Search - Within Temptation :: An Acoustic Night at the Theatre

Gorgeous, warm and intimate...

Amanda | Dallas, Texas | 12/15/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I wasn't sure how I felt when Within Temptation announced the release of An Acoustic Night at the Theatre -yet another live album with alternative versions of previous songs. After hearing these songs on albums and live on Black Symphony, I wasn't sure if I wanted to hear more of the same. I decided to try it out because I'm a hardcore WT fan -and was relatively happy with what I found.



Even though An Acoustic Night at the Theatre features songs we've all heard before, the acoustic spin was surprisingly enjoyable and gave songs a warmer, more intimate feel. I actually felt like I had some time to breath here, as opposed to Black Symphony, which was non-stop high-octane action from start to finish. An Acoustic Night at the Theatre also allowed for Sharon to show off just how beautiful her raw voice is (before studio production) and re-focus the energy of WT on her pure, angelic vocals.



I was, though, a little surprised (and slightly disappointed) by the track list here. Many of the songs chosen translated far too easily to acoustic since they were already slower paced, such as "Memories," "Forgiven," "Frozen," "The Cross" and "All I Need." I admit that I have to forgive the selection of "Somewhere" because I loved this version even more than the Black Symphony one -despite the fact that Anneke's vocals were recorded. Something about it just felt warmer to me -stronger and more sincere.



Other songs took a greater risk. For example, "What Have You Done" was very interesting to hear acoustically; while "Caged" was a bold and strangely engaging choice (even though it sounds so completely different) and "Stand My Ground" just seemed to lose its punch (part of what I originally liked about this song was the power behind it).



The only truly new item here is "Utopia," which was also released as a single. "Utopia" features a duet between Sharon and guest vocalist Chris Brown. While Sharon sounds as gorgeous as always, I wasn't too excited about the song -it just didn't have a unique sound to it and I found it to be kind of flat.



Generally, this CD is best for hardcore WT fans. While the songs sound a little warmer and more intimate (and are kind of a nice break after Black Symphony), they wouldn't appeal much to casual listeners or those who are new to the band or genre (I suggest going right to The Heart of Everything for these folks). But I have to admit -Sharon sounds like an opera angel here and her voice is mesmerizing."

Beautiful

Cody R. Powell | Ogden, Ut | 12/29/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I love this album. It is warm, sincere, and powerful. The acoustic guitars and orchestral arrangements stand out and are in the spotlight like never before. This shows them in a more of a relaxed warm light and it is refreshing to hear it without the electric guitars. We get to see the background of the songs up close and personal in an intimate set, while in the studio albums it all blends together. Both approaches to the Within Temptation music are great, just different, and I believe this is why they have released this live cd.



I can understand reviewers saying that the songs on here are somewhat the same on their live dvd 'Black Symphony' and that they could have picked a different song line up. I understand this, but honestly what is the problem here? They picked songs from all three ablums, 'Mother Earth,' 'Silent Force,' and 'The Heart of Everything.' This acoustic album has 6 out of 12 songs that are not on 'Black Symphony.' Count them, that's half of the songs and the rest are the band's popular songs, give them a break will ya? Also part of it is a question on whether the band put out too much live material in between the studio albums. I personally don't think so. Also why are reviewers saying it's a problem to play a song that is acoustic based in an acoustic set??



If people are going to compare this to 'Black Symphony' lets get something straight. 'Black Symphony' is great but has an entirely different feel from this album. One it's a huge live concert, two it's an entire symphony backing the band, three the crowd is very loud, and four the band is under considerable pressure and the vocals are less than perfect. On the other hand 'An Acoustic Night at the Theater' is inimately focused and well recorded. Sharon's vocals are wonderfully precise, the orchestral arrangements able to be heard clearly and distinctly without blaring noise, (which happens at live rock shows, that's why acoustic sets are different) and there is very little noise from the respectful crowd (which I am thankful for).

I am not saying that 'An Acostic Night at the Theater' is better than 'Black Symphony,' I am saying that they are both different and shine in their unique ways.

This album brought tears to my eyes. I highly recommend it."

Beautiful album

John Thornburgh | San Diego, California | 12/05/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I ordered this CD from the Netherlands, but fortunately it will soon be out in the US. This is a great performance by Within Temptation. The new acoustic arrangements are fun to listen to, and they allow Sharon's incredible vocals to stand out even more. Also, WT manages to retain their trademark power and drama using orchestral instruments instead of electric guitars. My favorite songs are the new versions of Caged and The Cross."