Hottie of the Day: Sharon den Adel

Posted on September 26, 2016 by Arleigh

SHARON DEN ADEL

Today’s mini-trifecta of Sharon den Adel ends with her as the latest “Hottie of the Day.”

We started this trifecta with the latest “AMV of the Day” (Moonlight Requiem) with an anime music video using the Within Temptation song “See Who I Am” which she sings. Then followed up with the song itself as the latest “Song of the Day” (already profiled has been two past Within Temptation songs: “Faster” and “A Demon’s Fate”).

Now we have Sharon den Adel herself. She joins the other two metal songstress featured before with Simone Simons of Epica and Doris Yeh of Cthonic.

Sharon is not just a beauty, but a classically-trained mezzo-soprano which lends Within Temptation it’s overall melodic sound. She’s more than able to hold her own in the male-dominated heavy metal scene. She’s also one of the band’s main songwriters (her longtime partner Robert Westerholt being another) and an accomplished fashion designer. Her fashions lean toward the gothic and one can see her wearing any one of said designs onstage during their global tours.

Sharon den Adel is another example of the gems one can find in the raw and brutal world of metal.

PAST HOTTIES

Song of the Day: See Who I Am (by Within Temptation)

Posted on September 26, 2016 by Arleigh

Symphonic metal stalwarts Within Temptation was first introduced to me not by resident metal expert necromoonyeti, but through an anime music video first witnessed at Anime Expo 2010. The video was “Alchanum” and while the anime used, Fullmetal Alchemist, was entertaining enough it was the song used that hooked me in. That song and the latest “Song of the Day” is “See Who I Am” from Within Temptation’s full-length album The Silent Force.

From that moment forward I’ve been an ardent follower of Within Temptation. There’s just something about the melding of metal and that of an orchestral symphony that just makes perfect sense. I’m more than satisfied with the raw, brutal, speed and guttural melodies of what many outsiders consider heavy metal (how wrong they can be), but symphonic metal just does it for me.

And for those who think heavy metal (and all it’s many subgenres) are all about angry dues with long, unwashed hair or tatted up to no end should be surprised to see that Within Temptation’s singer is a classically-trained mezzo-soprano by the name of Sharon den Adel.

See Who I Am

Is it true what they say?
Are we too blind to find a way?
Fear of the unknown
Clouds our hearts today.

Come into my world,
See through my eyes.
Try to understand,
Don’t want to lose what we have.

We’ve been dreaming
But who can deny?
It’s the best way of living
Between the truth and the lies.

See who I am,
Break through the surface.
Reach for my hand,
Let’s show them that we can
Free our minds and find a way.
The world is in our hands,
This is not the end.

Fear is withering the soul
At the point of no return.
We must be the change we wish to see.

I’ll come into your world,
See through your eyes.
I’ll try to understand,
Before we lose what we have.
See who I am,
Break through the surface.
Reach for my hand,
And show them that we can
Free our minds and find a way.
The world is in our hands
This is not the end.

We just can’t stop believing
Because we have to try.
We can rise above their truth and their lies.

See who I am,
Break through the surface.
Reach for my hand,
Let’s show them that we can
Free our minds and find a way.
The world is in our hands.
See who I am,
Break through the surface.
Reach for my hand,
And show them that we can
Free our minds and find a way.
The world is in our hands.

This is not the end.

I hear their silence
Preaching my blame.
Will our strength remain
If their power reigns?

See who I am,
Break through the surface.
Reach for my hand,
And show them that we can
Free our minds and find a way.
The world is in our hands.
See who I am,
Break through the surface.
Reach for my hand,
And show them that we can
Free our minds and find a way.
The world is in our hands.

This is not the end.

AMV of the Day: Moonlight Requiem (Sailor Moon Crystal)

Posted on September 26, 2016 by Arleigh

It’s almost that time of the years when Through the Shattered Lens switches gears and goes into full dark fantasy and horror. While there will be the smattering posts that doesn’t dabble in all things dark and scary, it’s a month that’s become a yearly tradition and one that several writers on-site seem to enjoy. Though no one enjoys October at Through the Shattered Lens more than co-founder Lisa Marie Bowman. She’s the dark mother to all the writers at the site.

While it’s still not that month of darkness here’s a small taste of the sort of dark themes many of the posts will end up having during October.

The latest AMV of the Day comes courtesy of video creator Chiisus. The video manages to take the dark aspect of what too many outsiders to the anime scene as a light and kiddy cartoon: Sailor Moon Crystal.

This particular amv (anime music video) is titled Moonlight Requiem and combines the more dark fantasy side of Sailor Moon Crystal with the symphonic metal band’s Within Temptation and the melodic vocalizing of it’s frontman Sharon den Adel. The song chosen by Chiisus is one that many other amv creators have used in the past: “See Who I Am.” In fact, it’s the song to one of my all-time favorite anime music video: “Alchanum” by Rider4Z.

This time the song is used for Sailor Moon Crystal and, boy, if the song doesn’t fit in well with the scenes chosen for the video.

Anime: Sailor Moon Crystal

Song: “See Who I Am” by Within Temptation

Creator: Chiiisus

Past AMVs of the Day

Song of the Day: Faster (by Within Temptation)

Posted on June 2, 2012 by Arleigh

To help usher in the weekend I picked a new “Song of the Day” and this one comes from one metal band I’ve come to really enjoy listening to. The song I picked this time around is “Faster” by the Dutch symphonic/gothic metal band Within Temptation.

