If you've followed this blog for awhile, you likely know that my favorite genre tends to be symphonic metal/rock, namely Within Temptation. So you might want to take my review with the grain of salt due to my heavy bias towards it—but also, everyone I've discovered what bands they like and recommended this one to has liked it, as well. (In one case, to the shock of her children.)
First a little background on The Unforgiving: it's a concept album, based on a graphic novel. The main character is Sinéad ("Shin+aid", like first aid for your shin). Sinéad evidently made some bad choices in life, and at death she gets a chance to atone for her sins by hunting down evil spirits or something. (What info I have been able to figure out on the graphic novel is kinda sketchy.)
"Sinéad" is a little over halfway through the album, and seems to be someone pleading with Sinéad to hang on. Life has never been good for Sinéad, but now it looks like it actually might be getting better…
It opens with a delicate declaration to try to save Sinéad (I assume), which gains more layers and energy as things get more desperate and action becomes more urgent. Sharon Den Adel's vocals fit the emotion and fluctuating style perfectly, as usual. It's a gorgeous mix of gentle with with energetic pleading. I'd quote an example of where Sharon Den Adel's voice catches your attention on this one, but I'd end up quoting most of the song.
This is a definite metal song. (Not "heavy", mind you.) I consider the song alternative metal more along the lines of "The Howling" and "Frozen" from The Heart of Everything, while still containing a symphonic influence and epic tone, like Nightwish tends to produce.
Admittedly, iTunes calls the album gothic, and there is gothic influence in there, but whoever assigned the genre to The Unforgiving that needs to listen to some actual gothic music. This isn't. Not really. It's literary gothic, not music gothic.
Still, Within Temptation has been around longer than Evanescence, and they know what they're doing. Lots of practice, this band, and this song definitely has top-rate music for the genre.
Overall, a fantastic introduction to alternative metal with gothic and symphonic influences. However, if you don't like female vocals, songs about people who have had bad lives, or any type of militaristic beat whatsoever, you likely won't like it. I believe you'll be able to appreciate it for what it is, though.
Lyrics: 5/5
Music: 5/5
Vocal(s): 5/5
Overall: 10/10
Check out "Sinéad
PS.SQUEE!!! Within Temptation has announced that "Sinéad" will be their second single released from the album! Looking forward to the video!
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