Sharon, because your second pregnancy, have you since the end of 2008, a long Pause inserted. Have you in between during this time continued for the band or you have pushed everything aside to you only concentrate on your pregnancy?
No, I have incidentally also songs for Within Temptation written, and also worked with other artists. That makes me not only fun, but I’m learning something here too often by others. It’s nice to take occasional music with other people , because it created a change of song writing with my band is

One result of this Chains appear is the new single “Utopia”, the end of October is. When this song come about?
That was during my pregnancy when I was with talking to a friend, who asked me if I had time and with the I then composed a little. At first I wanted to also Just killing time and we have simply written and drafted I did not even know whether and if so, what the music later used. It was not at all clear whether it is a song for Within Temptation is, or for another artist. While the piece will was at the origin, was already emerging that it is not really WT would fit – simply because the original version too was happy and elated. Robert [Westerholt, Sharon's boyfriend and guitarist of the band - MR] then said that we are this great song always use in any way and should hit the acoustic album before. This was certainly clear that it revolutionize still some had – after all, is “Utopia” but a very nice piece off our actual terrain. At least he was already time acoustic, which he for a normal album, although no question came, but at least for the album to the theater tour. So we have the Basic rhythm and slows down considerably to the main melody a lot melancholy set. “Utopia” started off quite small and was thereby increasing with time, also by elements of the Orchestra rather pompous and hence WT-compatible. Nevertheless, it is clear that this song is pretty unusual for us, and not everyone like it is. It’s just primarily a bonus for the fans

If I am not am informed, then you’re on the DJ Armin van Buuren, with which you the dance single “In and Out of Love” have made, with your Duet partner Chris Jones come into contact?
Absolutely correct. While I was with Armin on “In and Out of Love to work, I asked myself a couple of other songs audition, which he had made for his album to date, because I was just curious. He played me then, inter alia, “Going Wrong” before, was sung by Chris Jones and I fell in love literally in his great voice. At the CD release party Armin had then all the invited guest singers to introduce the new songs live can have, while Robert and I have known Chris behind the scenes learned. It has immediately clicked and we got along all super and then remained in contact. For Utopia, we had Various ideas and suggestions, but are quite fast to the Been decided that Chris would be a great solution. He is a Singer-songwriter from Liverpool and it is perhaps not too many People who know him in this country at all. The fact that we are the May surprise listeners with a man, none of which really is a Has image, liked us, too

There is still a another Chris, whom you probably would have immediately taken with a kiss — namely, Chris Cornell
[enthusiastic] Oh, my God – yes! Damn, you really right. That would also super fit, but to him I have ever not thought of. Good idea, that we should for the next album views try. Dreams will be so welcome, hehe

What am I on your Theater tour was very impressive, was the stage production. Especially The projections were a great feast for the eyes and the light show was very atmospheric. Cry for me, this intimate and yet Format downright impressive show for a DVD release
We have filmed, in fact, somewhat, but the fact that We have been working with holograms, and projections, it is Meanwhile, of course, impossible to work with normal light such as in a normal rock show. When we tried our Theater show filmed with HD cameras, the whole thing is quite dark become, as the cameras need good lighting. This agreed the colors are not so right and we were not really satisfied with the Result, and it also responsible for the company is no easy task was. On the next tour in April, we make a further attempt and I hope that we find a technical way to get the whole thing befitting to be able to record. As it is now, we want the Not publish material, because it is wrong for us, and feels the really nice live show is not just. Apart from that was our latest DVD “Black Symphony” in my opinion, a real Cracker and our fans would rightly verschaukelt happen if we were to hand then something undercooked

Overall, these Certainly not just a tour of the show, but also from your presentation creates a challenging thing. After all, you can hear in acoustically presented songs and all entangled each lose once. At regular concerts may go down such a thing even been to the wall of sound, But this theater concerts were given that other conditions. Were these Concerts more of a challenge than an ordinary live show?
Yes, but to be honest, I like this even. I think it great to be challenged in this way and can also more Emotion and expression put into my singing. For me it was even fairly relaxed, singing every night in this manner and our albums, I also usually sing in this way, only you can hear it because of the many audio tracks as not really out. Many people have certainly said “Hey, they may even really sing, haha

Nevertheless, the Theater concerts is not a purely acoustic affair, but you have also had a regular rock block in the set. Would ye between have a small break in order not for 100 minutes at a time so absolute be highly concentrated to have? Or was it just an attempt People do not get bored after a certain time in the end too, hehe?
We thought it would be simply too big a step, suddenly playing a pure acoustic show, so we opted for this Have chosen combination. That was I think the right way us and we will remain the case for the whole second Theater Tour next year because many fans have not the Were able to see us in this endeavor. I’ve often by fans heard that they would like to visit one of the concerts, the shows but rasendschnell were all sold out. Which, of course a great success for us and now we had to put in half a year again, hehe

