Within Temptation — Woodstock Festival Poland, 2015

In 2015, Dutch band Within Temptation set ablaze the Przystanek Woodstock (now the Pol’and’Rock Festival), one of Europe’s largest free gatherings, in Kostrzyn nad Odrą, Poland. This live capture, filmed before a vast crowd, showcases the stage power of the group led by singer Sharon den Adel. A pioneer of symphonic metal alongside Nightwish and Epica, Within Temptation unfolds its repertoire of massive guitar riffs, grandiose orchestrations and anthemic choruses, from “Stand My Ground” to “Ice Queen”. Den Adel’s crystalline voice contrasts with the heaviness of the guitars and the theatricality of the arrangements, the hallmark of a band that helped popularize female-fronted metal. The full concert, backed by a polished festival production, captures the energy of a set before tens of thousands of spectators. A reference document for symphonic-metal fans, to be seen as a filmed live concert to measure the impact of the Dutch band, one of the most enduring names of the female-fronted metal wave, on a major festival stage.