Within Temptation - Bleed Out (2023)

Within Temptation - Bleed Out (2023)

Tracklist front / back album covers

Bleed Out (Standard Edition)

1. "We Go to War"   4:19

2. "Bleed Out"   4:30

3. "Wireless"   4:41

4. "Worth Dying For"   4:53

5. "Ritual"   3:36

6. "Cyanide Love"   4:04

7. "The Purge"   4:16

8. "Don't Pray for Me"   3:41

9. "Shed My Skin" (featuring Annisokay)   4:30

10. "Unbroken"   5:08

11. "Entertain You"   3:31

Total length:   47:10

Bleed Out (Limited Edition Disc 2)

1. "We Go to War" (instrumental)   4:19

2. "Bleed Out" (instrumental)   4:30

3. "Wireless" (instrumental)   4:41

4. "Worth Dying For" (instrumental)   4:53

5. "Ritual" (instrumental)   3:36

6. "Cyanide Love" (instrumental)   4:04

7. "The Purge" (instrumental)   4:16

8. "Don't Pray for Me" (instrumental)   3:41

9. "Shed My Skin" (instrumental)   4:30

10. "Unbroken" (instrumental)   5:08

11. "Entertain You" (instrumental)   3:31

Total length:   47:10

 

Within Temptation Band Members / Musicians

Sharon den Adel – lead vocals

Ruud Jolie – lead guitar

Stefan Helleblad – rhythm guitar

Jeroen van Veen – bass

Martijn Spierenburg – keyboards

Mike Coolen – drums

Christoph Wieczorek – clean vocals (track 9)

Rudi Schwarzer – harsh vocals (track 9)

Daniel Gibson – additional vocals (track 11), backing vocals (tracks 2 and 8)

Zakk Cervini – mixing

Ted Jensen – mastering

Anato Finnstark — cover art

Bleed Out is the 8th studio album by Dutch symphonic metal band Within Temptation. It was released on 20 October 2023. It is produced by their longtime producer Daniel Gibson, alongside Mathijs Tieken and Within Temptation. The album marks the first time the band opted for releasing a full record without the support of a major record label. Musically, the record incorporates elements from symphonic metal, gothic metal, metalcore, and djent. Lyrically, the band approached themes related to freedom. They addressed subjects such as war, oppression, women's rights, religion, bullying, and inner-struggles.

The album comprised seven singles. Due to a different form of recording and releasing songs, not all singles were initially used for promoting the record itself. The first five were released independently, before the full-length album was announced, and the last two after that. The first single, "Entertain You", was released on 8 May 2020. The second one, "The Purge", was released on 20 November 2020. For promoting their virtual concert The Aftermath, the band released a third independent single, "Shed My Skin", on 25 July 2021, which features German metalcore band Annisokay. The fourth one, "Don't Pray for Me", was released on 8 July 2022. "Wireless" was the fifth independent single, and was released on 18 May 2023. With the official announcement of the album, a sixth single, "Bleed Out", was released on 18 August 2023. "Ritual", the seventh one, was released on 29 September 2023. For promoting the record live, the band is scheduled to embark on the Bleed Out Tour during 2024.

Comercially, the album chart entries were concentrated in Europe. Upon release, it peaked at number two in the Netherlands, the group's homecountry, and reached top ten positions in countries such as Belgium, Germany, and Switzerland. The album received generally positive reviews from music critics. Reviewers from Kerrang!, Metal Hammer, and Rock Hard were favorable to the record, speaking positively of new direction the band adopted, the heavier instrumentals, and the more direct and explicit approach on the lyrics.