critics. 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." In 2021, the magazine ranked it as the 5th best symphonic metal album of all time. Track listing Standard Edition Bonus tracks Limited Edition versions videos Instrumental Edition (available at the iTunes Store and on Spotify) Personnel Band members Sharon den Adel - vocals Robert Westerholt - rhythm guitar Ruud Jolie - lead guitar Jeroen van Veen - bass Martijn Spierenburg - keyboards Stephen van Haestregt - drums Additional musicians Isaac Muller, Siard de Jong - Celtic instruments Ego Works session orchestra conducted by Felix Korobov Choir conducted by Konstantin Majorov Production Daniel Gibson - producer Stefan Helleblad -