In a world where headlines change faster than we can absorb them, music remains one of the few places where we can truly listen, where stories can be heard. In Ukraine, the sound of air-raid sirens has become part of daily life. Alongside those, there are other calls, calls of protest, remembrance, and hope. One of those calls came from Within Temptation, the legendary Dutch Symphonic Metal band.
Today, 6 May 2025, at 5 PM, Within Temptation will release a documentary, The Invisible Force, which follows founders Sharon den Adel and Robert Westerholt as they become increasingly involved with the war in Ukraine.
In The Invisible Force, Sharon travels to Ukraine not as a celebrity but as someone seeking to understand. She walks through the devastated streets of Kyiv, listens to the stories of families who have lost everything and meets young musicians who have been torn away from their dreams by the war.
One of them, a young bassist from the band BLIND8, shared that he had been conscripted into the army. He is now forced to choose between his music and his country. Sadly, this is not an isolated story. Many musicians in Ukraine, who were once creating beautiful art, now find themselves called to fight rather than perform. It’s a tragedy not just for them but for the cultural future of a nation.
The war has deeply affected all aspects of Ukraine life. With large portions of the male population conscripted, entire sectors of the workforce have been left vacant. The cultural sector has been hit particularly hard. Ukraine musicians who once toured the world and spread their art are now living through a nightmare.
Take White Ward, for example. Known for their unique fusion of Black Metal, jazz, and ambient sounds, they had to cancel tours and put their music on hold as band members were drafted into the army. The same goes for 1914, a band whose music once focused on the trauma of World War I. Now, their songs are about the real-time devastation unfolding in their own country.
And then there’s Jinjer. One of the most internationally successful Metal bands to come out of Ukraine, their rise to global recognition has been tempered by the constant turmoil in their homeland. Despite everything, Jinjer continues to tour, speak out, and raise awareness. They are a symbol of defiance and resilience, fighting for their country through the power of music.
What makes Within Temptation’s role in this crisis so impactful is their understanding of how to use their celebrity for good. Sharon’s trip to Ukraine was not a photo-op or a publicity stunt.
It was about sitting with people, listening to their stories, and using her platform to bring their voices to the world. In a time when it is easy to feel disconnected from global crises, Sharon and the band remind us that music can be a powerful force for change and that empathy is still possible, even across borders.
Within Temptation have also partnered with Ukrainian artist Jerry Heil for their powerful song Sing Like A Siren to be released on 16 May 2025. This is not just a song; it is a declaration, a powerful statement of solidarity, and a refusal to let war silence art.
When you listen to Sing Like A Siren, you will feel something far deeper than just music. It is a moment of resistance, a piece of art born out of the darkest time in Europe in decades, yet still filled with hope and purpose. MetalTalk will have more news on this single next week.
Within Temptation have consistently used their voice to speak out on issues that matter. When the war in Ukraine started, they made their position clear: We will never play in Russia again. This was not a decision made lightly. Russia has been a major market for international bands, and the fans there are passionate.
It was about refusing to perform in a country where innocent lives were being lost, where children were being orphaned, and where the arts were being destroyed by war. Their refusal to play in Russia is a decision that resonates far beyond the Metal community.
For the people in Ukraine, it was a powerful reminder that the world was still watching, still listening, and still standing with them.
One fan from Kyiv put it simply, “I really do appreciate Within Temptation supporting us. It’s not just a gesture, it means the world to us.”
In a country where so much has been taken, gestures like this become lifelines. It reminds people that they are not invisible.
Within Temptation will release The Invisible Force today, 6 May 2025, at 5 PM.
