Within Temptation's ministories often blow me away. I've always suspected fantasy leanings in the songs, though I'm hopeless enough with symbolism that I could never be sure that songs like "Angels" and "Forsaken" weren't just metaphorical.
"Hand of Sorrow" brings the fantasy element to fore in a tale reminiscent of the old stories of nobodies with mystical powers. The story is of one such nameless orphan who swore fidelity to the crown as a child, little realizing the ruler's wickedness until too late. Now an adult, he's trapped in serving the crown's wishes even as it builds "a noble land of lies." He's further torn between his honor in the oath and the woman he loves, and he cannot have both.
Sharon Den Adel demonstrates her masterful control of her voice in "Hand of Sorrow", as she does on much of the new album The Heart of Everything. Her Dutch accent appears a bit in the lower register; noticeable, but entirely understandable. She uses the heights of her voice to accent the song, producing a song that's both rock and beautiful.
Numerous layers flow together in the song, the slow beat hastened by a second layer. Each individual element sounds like it could be separated from the song and still be thought attractive. The composite result sounds even prettier than the individual sections, bringing the old times of knights and castles to mind despite the very modern music.
"Hand of Sorrow" is one of my favorite songs that I've heard from The Heart of Everything.
Music: 5/5
Vocal(s): 5/5
Overall: 10/10
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