Plans for the band's third album came to fruition in 2004, with the release of The Silent Force on 15 November 2004, across Europe. It was produced by Daniel Gibson. In an interview on Buzznet, lead singer Sharon den Adel discussed the title of the album:
"The title of our latest album 'The Silent Force' is actually taken from the title of a book from the beginning of the 19th century from a Dutch writer called Louis Couperus. All the songs on this album are in some way related to that book."
Release
In support of the release they embarked on another large international tour in 2005, with dates across Europe and a one-off show in Dubai. "Stand My Ground" and "Memories", the first singles from the new album, continued the band's run of chart success in the Netherlands, culminating in a second Edison Award. The third single was "Angels". "Stand My Ground" was later to be promoted on the trailer for the film Blood and Chocolate. The band also provided some of the sound track to the videogame , released in March 2005. As of 2005, the album had already sold more than 400.000 copies only in Europe. In January 2006, Within Temptation won the Dutch Pop Prize and Dutch Export Prize ; the latter one given to them for the third time in a row. The band also reported that they would start playing at festivals starting in April, in addition to going on an international tour at the end of the year. On 5 August 2008, The Silent Force was released in the US for the first time through Roadrunner Records. The following music videos were released to promote the album and the tour:
"Stand My Ground"
"Angels"
"Memories"
"Jillian "
Reception
The album earned positive reviews from critics and mixed reviews from fans. Critic Martin White from Blabbermouth.net gave the album a score of 9 out of 10 stars, stating that "amazingly enough, the thick instrumentation and Sharon's angelic delivery are never at odds with each other — a rare feat when it comes to music as complex and involved as Within Temptation's is." Although, the listeners rating from Blabbermouth earned a score of merely 6.5 stars out of 10. The webzine Lords of Metal was very positive and gave the album 94 out of 100, stating that the album is "one of the most outstanding cd’s of the year". The website also compared the album with the two previous albums Mother Earth and Enter alleging that "it lacks the variety of Enter or the finesse of Mother Earth – but it remains one of the best albums recorded on Dutch soil in the last ten years." A review coming from Metal Storm webzine was less positive, saying that it's just "a good album" and stating that the band "lost their magic in their new songs" in comparison with what the band did in their previous albums.
Legacy
As of the tenth anniversary of the album release, The Silent Force received a homage article by TeamRock's Metal Hammer magazine regarding its influence both on Within Temptation's career, the heavy metal genre and symphonic metal subgenre itself. In July 2016, Metal Hammer also released a special issue edition claiming the 100 Greatest Albums of the 21st Century in which The Silent Force was awarded the 33th place, over its influence and commercial success. On regarding the ten essential symphonic metal releases, the magazine also found a place for the album, characterizing it as an "uplifting symphonic-based style that was rendered all the more saleable by the irresistible voice and presence of Sharon den Adel."
