Many fans who have seen Within Temptation in the U.S., Europe, Japan, South America, and other places will probably agree. Others who haven’t been fortunate enough to see the band live wish they could. However, Within Temptation’s newest release is the perfect opportunity to relive or imagine what their shows are like – and then have all those perceptions blown out of the water.

The "Black Symphony" concert was recorded on February 7, 2008, in front of a sold-out crowd (11,000+ fans) at The Ahoy in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. What made this show so special was that it was Within Temptation’s highly-anticipated collaboration with the Dutch Metropole Orchestra and the Pa’Dam Choir. In other words, it was the ultimate Within Temptation concert, and a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see and hear their music completely come to life.

The contents of the "Black Symphony" CD/DVD vary, depending on where you live. Here are the contents of the U.S. version

The DVD: "Black Symphony" Concert

The concert begins with "Overture," an intro composed by Jules Buckley, conductor of the Metropole Orchestra. This sweeping piece matches the cinematic quality of Within Temptation’s music and sets the tone for the rest of the show. Once the band steps onstage, it’s symphonic rock/metal with no holds barred. From the slow-building "Jillian (I’d Give My Heart)" all the way to the always crowd-pleasing "Ice Queen," the live blending of classical elements and driving guitars and drums is as lush and robust as it sounds on CD. In fact, some songs sound better this way. "Mother Earth" is even more thunderous, while "The Heart of Everything" has a breathtaking Transylvanian vibe. Other highlights include "Hand of Sorrow," "The Other Half (of Me)," "The Promise," and "The Truth Beneath the Rose" – just to name a few. Some of the Metropole performers get their time to shine as well, such as the flutist in "Mother Earth" and the harpist in "Stand My Ground" and "Deceiver of Fools."

Halfway through the show is a lovely acoustic set that provides some of the quieter moments. Sharon delivers an emotional rendition of "Forgiven," with keyboardist Martijn Spierenberg on the piano. The low-key version of "Somewhere" is also quite pretty, with the warm harmonies of Anneke van Giersbergen (ex-The Gathering, Agua de Annique) gently complimenting Sharon’s high notes.

Other guest performers from that night include Keith Caputo (for the embattled duet, "What Have You Done?"), ex-Orphanage grunter George Oosthoek ("The Other Half (of Me)"), and angel-esque stilt walkers of the Close-Act Street Theatre ("Angels").

Sharon’s voice is the only part of "Black Symphony" that’s a bit off. She sounds thinner and less versatile than usual. However, during one of the DVD extras, she explains that she was ill just days before the concert, and her voice was affected as a result. Despite that, Sharon still gives the fans her all, dancing and pumping her fist in the air and singing without being drowned out by the strings and choirs – definitely a performance that’s still worth applauding.

Aside from the music, the elaborate set at The Ahoy adds to the majestic feel of the show. There are catwalks on both sides of the stage, glowing torches in the back, and three huge video screens – with the middle screen showing spectacular video and computer animations as well as clips from Within Temptation’s music videos. The lighting matches the colors and moods of each song, and all sorts of pyrotechnics fire up (no pun intended) the crowd even more.

DVD Extras

Backstage Report is a light-hearted, behind-the-scenes look at the concert. Dutch MTV veejay Dennis Weening talks with band members before and after the show as well as Jules Buckley, members of the Metropole Orchestra, and even some of fans as they wait outside in the cold. Some moments from this extra are quite funny (especially Dennis enjoying sausage and sauerkraut), so make sure to watch this!

Documentary gives fans the chance to learn more about the band and how the idea for "Black Symphony" came to be. Sharon also touches on her passion for designing clothes and how some of her favorite outfits were created.

Countdown to Black Symphony shows footage of the last ten hours leading up to the concert. It seems a bit redundant after watching the other two extras, but viewers can still feel the excitement and "pre-show jitters" build up as the clock ticks down to showtime.

One thing that owners of the U.S. "Black Symphony" will need to keep in mind is that most of the talking is in Dutch. There is a Settings option in the main DVD menu that allows viewers to select English subtitles, but they will need to do this every time they watch the concert or one of the extras. It’s a little inconvenient, but at the same time it’s quite interesting to hear the band members talk in their native language.

The CD: Select songs from "Black Symphony" concert

The U.S. "Black Symphony" CD features half of the concert setlist, favoring songs from their two most recent albums (including all their singles except "Memories" and, surprisingly, "Ice Queen") and skipping most of the longer and older songs. It’s a decent, compact way of summarizing the concert, although "The Howling" feels like it’s almost been taken over by a marching band. When watching the DVD, though, most fans will be too busy indulging in all the visual delights and the band’s rocking enthusiasm to notice any of the quirks they may hear on the CD.

And those quirks are just minor when considering the entire package – because "Black Symphony" is truly a thrilling chapter of Within Temptation’s history that all fans should witness. It’s dynamic, vibrant, and moving – exactly what the band’s live presence is all about. It’s also the perfect way for fans to satiate their appetites until their next Within Temptation show.

Or, if they can’t wait that long, they can still watch "Black Symphony" over and over again.

Note: As mentioned earlier, this review covers the U.S. release of "Black Symphony." Other regions have released different versions of both the DVD and the CD. For more information on all versions of "Black Symphony,"visit the Discography section of:

www.within-temptation.com

10 / 10