Frozen is the second single of WITHIN TEMPTATION’s successful album The Heart Of Everything. The surprisingly dark designed single at hand shows that the often used description “siren” of Sharon den Adel, frontwoman of the Dutch, doesn’t apply anymore. A view to the tracklist displays a proper value. In addition to the title track of the same name the disc contains a second a-side (The Howling), a previously unreleased non-album-track called Sounds Of Freedom and acoustic versions of What Have You Done and The Cross. As a goodie, music videos of Frozen and The Howling expedient round off the package.
Comparing the first and powerful single What Have You Done, Frozen is a rather quiet song. Sharon’s voice and her “new” vocal style dominate the song next to piano and string arrangements. Frozen is still a polished pop song without any profile, surely one of the weaker songs of the album and not exactly the main reason to buy the single. The Howling, the second A-side pleases better and contains the typical trademarks of the gothic metal band: phat guitars and symphonic synth-elements represent the counterpart to the softer opening song, whereas Songs Of Freedom turns back to the ballad-like direction. Here WITHIN TEMPTATION insert oriental sounding elements in the rich orchestrated track with violin sounds - a proper B-side, but not worldshaking. More surprising are the two acoustic songs. What Have You Done has to do without Keith Caputo and technical falderal to optimize the sound. Sharon’s voice sounds more natural and you don’t have to mention that the woman knows her job.
As always the two videos are arranged opulently. At Frozen WITHIN TEMPTATION refer to a hot button issue – violence and abuse in families. The revenues of the single correspondingly benefit the aid organization Childhelpline International. This is not the last good deed of the formation because buyers of the single are rewarded with an allowance for a concert ticket for the tour in October.