Apart from that would be have been significantly more work, new songs for an entire show to arrange
Yes, this is definitely another aspect. We believe I started in February or March, with work and had to Date even the “Black Symphony” DVD and parts of the Backstage documentary in his face, because we make many of these things according to how prefer themselves before the festival season was not too far away, so we have decided to us rather less Make and make the songs really well, rather than a full Acoustic set with less well-implemented pieces

Nevertheless, the Work on the acoustic pieces taken months to complete
Exactly, because we had a lot to do with the arrangements — the pieces are in the original so much different. I found it very surprising how well the pieces at the end and then blends have mated in the final acoustic album, because it is the fans be similarly taken with the theatrical performances. The productions of “Mother Earth, “” The Silent Force “and” The Heart of Everything “are fundamentally different and the songs come from different times. On a normal Complilation the pieces would probably not at all fit together, but all sounds in the acoustic guise I think as a unified whole. I had to also wonder how melancholy we really are. That this is an aspect our song is was clear to me, but this strong presence was to me before not aware – that we only had to “An Acoustic Night at the Theater” do

According to what Criteria are you up to the fact the acoustic tour setlist collected?
We were definitely not repeating the same songs take that we had already published or of which it already Acoustic versions there, such as “Ice Queen”, “Neverending Story” and “Restless”. We also wanted a couple of rarely performed pieces to to take in order to provide a few surprises – for example, “Pale” and “Towards the End”, which actually was only a B-side. We knew that Fans who like this song very much and they have reason for these shows considered. It is also so that we have many non-singles in the set had what I think has identified an additional stimulus. We could like to have more songs performed acoustically, but unfortunately we lacked the necessary time

With the Surprises, I can absolutely confirm. “Forgiven” or “Memories” were surefire candidate in advance what one of “Caged” and “Towards the End” can not say
Yes, absolutely. Just think, “Caged”: What happened to them, has herself totally surprised. I also like the version of “Frozen” very happy that begins not only different, but the bottom line actually even as a completely new song passes. It is quite to imagine that “Mother Earth” is also on this level could work, or the epic one or another song from “The Silent Force “. In “Mother Earth” I am quite sure, because I You can tell that we have tried it an acoustic version to make the timing defects are often referred to but not completed have become waste. But do not let yourself be put off a surprise, because lifted and we have to be at least somewhat in the hindquarters, hehe

Have you actually ever thought a similar tour in other countries ? make Or are the distances for this too big?
This is certainly one of the problems and it must be added that in Countries such as Germany is very unusual to see bands like us in Theaters to play. Some owners lock themselves because something about it, because they have no idea of how this would work something like this. After This publication can now see the stuff but maybe a little different from, and then that might come in future, yet to be able to I can imagine that certainly in Germany and France Interest in this show format is
Of course, this is also the financial aspect: Many think, “Oh, this is just an acoustic tour – what is it expensive or be expensive? “. Well, since they have not reckoned with us, because we make it even possible that such a simple thing really pretty can be expensive, haha

You said that ye shall show broadly unchanged, though it in April for the second time goes on theater tour. In my estimation Then again, many fans will be there, which also has the first tour have seen and hope, of course, a little bit to see what new one to get. Will you be the trailers for a few surprises have at hand?
The biggest problem significantly because the show modification is that we would lose by this work some time, we might prefer to stick and meaningful in the next studio album. As it looks now, we will probably change a few songs in the set, but not transform everything in a big way

Keywords new album: When will be able to count on the current state to the next album?
The album is definitely coming next year but not before late summer/autumn. How does our current planning. Musically, I can not make any statement at all, because we ourselves are do not know what will become of the existing fragments. We have the Volume certainly been hard at work, but how the puzzle pieces at the end together at the moment is still not in sight at all

And on which label of “The Heart of Everything” successor appear? Gun Records recently had its doors close and you are fluent by the parent company Sony BMG changed. Does your contract with them still on “An Acoustic Night at the Theater ‘at?
Yes, we still have one or two albums with them, until our Contract is initially satisfied. That Gun does not exist anymore makes me very sad because we had a good relationship with them and were also also good friends. The folks at Sony, I now know for the first time Promo learned during my days for our acoustic album, but I have already realized that they are pleased with the album and the new song very much. I am certainly interesting to see how they work in general and how to run the co – will, but they are enthusiastic in terms of current publications; The’re already a good start. With a major label to work makes us certainly not afraid, because we know already from Holland. The fact that we work on gun actually was a long time, makes them also clear that we know what we do and that we know our genre. That is why nobody tries to push us into a certain direction, because we are not a band that can be controlled from the outside. We have never had problems put our heads through, hehe

Interview conducted by Markus Rutten for Sounds2Move translated by Nightfalls