Live Review: Evanescence & Within Temptation - Hamburg 2022

Barclays Arena, Hamburg, Germany
7th December 2022
Evanescence & Within Temptation - “Worlds Collide” Tour 2022 - Special Guests: Smash Into Pieces

The tour - which promised to be the biggest event on the Symphonic Metal scene - was postponed four times. Now after the longest wait, the clash of worlds has happened, bringing EVANESCENCE and WITHIN TEMPTATION together on stage. The two grandiose bands did not just play their sets after each other, but actually played a joint fusion. When Metal bands are fused, they usually get new material with combined properties. And of course, WITHIN TEMPTATION and EVANESCENCE paired together is an incredibly explosive, energetic combination that is hard to describe in one term. This show definitely needs to be seen live to feel the power of the sound and the magic of the visuals.


Smash Into Pieces

The Sweden band SMASH INTO PIECES opened the “Worlds Collide” show in Hamburg. The musicians around singer Chris Adam Sörbye have gained a respectable position in their Swedish homeland. And they have developed considerably in this country. The current album ‘Disconnect’ has been in the shops since September 2022. The show started quite punctually. The stage was quite dark, but the use of light was even more effective. In a baseball cap and mirrored sunglasses, the vocalist looked a little out of place, and his face was not visible. Although of course, it is worth noting that he has great tattoos. Musically, they started appropriately with ‘Wake up’ and with the already somewhat better known ‘Let me be your superhero’. However, few people in the hall could sing along, because they did not know the words of the songs. SMASH INTO PIECES played ‘Boomerang’, ‘Higher’ and the brand-new track ‘Sleepwalking’ among others.



The band plays alternative rock with elements of electronic and a bit of mainstream Pop Rock so I was a bit confused about how well they fit as an opening act but it is always good to experiment anyway and I personally know people who came to see this band, not headliners.

Setlist
01. Wake Up
02. Glow in the Dark
03. Big Bang
04. Let Me Be Your Superhero
05. Sleepwalking
06. Running Away From Home
07. Vanguard
08. Boomerang

Rating
Music: 6
Performance: 6
Sound: 7
Light: 8
Total: 6.8 / 10

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Within Temptation

WITHIN TEMPTATION start their programme at full throttle with the hits ‘Our Solemn Hour’, ‘Faster’ and ‘Paradise (What About Us)’ and can also look forward to a very powerful sound. The band had an impressive scenography, with a huge globe in the middle of the stage that changed shape and colours multiple times while leaving on the stage some rather stand so everyone could see Sharon clearly. Sharon Den Adel makes a clear statement against Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. The whole thing is crowned by waving the Ukrainian flag during the song ‘Raise Your Banner’. “I use my publicity to talk about freedom and support for Ukraine in every country, in every city where we play”, says Sharon. She is a great icon for other artists. After all, the war does not pass in one day, it is a long period, but regular support is very important. Water wears away stone. I respect Sharon for her clear and strong position.



WITHIN TEMPTATION performances evoke a sense of theatricality that blends with the grandeur of the band’s sound. Jets of flame maintain the driving intensity and enthusiasm of the band’s performance. ‘Paradise (What About Us)’ soars on strings and synthesizers, with Tarja Turunen’s face broadcast on a large screen above the stage as a reminder that WITHIN TEMPTATION are the progenitors of Symphonic Metal and helped shape the genre as we know it today. Sharon, singing ‘Angels’ from the top of a giant head, seems like a Heavy Metal Scandinavian Goddess, especially when the screens cast fiery wings over her silhouette. She likes to make jokes with the fans. And this time she tells everyone that Hamburg has great Christmas markets and delicious mulled wine, but she drinks too much of it.



When Sharon takes to the skies on a huge hoop swing, you realise the scale of spectacle put into this show and why it deserves attention. The final songs of ‘Ice Queen’ and ‘Mother Earth’ end the show on an incredible note, flames again, lasers, spotlights. Definitely one of the best performances of the year.

Setlist
01. Our Solemn Hour
02. Faster
03. Paradise (What About Us?)
04. Stand My Ground
05. Angels
06. Raise Your Banner
07. Shed My Skin (with Christoph Wieczorek)
08. Don’t Pray for Me
09. Entertain You
10. The Reckoning
11. All I Need
12. Supernova
13. Ice Queen
14. Mother Earth

Rating
Music: 9
Performance: 10
Sound: 8
Light: 10
Total: 9.3 / 10

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Evanescence

Who here says that they do not know at least one song from EVANESCENCE is clearly lying or was not a teenager. Actually, I was lucky enough to get to the final stage of the “Worlds Collide” tour (Hamburg and Berlin were the final cities on this tour), and there was a big fear that Amy would not take to the stage, because before the Hamburg show she got sick and had problems with her voice. However, it all worked out and the fans were not disappointed that night. With a pyramid-shaped backdrop and plenty of illumination, EVANESCENCE caused a stunned audience reaction from the first notes. But of course, it is Amy Lee who is the key figure and the unmissable linchpin of the band, with her superbly powerful vocals. Indeed, it was hard to hear Amy singing some parts and she was hoarse, several times, she apologized to the audience, but it did not affect the quality of the performance. The band performed to a high standard as always.



The originality of EVANESCENCE performance lies in its seamless transition - hard songs are offset by grand piano ballads that bring a sense of vulnerability and intimacy to the overall atmosphere of the hall. However, it is worth noting that most people like to get nostalgic, as there seems to be no one in the audience who has not recorded a video on their phone when Amy singing hits like ‘My Immortal’ and the closing song ‘Bring Me To Life’. Not only the full packed Barclays Arena in Hamburg showed that “Worlds Collide” with EVANESCENCE and WITHIN TEMPTATION is a very successful team. The bands fit together very well in terms of sound. In addition, they are good friends and often act as an opening act for each other. Who knows maybe in the future we will see them again on a world tour together. In the meantime, let us keep pleasant memories from this stunning concert for a long time.



Setlist
01. Broken Pieces Shine
02. Made of Stone
03. Take Cover
04. Going Under
05. Lose Control / Part of Me / Never Go Back
06. Far From Heaven
07. Your Star
08. End of the Dream
09. Better Without You
10. Call Me When You’re Sober
11. Imaginary
12. Use My Voice (with Sharon den Adel)
13. Blind Belief
14. My Immortal (Band Version)
15. Bring Me to Life

Rating
Music: 9
Performance: 9
Sound: 8
Light: 10
Total: 9 / 10

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All pictures by Iryna Kalenska