By Jillian Locke

Capturing performances from their November 2008 theatre tour, Within Temptation present their acoustic hymns via Roadrunner Records on their December 2009 release, An Acoustic Night at the Theatre. The 12 tracks, including collaborations with Life Of Agony’s Keith Caputo, The Gathering’s Anneke van Giersbergen, and British vocalist Chris Jones, project a lullaby of polished, swooning operatic symphonies.

The songs are so polished, in fact, that sometimes the only indication that these songs were recorded live is the sound of the crowd clapping at the culmination of each track. All the same, top-notch live work. Vocalist Sharon den Adel is a siren reincarnated, luring legions of entranced listeners into melodic bliss.

“Toward the End” opens the collection with a simple, haunting harp arrangement, the voice of a distant, ancient call in the background. Stellar opener, representing the breadth of the album in one track: hypnotic melodies, brief, aggressive pick-ups which dip just as quickly into oblivion, and heart-wrenching violin work that threatens to yank the still beating organ away from its mortal coil.

Giersbergen lends her serenely sweet tones to “Somewhere,” where the two sopranos paint a starry night-background dripping in soaring vocal harmonies; a deeper pitch would have rounded out the sound, but the two delicate, yet profoundly strong higher octaves stand their ground. Caputo joins in on “What Have You Done,” showcasing the softer, post-River Runs Red vocal styling he’s become so adept with. Staples such as “Stand My Ground,” “Caged,” and “The Cross” and “Pale” round out the collection, and the last track, “Utopia,” featuring Jones, is the sole representative of new material on the album. The closing tune not only continues Within Temptation’s spiritual and soul-seeking mission, but continues in a softer, and dare say, more poppy vein.

While Within Temptation can be soft in their plugged in approach, the acoustic adaptations cast a light onto an even softer underbelly of the Dutch gathering, bringing the fairy tale essence that emanates from the band into a bright clearing and their musical journey through spirituality and quest for truth to a new apex.
www.myspace.com/withintemptation, www.within-temptation.com/