Within Temptation is a Dutch rock band. The band was founded in 1996 by vocalist Sharon den Adel and guitarist Robert Westerholt.[1] Their music is described as symphonic metal,[2][3] gothic metal[4] and gothic rock,[2][3][5][6] although in an interview, Den Adel said they fell into a symphonic rock genre with various influences,[7] and in a later interview with 3VOOR12, Sharon stated that "we consider ourselves more a symphonic rock/metal band ... we are in my opinion no gothic band".[8][9]

Directly after the release of their first album Enter, the band became prominent in the underground scene. However it wasn't until 2001 that they became known to the general public, with the single "Ice Queen" from the album Mother Earth, which reached #2 on the charts.[1] Since then, the band won the Conamus Exportprijs[10] five years in a row. Their next album The Silent Force debuted at #1 on the Dutch charts, as did their latest, The Heart of Everything. In 2008 they released a live DVD/CD, Black Symphony, recorded with the Metropole Orchestra.