Faster (song)

"Faster"
Single by Within Temptation
from the album The Unforgiving
Released	21 January 2011
Format	Digital download
Genre	Symphonic rock Gothic rock
Length	4:24 (Album Version) 3:16 (Radio Edit)
Label	Roadrunner
Writer(s)	Sharon den Adel Robert Westerholt Daniel Gibson
Within Temptation singles chronology
"Utopia" (2009) "Faster" (2011) "Sinėad"" (2011)

This article is about the Within Temptation song. For the George Harrison song, see Faster (George Harrison song). For the Manic Street Preachers song, see Faster/P.C.P..

"Faster" is the first single from Dutch symphonic metal/rock band Within Temptation's album The Unforgiving. It had its worldwide radio première on 96.3 Rock Radio on 21 January 2011 and, within two days, the song's audio clip gained almost 200,000 views on Youtube.^{[citation needed]}

The song's accompanying music video was released on January 31 2011, alongside the Mother Maiden short film, and reached 35 thousand views on Youtube in its first day.^[1] The song peaked at number thirteen on the United States iTunes rock chart. ^[2]

The single remained in the Dutch Top 100 for thirteen weeks, peaking at number eleven.^[3]

Background

Robert Westerholt said that;

“	“Faster” is a song which surprised ourselves. It’s a very fresh new sound wrapped around the 80′ties heart and soul of the track. “Faster” reflects one of the many musical roots we have. Combined with the modern influences on our new album, it’s like the past and future created the present.	”
—Robert Westerholt, Within Temptation Official Site[4]

Sharon den Adel said that;

“	Actually, Faster sounds a bit like Wicked Games... Yes, it has the same atmosphere. It has similar, almost the same, accords, but it is different... So, we've been going like: "Ooooh we have re-written Wicked Games" and then "No, the chords scheme is different, we don't have to worry. And it's a written song!" (laughs) "Yay!".	”
—Sharon Den Adel, Metal Ways Interview[5]

Track

Digital Download

1. "Faster" (Radio Edit) - 3:16
2. "Faster" (International Radio Edit) - 3:15

CD Single

1. "Faster" (Album Version) - 4:24
2. "Where is the Edge" - 3:59

Videos

Mother Maiden short film

The Unforgiving's first short film, Mother Maiden, was combined with the music video to Faster and released on 31 January 2011.^[6] The film begins with the character of Mother Maiden (played by Dawn Mastin^[7]) writing a letter and reciting a monologue which explains that she controls lost souls to seek revenge on "those with a dark heart." While Mother Maiden continues to speak, the film cuts between her and the "lost souls" which she controls. Firstly, we see the character of Sinéad dragging an unconscious man on top of a train, who awakens just before being killed by a low hanging rail road signal. We then cut to "The Triplets" (more of Mother Maiden's workers) crawling into a window, after which an unseen woman screams and the Triplets reappear with their mouths smeared with blood. Finally, we are shown a man shaving before an arm bursts from his bathroom mirror and strangles him. At this point the Faster music video begins with the band playing the song in full. As it ends, we see Sinéad's corpse awakening in a morgue.^[8]

Alternate Music Video

At the same time as releasing the full Faster music video and Mother Maiden short film, an edited version of the song was released onto Youtube with the same footage inter-cut (rather than as originally presented in their separate components).^[9]

Charts

Chart (2011)	Peak position
Belgium Singles Chart[3]	20
Dutch Singles Chart[3]	11
German Singles Chart[10]	39

References

1. ^ By WT official (2011-01-27). "Faster & Mother Maiden short film". Within Temptation. http://www.within-temptation.com/headlines/faster-mother-maiden-short-film/. Retrieved 2011-01-31. 
2. ^ "Faster- iTunes music charts". http://www.music-chart.info/song/621279/Faster. Retrieved 2011-10-24. 
3. ^ ^{a b c} "Faster- Dutchcharts.nl". http://www.dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Within+Temptation&titel=Faster&cat=s. Retrieved 2011-10-11. 
4. ^ "First single: “Faster”. Premiere: 21-01!". http://www.within-temptation.com/headlines/first-single-faster-premiere-21-01/. Retrieved 2011-10-24. 
5. ^ "Interview with Sharon Den Adel @ (Paris, FR) - 07.02.2011". http://www.metal-ways.com/229/interview-interview-with-sharon-den-adel-paris.html. Retrieved 2011-10-24. 
6. ^ "Faster and Mother Maiden released.". http://www.within-temptation.com/headlines/faster-mother-maiden-short-film/. Retrieved 2011-05-23. 
7. ^ Mother Maiden at the Internet Movie Database
8. ^ "Within Temptation - Faster & Mother Maiden Short Film". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGdzgcDllYE. Retrieved 2011-10-24. 
9. ^ "Shortened video to Faster". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDJpf2mQ0w4&feature=relmfu. Retrieved 2011-05-23. 
10. ^ "German Singles Charts". http://www.musicline.de/de/chartverfolgung_summary/artist/WITHIN+TEMPTATION/single?sort=entry. Retrieved 2011-10-11. 

´