The Hydra World Tour was a concert tour by Dutch symphonic metal band Within Temptation in support of their sixth studio album, Hydra, released by Nuclear Blast on 31 January 2014. To date, it was their eight major tour and their third to see them playing worldwide. The tour passed over four continents and was divided into several legs according to the local of playing, presenting minor setlist variations from concerts of the same leg and a few more variations from leg to leg. A special leg was entitled "Theatres on Fire", in which saw the band playing seated shows at theatres in the Netherlands and Luxembourg.
Promotional artwork of North American leg of the tour
Image: Piotr Rogucki
Image: 20160805 Wacken Wacken Open Air Tarja 0027
Within Temptation is a Dutch symphonic metal band founded in April 1996 by vocalist Sharon den Adel and guitarist Robert Westerholt. They have been classified by critics as gothic metal and symphonic metal, although each album contains other influences outside these genres. Critics have noticed the band's experimentation and musical versatility. In an interview, den Adel said they fell into a symphonic rock genre with various influences. In another interview, den Adel stated that "We consider ourselves more an atmospheric melodic symphonic metal/rock band... In my opinion, we are not a gothic band but we have gothic elements".
Within Temptation at the Paradiso, Amsterdam, 2011
Lead vocalist Sharon den Adel at the 2004 M'era Luna Festival.
The band presented at several big European festivals, which led the band to perform to great major audiences.
The band longest line-up, as pictured in 2007: Jeroen van Veen, Stephen van Haestregt, Ruud Jolie, Martijn Spierenburg, Sharon den Adel, Robert Westerholt.
