WITHIN TEMPTATION's SHARON DEN ADEL: 'I Think The World Was A Better Place When We Started' Three Decades Ago

In a new interview with Brazil's 89 FM A Rádio Rock, WITHIN TEMPTATION frontwoman Sharon Den Adel spoke about the ways in which the world, as well as the music industry, has changed in the three decades since the band's formation. She said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, to be honest, I think the world was a better place when we started. [Laughs] Still we had a lot of things to address — equal rights for women, those kind of things — and that's still an issue, of course. But I think things are getting worse, to be honest. I think it was better the way it was, actually, and we are only going in the wrong direction. And you see always these waves in society, and hopefully there will be a more positive outcome after this very negative wave that the world is in right now."

She continued: "So, um… Yeah. Did things change? Yeah, everything has changed. Even how we record [music] to the platforms where music [is] being shared. Nowadays we have all these music platforms. We didn't have that. When we started, we were still working with demos, cassettes even. So, nothing is the same — nothing is the same, other than I can guarantee you it hasn't become better, unfortunately. But there's new stuff that we can embrace. There are new platforms, the YouTube channels, the way you can still sometimes discover really cool bands. So, there are some new things happening, of course, or are still there from the last 10 years that are positive. But there's a lot of, yeah — some things haven't become better, unfortunately. but there's a new time coming, of course, and we'll make sure it gets better eventually. [Laughs]"

WITHIN TEMPTATION has eight studio albums under its belt, all accounting for more than four million record sales.

Prior to the release of WITHIN TEMPTATION's most recent LP, 2023's "Bleed Out", the band shifted its focus from putting out albums to releasing a series of singles, enabling the bandmembers to indulge themselves into their creative processes with no production or time restraint and release new music within a heartbeat, resulting in both the band and fans always being on the forefront of newly inspired music.

WITHIN TEMPTATION's work has received numerous international awards, including a World Music Award, MTV Europe Music Awards, a Metal Hammer Award and many more, as well as millions of streams on their hit songs such as breakthrough song "Ice Queen", "Paradise (What About Us?)" (featuring Tarja Turunen) and a collaboration with Jacoby Shaddix of PAPA ROACH on "The Reckoning".

WITHIN TEMPTATION has previously headlined all the major festivals in Europe — Download, Hellfest, Wacken Open Air, Graspop Metal Meeting and Woodstock Poland — among other major events. During the lockdown, WITHIN TEMPTATION achieved great success with its virtual event "The Aftermath", a spectacular online show that, thanks to the very latest technology, allowed the band to stretch the boundaries of reality.