The Unforgiving World Tour was a concert tour by Dutch symphonic metal band Within Temptation in support of their fifth studio album, The Unforgiving, released by Roadrunner Records on 25 March 2011. It was their seventh major tour and their second to see them playing worldwide. The tour commenced on 10 August 2011, at the Sziget Festival, Hungary, and finished on 8 September 2013, at the Rock'n Coke Festival, in Turkey, passing mainly over Europe, with selected concerts in North America and South America. The tour helped on solidifying the band as one of mainland Europe's most successful symphonic metal acts, as it marked a major transition from club and theater to arena concerts on the continent than the previous one. On the North and South American concerts, however, the band still opted to play at smaller capacity venues. For the band's fifteenth anniversary, they held their biggest concert to date with a special presentation at the Sportpaleis, Belgium, featuring some of the band's ex-members on older songs and other special guests. The concert was later released as part of the Let Us Burn – Elements & Hydra Live in Concert live album.
Background
The tour was scheduled to start immediately following The Unforgiving's release, however, due to Sharon den Adel's third pregnancy, the originally planned dates were rescheduled to begin in August 2011.[1] The band did, however, play 7 days at the Vrienden Van Amstel Dutch Festival in January 2011,[2] although they only performed 3 songs at each show (Ice Queen, Faster and Mother Earth), and also made several promotional appearances on European radio stations.[3]
On 10 August 2011, the band presented at the Sziget Festival, but The Unforgiving Tour officially started 12 August, at the Huntenpop Festival, in Ulft. This show as unique as the band performed The Unforgiving in its entirety, whilst enacting the album's concept through a new stage design, including lights, videos and other illusions.[4] During August, the band performed at several Summer Festivals as M'era Luna and Lowlands and started an indoor tour in September, first in the North America and then crossing Europe.[5] On early September, during their passage over Poland the album The Unforgiving reached Gold status there.[6]
Later that month, it was announced that Guitarist Robert Westerholt would step down from touring with the band (with the exception of occasional shows) as there was no-one to look after his and vocalist Sharon den Adel's three children. Westerholt will continue to contribute on production and songwriting and will play guitar in the studio, while Stefan Helleblad will play guitar live.[7]
In February 2012, the band brought the tour to South America, playing shows in Brazil, Mexico, Peru, Argentina and Chile.[8] Following their March–April theatre tour, entitled Sanctuary,[9] the band resumed The Unforgiving Tour with shows in some of the biggest European festivals in the summer of 2012, such as Sonisphere, Masters of Rock, Rock Werchter, Summerbreeze and Gods of Metal.[10]
On 9 May 2012, the band officially announced a one-off show called "Elements" at the Sportpaleis in Antwerp in celebration of Within Temptation's 15-year anniversary. The band were accompanied by the Il Novecentro Orchestra and other special guests, including ex-band members and former Orphanage vocalist George Oosthoek.[11][12] The show was sold out with fans from over 50 reported countries in attendance.[13][14] The show would later appear on the Let Us Burn – Elements & Hydra Live in Concert live album.[15]
Reception
The tour was well received worldwide. PureGrainAudio, reviewing the band's concert in Baltimore, praised "Sharon's top-notch vocals and Martijn Spierenburg's keyboarding", as well as stating that, "aside from musical embellishments, the band came across as really simple and down-to-earth", ultimately deeming it "not just a concert, but an experience."[16]This is Not a Scene, writing about the band's Manchester show, were also positive, commenting that "it was a gig deserving to be sold out and a beautiful night for all to witness."[17]MetalConcerts reviewed their show in São Paulo, stating that "Within Temptation exhaled technique and talent, not to mention the charisma and respect they had with those that were there."[18]
Support
Guild of Stags (12/08/2011, 21/09/2011–29/09/2011)
"Iron" and "The Howling" switched places after 11 October, while some songs were added at select shows:
"The Cross" (from The Heart of Everything, 2007) was played between "Iron" and "Our Solemn Hour" on 28 August.
"Lost" (from The Unforgiving, 2011) was played instead of "Fire and Ice" from 11 to 15 October and instead of "Memories" from 20 to 22 October and from 27 October onwards.
"Murder" (from The Unforgiving, 2011) was played instead of "Deceiver of Fools" on 29 September and before and after "Iron" on 12 and 15 October respectively.
"See Who I Am" (from The Silent Force, 2004) was played instead of "Deceiver of Fools" on select dates.
Second European Leg Set list (4 to 26 November 2011)
"Stairway to the Skies" (from The Unforgiving, 2011)
Some songs were added at select shows:
"Deceiver of Fools" (from Mother Earth, 2001) was played instead of "See Who I Am" at select dates.
"Hand of Sorrow" (from The Heart of Everything, 2007) was played instead of "See Who I Am" on 6 November and instead of "The Howling" on 23 and 24 November.
"Where Is The Edge" (from The Unforgiving, 2011) was played instead of "Lost" on select dates.
Third European Leg Set list (10 to 14 December 2011)
Length was sometimes reduced, due to the time of presentation of each band on a festival
"Memories (from The Silent Force, 2004) was played instead of "Hand of Sorrow" (from The Heart of Everything, 2007) on certain dates.
"Angels" and "See Who I Am" (both from The Silent Force, 2004) were played on selected dates.
"Our Solemn Hour" (from The Heart of Everything, 2007) was played instead of "Hand of Sorrow" 16 June onwards.
"The Heart of Everything" (from The Heart of Everything, 2007) , "Stairway to the Skies" (from The Unforgiving, 2011) and "Never-Ending History" (from Mother Earth, 2001) were added at selected dates.
"Say My Name" (from Angels, 2005) was played on 7 July.
"Jillian (I'd Give My Heart)" (from The Silent Force, 2004) was played on 5 August.
On 30 June, "What Have You Done" (from The Heart of Everything, 2007) was played instead of "Faster" (from The Unforgiving, 2011); "The Last Dance" (from The Unforgiving, 2011) was played instead of "Fire and Ice" (from The Unforgiving, 2011); "Iron" (from The Unforgiving, 2011) was played instead of "Hand of Sorrow" (from The Heart of Everything, 2007) ; and "Where is the Edge" (from The Unforgiving, 2011) wasn't played.
Elements Set list (15th anniversary show, 13 November 2012)
Major set lists were played in variation of band's scheduled time on each festival.
"Memories", "Somewhere", and "See Who I Am", (from The Silent Force, 2004) "Caged" (from Mother Earth, 2000), and "Running Up That Hill" (Kate Bush cover, 2002) were also played on selected dates.
"Stairway to the Skies" (from The Unforgiving, 2011) was played on 18 May, at the Czyzynalia Festival.
"Angels" (from The Silent Force, 2004) was played on 30 June, at Moscow.
"Restless" (from Enter, 1998) was played on 18 October, together with former member Martijn Westerholt's band, Delain.