Within Temptation Share Vampire-Horror Video "Ritual"

Dutch metallers Within Temptation follow the release last week of their brand-new studio album Bleed Out with a provocative, zombie-vampire-gore-fest-splatter-horror video for their current single "Ritual," just in time for Halloween. 

Watch it below..

Brutal and brilliantly comedic, whilst calling to mind the work of legendary animator Ralph Bakshi and the Rotoscope school of animation, the video for "Ritual" calls out the behaviour of male sexual predators in the workplace, the street, the sports field, and more. What if women behaved as agressively as the men who seek to take advantage of them, and what if they fought back to exact a terrible revenge?

Singer Sharon den Adel says, "'Ritual' is a sexual song, about seduction and a woman taking power in a male-dominated world. It was inspired by watching Tarantino's movie From Dusk Til Dawn and is a light-hearted moment in our album, which focuses mainly on the political and repressive issues in the world. We have always wanted to do a horror-style video for Halloween, and this song gave us the perfect chance to do that, using AI-technology to create something truly awe-inspiring. But it also addresses some of the recent news-stories of men behaving badly and imagines what would happen if a bad-ass woman fought back in the most terrible way. So get ready for blood, violence, fangs, and humor. Happy Halloween to you all!"

The album Bleed Out has been released to worldwide acclaim, showcasing Within Temptation at the very forefront of contemporary metal, and unafraid to take a social and political stand on many of the issues in the world today. As epic as it is unflinchingly outspoken, Within Temptation have delivered a fist-in-the-air proclamation of both their moral convictions and their fearless approach to music.

RECENT PRESS:

"As massive in scale and as cinematic as any Within Temptation record, Bleed Out sees the Dutch sextet continue to traverse the land of darkness, melancholy and power, but to an even greater extent: it's undoubtedly the band's heaviest record to date, both lyrically and musically" — 9/10 Metal Hammer

"Their most daring, outspoken offering to date" — Kerrang

"Bleed Out is a triumph. The sound of a band magnificently balancing the symphonic leanings that won them an army of fans in the first place, [with] this contemporary, diamond hard edge, without sacrificing any fragment of accessibility." — Metal Talk

The band have just announced a huge arena tour of Europe for autumn 2024. It tour starts in October 2024 with shows at legendary venues such as London’s Wembley Arena (UK), Lotto Arena in Antwerp (BE), Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam (NL) and Adidas Arena in Paris (FR). 

WITHIN TEMPTATION IS:
Sharon den Adel — Vocals
Mike Coolen — Drums
Stefan Helleblad — Guitars
Ruud Jolie — Guitars
Martijn Spierenburg — Keyboards
Jeroen van Veen — Bass Guitars
Robert Westerholt — Guitars

Within Temptation Share New Track "Ritual" — LISTEN

BAND TO RELEASE NEW ALBUM BLEED OUT ON OCTOBER 20

Dutch metallers Within Temptation have released their brand-new single "Ritual" today. The song is the focus track of their upcoming eighth studio album Bleed Out, on October 20.

Reflecting the tumultuous state of the world, for their newest record the band have drawn inspiration from events such as the murder of Mahsa Amini in Iran and the war in Ukraine. But that isn't to say that there's no light to the heavy shade on Bleed Out. 

Sharon den Adel explains that the song "is one of the kinkiest songs the band have ever written and is fully inspired by From Dusk Till Dawn." She is referring to the iconic movie by Quentin Tarantino about a seemingly normal road trip turning into a vampire slayer party. "It's a fun track about seduction," she explains. "It's about the lady taking power in a male dominated world and taking her own initiative."

Listen to "Ritual" below.

Bleed Out signifies a bold leap forward for the band. From contemporary, hard-hitting, and djenty riffs to soaring melodies displaying their symphonic roots, Within Temptation have created a sonic journey that fuses diverse musical styles and thought-provoking themes. This is an album that is as epic as it is unflinchingly outspoken, and now more than ever, this is a band who is unafraid to make a stand on issues it cares about. Within Temptation have delivered a fist-in-the-air proclamation of both their moral convictions and their fearless approach to music.

