Wednesday

"Ice Queen" by Within Temptation from Mother Earth

"Haven't you seen the ruins of our world" when winter grips the world—er, hemisphere—by storm? "Ice Queen" personifies winter as a harsh queen, set on destroying the world for as long as she can grasp it.

Here I go, reviewing an old song I really like. But "Ice Queen" is what made Within Temptation popular (less in the US than elsewhere, sadly), back in 2000. (And possibly where Evanescence got some of its inspiration from, actually.)

"Ice Queen" was the band's second single from their second album, (the first single, the touching ballad "Our Farewell", didn't do nearly as well, nor did their first album, Enter). It was the band's first #1 hit single and is one of their signature songs to this day. They play it at every concert.

Take some stringed instruments, combine them with a heartbeat, piano, and standard rock instruments. Add an echo-y electronic sound and what sounds like a possible french horn (or at least some brass instrument)—and overall epic feel and sound, and it's a small wonder this song became such a hit. The acoustic version, with piano and guitar—and several members of the violin family, yay!—is every bit as lovely.

But "Ice Queen" is definitely a rock song. If you don't like hard beats (though the song does vary that, when appropriate in the song), you won't like the song. But it's worth listening to just to hear how the elements fit together—because it's definitely a symphonic metal sound, but it sounds epic and like it would fit a fantasy movie at the same time.

Sharon Den Adel's voice mostly helps you like the song, too. The regular version she sings with her usual clear soprano that adds to the song's epic feel, though some music folks complain that she hits a few false notes. The acoustic version, she sings in a rougher alto, but it still has its soprano moments. (This is actually the song I was singing when I finally figured out how to sing soprano on purpose.)

The acoustic version is worth listening to just to see how much Sharon Den Adel can control and adjust her voice. Some singers can vary their style, but they can't jump from style to style within a song without accidentally smudging them. Sharon Den Adel can. (So can Kelly Clarkson, but that's a topic for another review.)

Lyric-wise, the song's a poetic tribute to winter as a destructive queen. "Ice Queen" is one of two songs that Within Temptation has written, so far, that includes the word hell. Like that other one, ("The Howling"), hell is an adjective, not an expletive.

I'm not calling this song perfect, but this song has a lot to appreciate about it if you're willing to give it a shot. (Except the music videos. Those are kinda a waste of time to watch unless you're more of a Within Temptation junkie than I am.)


Lyrics: 5/5
Music: 5/5
Vocal(s): 5/5
Overall: 10/10

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