Mother Earth begins with the title track, which was released as a single, and is one of the stronger points of the album. Most of the songs on the album revolve around the theme of nature, and this is no exception. "Ice Queen" follows, and literally takes your breath away. Give it a few listens, and the beautiful chorus will give you chills. Speaking of chills, let's talk about the next track "Our Farewell". Being the album's first (of 3) ballads, as well as my personal favorite song, "Our Farewell" delivers a somewhat sad and depressing environment, but is still triumphant. Few bands can create so many emotions in one song, but Within Temptation is one of them. "Caged", on the other hand, is a very bitter song, offering lyrics such as "He told me he loved me then he laughed in my face" - this is one of the heavier moments of the album. Then there are songs like "The Promise" and "Deceiver of Fools" that have an epic feel to them, and "Never-Ending Story" which sounds almost Celtic. Another favorite of mine is "Dark Wings" because Sharon's voice is at its best, especially in the chorus, where her voice soars over the instruments in the background. "In Perfect Harmony" is also a favorite, it is different from the rest of the album in that it is a happy, laid-back song. It is about a boy who grows up in the shelter of nature and his peaceful life there. There's nothing metal about this song, but WT pulls it off perfectly. The bonus tracks are also great, featuring a new version of Enter's "Restless" as well as the forgotten "Bittersweet" and the two live favorites, "Enter" and "The Dance".

All in all, a spectacular experience. Whether you're a fan of Nightwish, A Perfect Circle, or Tori Amos, you will enjoy the wonderful music that Within Temptation creates, and I can only cross my fingers and hope that one day they'll come to the US.

believe the hype
"Mother Earth" shows Dutch doom band Within Temptation abandoning growled vocals and adopting a lush keyboard-intensive atmosphere. The result is a great leap forward from "Enter," "Mother Earth" being perhaps the only among legions of albums released by female-fronted metal bands in recent years to capture the engrossing atmospheric stylings of The Gathering's best albums, "Mandylion" and "Nighttime Birds." Many atmospheric metal bands have been compared to The Gathering, but only Within Temptation now stands abreast of that band (in their prime) in terms of quality and originality.

Sharon den Adel's voice is better than ever, crystalline as ever but not at all shrill. The synthesizer must be expensive - at times it really sounds like an orchestra complete with strings and horns, yet I see no extra players credited. The focus of the music is certainly on the interplay between the voice and the keys, though the rhythm section is certainly not to be ignored, with complex yet understated rhythms underpinning songs such as "The Promise." In the context of this album, the lead guitar actually acts more like a rhythm instrument most of the time.

The album contains three soft ballads, "Our Farewell," "Never-Ending Story," and "In Perfect Harmony," the latter two being completely absent of electric guitar. It is clear that this is music for music's sake, rather than for the sake of a specific genre or fan base. Now let me go change my top ten of 2000 list...

Simply beautiful.
After hearing the music of Within Temptation, I have not been able to appreciate any other music as much as I previously had.

Powerful vocals and the contrasting clash between the male and female voices provide a backdrop for the incredible fusion of melodic and metallic that is Within Temptation.

From the songs of heavier Goth/metal to the almost classical beauty of the lighter songs, the natural sounds will leave you breathless.

I'm spreading word of their music to everyone I know, and I haven't met a single person yet, whether they primarily listen to oldies, classical, punk, or anything, who hasn't loved it.

Somewhere beyond Enya, Evanesence, and Rancid lies Within Temptation, and this album is their grand masterpiece.

excellent music
If you like Evanescence, you will love Mother Earth. It is a wonderful album that can carry you away.

Must have
First it was Nightwish...and my eyes were opened. Then Lacuna Coil. And then I found Sharon. This album is sooooooooooooo good. You just have to hear it. I am STILL listening to it on at least a weekly basis after 2 years! I don't know what they're waiting for, but they HAVE to put out a new album. And soon.
2003 reissue of 2001 album includes four bonus tracks, 'Restless', 'The Dance' (Live at Utrecht 1998), 'Enter' (live at Utrecht 1998) & 'Bittersweet'. A landmark release that set new standards for creativity, musicianship, & taste. BMG.
Asian Version featuring Four Bonus Tracks: "Restless", "Bittersweet", "Enter (Live at Utrecht 1998)", and "The Dance (Live at Utrecht 1998)".