WITHIN TEMPTATION IS:
Sharon den Adel — Vocals
Mike Coolen — Drums
Stefan Helleblad — Guitars
Ruud Jolie — Guitars
Martijn Spierenburg — Keyboards
Jeroen van Veen — Bass Guitars
Robert Westerholt — Guitars

Within Temptation Announce New Album "Bleed Out" + Share Title Track — LISTEN

Bleed Out signifies a bold leap forward for the band. From contemporary, hard-hitting, and djenty riffs to soaring melodies displaying their symphonic roots, Within Temptation have created a sonic journey that fuses diverse musical styles and thought-provoking themes. This is an album that is as epic as it is unflinchingly outspoken, and now more than ever, this is a band who isn't afraid to make a stand on issues the members care about.

Since the start of the war in Ukraine, Within Temptation have shifted their focus from writing about personal emotions and societal subjects to tackling global injustices and reflecting the tumultuous state of the world in a way that other artists seem unable or unwilling to do.

Vocalist Sharon den Adel states, "The war in Ukraine has influenced us a lot. As artists we are inspired by the world, and we have this platform. We are storytellers, and I think as human beings, these are things we should be talking about."

Whilst songs such as "Wireless" and "We Go To War" examine the authoritarian aggression on display in Ukraine and other warzones, the title track itself addresses the plight of women fighting for their rights in Iran after the murder of Mahsa Amini. 

den Adel explains, "I lived in Yemen when I was a kid. My parents lived in several countries in the Middle East, and I've visited them a lot when they were there. It's a different world. Due to my time there, I feel connected to that part of the world. I've been so incredibly impressed by the bravery of the young women there who've been burning their scarves knowing they were going to be thrown in prison or worse — it's heartbreaking." 

The album also grapples with the complex issues around a woman's right to choose in recent single "Don't Pray For Me" and throughout, this impassioned and political focus is reflected in the intensity and heaviness of the music. Embracing a new era of musical exploration and lyrical depth, Within Temptation have pushed boundaries and showcased their artistic evolution, delivering a fist-in-the-air proclamation of both their moral convictions and their fearless approach to music. 

Imbued with a vast dynamic range that plumbs the full depth of symphonic heaviosity, Bleed Out is as exuberantly heavy as it is politically profound.

For further details and to pre-order the album here. 

Bleed Out will be released in multiple physical formats and across all streaming via Within Temptation's own label Force Music Recordings in a joint venture with Bertus Distribution for worldwide distribution and Amped Distribution for the U.S. and Canada. 

Within Temptation Share New Single "Wireless"

After appearing in 2022 as Iron Maiden's special guest during their North American Tour and embarking on their highly anticipated "Worlds Collide Tour" – a massive European co-headline tour together with Evanescence and for which they've sold close to 200,000 tickets, 2023 is set to be even a bigger year for WITHIN TEMPTATION.

The brand new single "Wireless," out today, marks the start of the countdown to the much-anticipated release of their eighth studio album, due later this year.

Listen to "Wireless" here. Watch the AI video below

A fiery and heavy song, "Wireless" marks the start of a new era for the band — one in which they keep their DNA alive but build even further upon their acclaimed sound with powerful riffs, contemporary breakdowns, and epic choruses. Lyrically, the band is also unafraid to tackle a number of important political and social issues that exist in the world today, and this single takes aim at those who, hungry for war and turmoil, manipulate and control the media. 

Sharon den Adel says, "'Wireless' is a song about a soldier who goes to war convinced that he is going for a good cause. He's indoctrinated by government-controlled media and thinks he's going to be welcomed back as a savior, only to find out he has been used. This has resulted in people seeing him as a brutal conqueror instead and now, he finds himself on the wrong side. His life and the lives of many are deceived and destroyed."
 
"Wireless" is set to be become an instant fan favorite and hopefully will feature in the band's forthcoming festival appearances across Europe this summer, including a long-awaited return to Download Festival in the UK on June 9 and Download Festival Germany on June 23, as well as Hellfest in France on June 17.
 
