Masters of elegance, melodrama and symphonic grandeur, Within Temptation are not just one of the most distinctive and charismatic bands to emerge from the metal scene in recent times, but also one of European metal’s greatest success stories of the last decade. Formed in 1996 by guitarist Robert Westerholt and vocalist Sharon den Adel, ably assisted by bassist Jeroen van Veen, the Dutch quintet set out to create music that would strike a sublime balance between the bold, evocative sweep of cinema soundtracks and the brooding, gothic splendour of the finest dark-hued rock and metal of the modern age.
A well-kept secret in the Netherlands for the first few years of their existence, the band exploded into the mainstream spotlight across Europe upon the release of their second album, Mother Earth, in 2000. Since then, they have gone from strength to strength selling in excess of 3 Million CDs & DVDs with releases in 48 countries, receiving 30 Gold and Platinum awards and 4 Export Awards of the Netherlands as well 2 MTV European Music Awards, 2 World Music Awards and many more.
Completed by lead guitarist Ruud Jolie, keyboard maestro Martijn Spierenburg, bassist Jeroen van Veen and drummer Mike Coolen, the current Within Temptation line-up has experienced huge commercial success in their native country and elsewhere. Albums like 2004's The Silent Force and its sumptuous follow-up, 2007's The Heart Of Everything, have mesmerised an ever-expanding fan base, setting new standards for symphonic rock and metal along the way.
