Stephen van Haestregt is a Dutch drummer, best known as the drummer of the Dutch symphonic metal

Symphonic metal

Symphonic metal is a term used to describe heavy metal music that has symphonic elements; that is, elements that are either borrowed from classical music or, as with progressive rock music, create a style reminiscent of it, e.g...

 band Within Temptation

Within Temptation

Within Temptation is a Dutch symphonic gothic metal/rock band founded in 1996 by vocalist Sharon den Adel and guitarist Robert Westerholt. Their music is described as symphonic metal, although their earlier material, such as Enter, was gothic metal. In an interview, Den Adel said they fell into a...

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Van Haestregt first band was Sacrament, and then he joined Paralysis. In 2000 he worked with Within Temptation

Within Temptation

Within Temptation is a Dutch symphonic gothic metal/rock band founded in 1996 by vocalist Sharon den Adel and guitarist Robert Westerholt. Their music is described as symphonic metal, although their earlier material, such as Enter, was gothic metal. In an interview, Den Adel said they fell into a...

, as sound engineer of their album Mother Earth

Mother Earth (album)

Mother Earth is the second studio album by Dutch symphonic metal/rock band Within Temptation. Originally released on December 4, 2000 in the Netherlands, and August 21, 2001 in other parts of Europe, it quickly became a success in the band's heartland, reaching platinum status in the Netherlands...

. When the band's drummer, Ivar de Graaf

Ivar de Graaf

Ivar de Graaf is the founder and drummer of the Dutch progressive metal band Kingfisher Sky, but best known as the former drummer of successful the Dutch rock/metal band Within Temptation.-Early career:...

, left in 2002, he joined them and five days later made his first performance with the band on the German festival Rock im Park. Stephen has performed on Arjen Anthony Lucassen

Arjen Anthony Lucassen

Arjen Anthony "Oswold Jr." Lucassen is a progressive metal/rock composer, singer and musician from the Netherlands, best known for his long-running progressive opera project titled Ayreon....

's album Fate of a Dreamer

Fate of a Dreamer

"Cold Metal" is the only single from this album, and the only by Ambeon. It has samples of Ayreon's "Into the Black Hole", from the album Universal Migrator Part 2: Flight of the Migrator.-Track listing:# "Cold Metal "# "Merry-Go-Round"...

, under the Ambeon

Ambeon

Ambeon is a Dutch progressive metal act, a project consisting mainly of multi-instrumentalist composer Arjen Anthony Lucassen and vocalist Astrid van der Veen. The act's first and only album to date, Fate of a Dreamer, was recorded in 2001, when van der Veen was just 14 years old...

 moniker, and has also produced several albums such as The Rebel in You by Yellow Pearl

Yellow Pearl

Yellow Pearl is a Dutch band that started in 2003 and has had several hits. This pop/rock band consists of Emiel Pijnaker , Viktor Beekman , Robert E. James , Sander Keuls and Guzz Genser...

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Also Stephen produced several albums, such as Middles EP and Tsumi

Tsumi

is a Japanese word that indicates the violation of legal, social or religious rules. It is most often used in the religious and moral sense. Originally, the word indicated a divine punishment due to the violation of a divine taboo through evil deeds, defilement or disasters...

 from the Dutch Nu-Metal band Dreadlock Pussy

Dreadlock Pussy

Dreadlock Pussy was a Dutch nu metal band from Roermond. The band was active from 1997 to 2006 and released two demos, four albums, one EP and three singles on the Seamiew Records label, allied to Zomba/BMG...

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On March 30, 2010, Stephen announced via Within Temptation's official website that he would be leaving the band after the Theatretour planned for April in order to concentrate on his new band My Favorite Scar.