LIVE REVIEW: Within Temptation @ Utilita Arena, Cardiff

The beginning of a new tour leg promises something new for each city whilst still presenting the excellence from the previous leg. Tours, especially massive headlining tours, have a lot of expectations behind them, and symphonic gothic metal band, WITHIN TEMPTATION are no exception. Descending onto the Welsh capital to begin the second leg of their European run of the Bleed Out tour, the Dutch band have a few tricks up their sleeve. However, originally they were meant to have Ukrainian rockers BLIND8 were also meant to support, the current situation in their home country meant they couldn’t make it to this date, leaving only German metallers ANNISOKAY as sole support. Would this hinder the overall show, or would both bands rise above and beyond to create a stellar show?

As the only support of the night due to unfortunate circumstances, ANNISOKAY had a lot of weight to pull to begin the show. So that’s what the group did, beginning the show exceptionally heavy and bassy, which was felt even at the back of the arena! Their set made the most of the stage space, with displays that accompanied each song brilliantly, and the performers showcased their talent all across the stage. This included the fantastic drumming skills on display, the brilliant breakdowns, and the incredible energy exuded from beginning to end. With a setlist that included an appearance from Sharon den Adel from tonight’s headliners, a cover of One Step Closer by LINKIN PARK, and a brilliant closer of STFU, it was certainly a great time overall. There were times when the displays were distracting from the main performers in front, sometimes overshadowing the musicians, and there was a sense that more could have been done, but it was a stellar effort in the end and a good effort from a great post-hardcore band.

Rating: 8/10

Then, the headliners of WITHIN TEMPTATION took to the stage, starting their jam-packed set in a bombastic and creative opening, with incredibly awe-inspiring visuals that added to the symphonic ambience the music delivered and started strong out of the gate. However, realising the visuals behind the band were created with AI dulls the effect, as it could have been so much more powerful if they had been created by a graphic designer or an animator instead of artificial intelligence.

Aside from that, it was evident the band still had incredible passion behind their performance. Whilst most of the songs on the setlist were from their latest album, Bleed Out, the set had a range of songs showcased, including two from as far back as 2000, Mother Earth and The Promise, with the latter seeing den Adel duet alongside special guest Tarja Turunen. 

On the topic of Tarja, the singer guested on a number of other songs throughout the set, including Paradise (What About Us?) and a cover of Tarja’s own song, I Feel Immortal. All these performances were met with exuberant and rapturous responses from the crowd. Everybody in the arena, from the floor to the balcony, took part in every aspect of the set. From lifting phones as torches to waving hands in motion with how Sharon directed, they were all active with what the band presented. This also included their support for BlLIND8 and the country of Ukraine with a performance of A Fool’s Parade. Joined by guest vocalist, Alex Yarmak, the band leveraged innovative tech once again by utilising a QR code visuals for the audience to support Ukraine, showcasing the power of their activism in the live environment.

Overall, despite one less band for the night, the gothic excellence exuded throughout the night, and was a special night for all to witness in Cardiff’s Utilita Arena. A brilliantly eclectic set that spans the breadth of their discography, WITHIN TEMPTATION truly kicked off this second leg of the European tour run with a bang and continued their near 30-year legacy strongly.

Rating: 9/10

Check out our photo gallery of the night’s action in Cardiff from Serena Hill Photography here: 

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