Be prepared — a new Within Temptation album is coming… and a whole lot more!

Within Temptation Launch Comic Book Series

PRE-ORDER NEW WITHIN TEMPTATION COMIC BOOK

WITHIN TEMPTATION BRING THEIR SWEEPING STORYTELLING TO COMICS WITH A NEW SERIES

Acclaimed symphonic metal band tackle the rise of AI with Opus Comics

Symphonic metal band Within Temptation are bringing their unique vision of the future to comic audiences with a brand new series from Opus Comicsbased on their 2019 album Resist and 2021 virtual concert Aftermath.

Set in the distant future, an endless battle rages between two species — an advanced but inherently humanoid species ruled by a techno-organic matriarch on one side, and a cruel race of alien artificial intelligences on the other. Multiple stories collide to paint a sweeping portrait of the matriarch's life and her struggle to balance what she was created to be with the impossible forces that shape her.

In order to bring this story to the comic book page, the band have teamed up with acclaimed YA author Marieke Nijkamp and heavy metal artist Montos to flesh out their dystopian world.

"The Purge cover star GENESIS has come to life on our stage and in different merchandise designs, and now she will be taking you on the biggest quest of her life — in both our next album as well as in our comic book series," says vocalist and co-founder Sharon den Adel, "Teaming up with Opus for this seemed like the logical decision, as they are a heavyweight in creating comic books and only work with the best designers and storytellers. We can't wait to show you the final result! We hope you'll enjoy it as much as we do!"

The first issue will be available in a limited-edition print run featuring an exclusive numbered foil cover by Agustin Alessio (Star Wars, Avengers, Thor: God of Thunder) direct from Incendium Online, with a newsstand edition in comic stores this May for wide retail release.

"The symphonic splendour of Within Temptation has always transported listeners to other worlds, and experiencing those songs supported by the incredible set design of recent stage shows and virtual performances presented a wonderful opportunity to explore their futuristic vision with an all new narrative," adds Incendium and Opus Comics founder Llexi Leon. "Today, the battle against AI is suddenly a very real topic, particularly for artists and other creatives, which is reflected in the story of the matriarch and her struggle."

Within Temptation #1 is the first in a three-part mini-series at 40 pages long, and is solicited in Diamond Comic Distributors' March PREVIEWS catalogue for May release at Opus Comics' signature $6.66 price point. Fans can also buy a numbered limited-edition version of the book with foil treatment directly here.

ABOUT WITHIN TEMPTATION:
Legendary leaders of dark anthemic music, with a career spanning two decades and with seven studio albums under their belt — Enter [1997], Mother Earth[2000], The Silent Force [2004], The Heart of Everything [2007], The Unforgiving [2011], Hydra [2014], and RESIST [2019]: all accounting for more than four million record sales to their name —Within Temptation are a genuine force to be reckoned with. Simply, they are one of the world's most successful heavy rock groups. In 2020 and 2021, the band released "Entertain You," "The Purge," and "Shed My Skin," singles that all peaked in the Top 20 of the US Billboard Mainstream Rock Indicator Charts and topped the official German charts. The band's work has received numerous international awards, including a World Music Award, MTV Europe Music Awards, a Metal Hammer Award, and many more.  

ABOUT OPUS COMICS:
Opus Comics was founded in 2021 by writer and creative director Llexi Leon, launching with over a dozen comic book titles based on some of the world's best-known music-related IP including Bill and Ted: Roll the Dice, Frank Frazetta's Death Dealer, and Evanescence: Echoes from the Void. Opus Comics is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Incendium, a full-spectrum creative and production house with comics, merchandising, interactive, and animation divisions.

ABOUT INCENDIUM:
Founded in 2006, Incendium is a multi-faceted production company known for an array of animation, comic books, toys, and video games. Driven by our team's passion for Myths, Monsters, and Metal, the brand embraces '80s and '90s counterculture with a contemporary twist.

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