First off, this is the second time I’ve picked one of their songs for “Song of the Day.” A previous pick was “A Demon’s Fate” which also came from the same album as today’s pick and also one that was used on one of my favorite AMV in “Devil’s Game.” Just like that previous “Song of the Day” this latest pick of “Faster” was also used in a recent AMV that I had posted a couple months ago called “Fairytale of Lies”. Both songs make great use of the fast guitar tempo reminiscent of thrash meta that also makes use of some elements found in symphony orchestras to give the song that epic sound commonly found in power metal, but with a much more hard rock tempo.

“Faster” just takes off and soars from Sharon del Adel’s mezzo-soprano vocals that’s become the staple sound for most symphonic gothic metal bands. Sharon just belts out the lyrics like they’re coming out of the depths of Hell or coming down from the heights of Heaven. She’s not just a pretty face and with both “Faster” and “A Demon’s Fate” she’s proven to be one of the best female metal vocalists out there.

Faster

I can’t see, ’cause it’s burning deep inside
Like gasoline, a fire running wild
No more fear ’cause I’m getting closer now
So unreal, but I like it anyhow

I go faster and faster and faster and faster and faster and faster and faster

I can’t live in a fairy tale of lies
And I can’t hide from the feeling ’cause it’s right
And I go faster and faster and faster and faster for life
I can’t live in a fairy tale of lies

I can feel that you mesmerize my heart
I feel so free, I’m alive, I’m breaking out
I won’t give in ’cause I’m proud of all my scars
And I can see I’ve been wasting too much time

I go faster and faster and faster and faster and faster and faster and faster

And I can’t life in a fairy tale of lies
And I can’t hide from the feeling ’cause it’s right
And I go faster and faster and faster and faster for life
I can’t live in a fairy tale of lies

And I can’t live in a fairy tale of lies
And I can’t hide from the feeling ’cause it’s right
And I go faster and faster and faster and faster for life
And I can’t live in a fairy tale of lies

A fairy tale of lies

Song of the Day: A Demon’s Fate (by Within Temptation)

Posted on September 3, 2011 by Arleigh

My love for metal continues to grow with each new recommendation and post made by site music writer necromoonyeti. I will admit that outside of thrash I do gravitate towards the more power and symphonic subgenre of metal. This is why for the latest “Song of the Day” to end the day and usher in Sunday I’ve picked my favorite song from Dutch symphonic/gothic metal band Within Temptation’s latest album, The Unforgiving, which also was used by AMV creator Chiikaboom for her AMV, Devil’s Game. This song is “A Demon’s Fate”.

This song just comes at you right from the beginning like a soundtrack to some fantasy or urban gothic film. This is an appropriate response since the album was created as if the band was composing a soundtrack for a film. This album is a concept one and while it doesn’t hit and win big with every track in the end they’re all worth listening to and my ears leaned towards “A Demon’s Fate” the moment I heard it.

The gothic sound of the band in past album’s has been tempered somewhat to make way for an even more symphonic metal sound. In this song, frontwoman Sharon den Adel (she definitely blows up the misconception that women who front metal bands are not hot) just sings her heart out. Sharon definitely has some impressive vocals and lungs with some of the chorus she had to belt out. At times, her vocals almost overpower the power of the music behind her but luckily she never crosses that line.

While Within Temptation doesn’t have fantasy themes of Blind Guardian or the speed and rough edge of thrash bands like Metallica and Slayer, they do seem to be making their stand as symphonic metal’s premiere group and all thanks due to Sharon den Adel.

A Demon’s Fate

Too many times
Seeing the violence
It’s feeding my mind
No one is saving you
How can you find
A heaven in this hell?

Leave it behind
Hearing your silence
It screams our goodbye
Cannot believe it’s an eye for an eye
Love is gone to waste

Angels have faith
I don’t want to be a part of his sin
I don’t want to get lost in his world
And this playing this game

When the shadows remain in the light of day
On the wings of darkness he’ll retaliate
He’ll be falling from grace
Till the end of all his days

From the ashes of hate
It’s a cruel demon’s fate
On the wings of darkness
He’s returned to stay
There will be no escape
Cause he’s fallen far from grace

What have you done?
Is this what you wanted?
What have you become?
His soul’s not forsaken
You’re walking alone
From heaven into hell
Now that you know
Your way in this madness
Your powers are gone
Your chains have been broken
You’ve suffered so long
You will never change.

Angels have faith
I don’t want to be a part of his sin
I don’t want to get lost in his world
I’m not playing this game

When the shadows remain in the light of day
On the wings of darkness
He’ll retaliate
He’ll be falling from grace
Till the end of all his days

From the ashes of hate
It’s a cruel demon’s fate
On the wings of darkness
He’s returned to stay
There will be no escape
Cause he’s fallen far from grace

Angels have faith
I don’t want to be a part of his sin
I don’t want to get lost in his world
I’m not playing this game

When the shadows remain in the light of day
On the wings of darkness
He’ll retaliate
He’ll be falling from grace
Till the end of all his days

From the ashes of hate
It’s a cruel demon’s fate
On the wings of darkness
He’s returned to stay
There will be no escape
Cause he’s fallen far from grace