Dutch symphonic metal band, Within Temptation, has just released their seventh studio album, Resist. The record was released on Feb. 1 and has ten awesome tracks. Led by female vocalist, Sharon den Adel, the band combines heavy guitar riffs and drums with electronic synths, classical-style string sections and beautiful vocals.

The best song on the album is the first track, “The Reckoning,” and features the lead vocalist from Papa Roach, Jacoby Shaddix. Something I noticed right off the bat is that it sounds very similar to the song, “Into the Fire,” off Asking Alexandria’s newest record. I believe the chorus of both songs are very similar both in rhythm, feel and melody. However, that does not stop this song from being its own masterpiece. The vocals of both den Adel and Shaddix weave together well in the verses and the chorus with Sharon taking the higher range and Shaddix taking the lower range. Another cool part of this song is the bridge section. There is a breakdown with very heavy electronic influence and makes the song almost sound like it turns into dubstep for a short time.

The next track that I really liked was “Trophy Hunter,” the last song on the record. It begins with a heavy four-on-the-floor beat and fades into a soft, electronic-based verse that slowly builds back up to the chorus. Den Adel sings, “I can’t let you be when a life fades away, you won’t escape me ‘cause I’ll set you free.” I believe the message of this song is saying that the band is against hunting animals for sport. Here, den Adel is stating that if you kill an innocent animal, she’ll come after you because it is unjust in her eyes to hunt for sport.

The last track that stuck out to me was “Raise Your Banner,” featuring the vocalist of In Flames, Anders Friden. The song has a call-to-arms feel to it, with both den Adel and Friden singing in the chorus, “Blood for freedom, so raise your banner, fight your war, break the silence, no remorse, won’t die within.” Similar to the first track on the album, they blended both vocal parts together so that you can hear both of them evenly throughout the verse and the chorus. After the second chorus, there is a tasty guitar solo that transitions to a string section and then back into the last chorus. It is a great “pump-up” song — maybe it will make it on to your gym playlist.