Photo gallery"    
4. "The Making of Stand My Ground"    
5. "Screen saver"    

Personnel

Band members

Additional musicians

  • Isaac Muller, Siard de Jong - Celtic instruments
  • Ego Works session orchestra conducted by Felix Korobov
  • Choir conducted by Konstantin Majorov

Production

  • Daniel Gibson - producer
  • Stefan Helleblad - additional production, engineer
  • Stefan Glaumann, Håkan Fredriksson, Ola Sonmark - mixing
  • Bjorn Engelmann - mastering
  • Ego Works - production and recording of the orchestra

Charts Performance

References

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  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Within Temptation – The Silent Force" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
  10. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Within Temptation – The Silent Force" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
  11. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Within Temptation – The Silent Force" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
  12. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Within Temptation – The Silent Force" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
  13. ↑ "Within Temptation: The Silent Force" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
  14. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Within Temptation – The Silent Force". Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
  15. ↑ "Officialcharts.de – Within Temptation – The Silent Force". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
  16. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Within Temptation – The Silent Force". Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
  17. ↑ "Portuguesecharts.com – Within Temptation – The Silent Force". Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
  18. ↑ "Spanishcharts.com – Within Temptation – The Silent Force". Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
  19. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Within Temptation – The Silent Force". Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
  20. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Within Temptation – The Silent Force". Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "FinlandWithin_TemptationThe_Silent_ForcealbumCertRef" defined multiple times with different content
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  29. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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