Within Temptation’s Sharon den Adel says next album will be darker, rawer and emotionally heavy

Within Temptation singer Sharon den Adel has given another glimpse of the band’s upcoming studio album, describing a darker, more emotionally intense direction than the group’s previous release, 2023’s “Bleed Out”.

Speaking in an interview with Czech broadcaster ÓČKO, den Adel suggested the record would be heavy in a different way, possibly drawing less on metalcore influences while embracing a rawer approach. She said both personal experiences and the state of the world were shaping the emotional character of the material.

The singer also explained that Within Temptation do not want to use artificial intelligence to write their music. Instead of removing every imperfection, the band are interested in recording performances that retain the human mistakes and spontaneous qualities often polished away in modern production.

Den Adel’s comments are consistent with the group’s earlier hints that their next album will explore a substantially different musical direction. In previous interviews, she has talked about experimenting with sounds outside the band’s usual comfort zone and trying approaches they have not used before.

While the direction is becoming clearer, there is still no confirmed title or release date for the album. The new comments concern music that the band have continued developing rather than an announced finished release.

The band’s last album, “Bleed Out”, arrived in October 2023 and marked a period in which political and international events were prominent subjects in the lyrics. Den Adel has indicated that the next record will continue to engage with difficult emotions, though not necessarily in the same style.

Within Temptation is a symphonic metal ensemble originating from the Netherlands, established in April 1996 by vocalist Sharon den Adel and guitarist Robert Westerholt. The band has been categorized within various musical genres, with critics acknowledging their innovative approach and musical adaptability.

Following the release of their inaugural album, “Enter” (1997), which maintained a foundation in gothic metal, Within Temptation gained significant recognition within the Dutch underground music scene. Their breakthrough into mainstream awareness occurred in 2001 with the single “Ice Queen” from their second album, “Mother Earth”, which attained the second position on the Dutch music charts.