AFTER FOREVER

Until the quality because it is a "Demo" (1999) is not bad. The songs that make up the "Demo" later made ​​part of the first album, "Prison of Desire", released a year later (2000).

"Ephemeral" reflects its name, so fleeting that when you start to like it, has ended. It has only three minutes long. "Jack Driessen" on the keyboard creating a melancholy sound, while "Joep Beckers" awakens his drum.

"Black Tomb" also has its beginnings in arrangements based soft keyboard and guitar fingerings that do not linger in distorting. The way to "Floor Jansen" singing evokes an oriental sound (1:47 / 2:11). For those who just wanted to hear the sweet voice of "Floor", is surprised with the throaty vocals (3:00 / 3:12), followed by an instant hardcore (3:54 / 4:20), returning then that sound oriental.

"Tortuous Threnody" is another amazing song sequences with their riffs. "Gommans / M. Jansen" on guitars and guttural rock. It is impossible to remain indifferent to the sound created by them. Amid the calm brought by the voice of "Floor", two guitar solos played at the same time create a harmony so nice to hear. For those who never heard the album "Prison of Desire" and listen to this "Demo", hear the entire album containing these tracks and more.

"Inimical Chimera" concludes what is undoubtedly one of the best "Demo" ever produced by a band. There is no way to say "After Forever" is a copy of any other band's style, for although every band in the world suffer some kind of influence of another, yet what they have built here is not something conventional.

It is an enhanced sound. Voices, guitars, bass, keyboard and drums. If the "Demo" is all about, then what about the album "Prison of Desire"?

— First review of this album —

With the launch of the concept album "Invisible Circles", the band decided to launch a "Single" to promote the record.

They selected four songs and added an interview. "Digital Deceit" which gives its name to "Single" is the first track. A strong composition with a more direct sound. "Floor Jansen" is highlighted by the timbre of the voice switch as they change the characters existing in the album. The guitar riffs, the bass is in contrast to explode in the technical quality squandered by "Floor Jansen."

"Eccentric" with its tone of bitterness because of the lyrical context, where there is neglect and indifference of parents for their daughter. "Lando van Gils - Keyboardist" helps with your chords and creativity to the sad mood of the lyrics.

"Sins of Idealism" is presented by the bass of "Luuk van Gerven." Again "Floor Jansen" stands alternating singing techniques as a mother and daughter who plays in their dialogues. "Bas Maas" and "Sander Gommans" move the music with their riffs, while "Lando van Gils" is instructed to elevate the drama with his synthesizers. "André Borgman" little required, complete the team.

"Blind Pain" already allows "Andre Borgman" build your name in the band. "Sander Gommans" is responsible for vocals screaming. With rhythmic passages, fast, heavy, this song is a spectacle.

In short, this "single" beautifully expresses the power existing in the album "Invisible Circles" and each track serves to demonstrate the technical quality of its members. Recommended.

— First review of this album —

In the same year launched the "Ep - Exordium" containing "The Evil That Men Do", also released a "Single" containing the same music.

Some "Singles" are only for the most devout fans who wish to own the entire discography of your favorite band.

The "Single - My Choice / The Evil That Men Do" is a good example. It comprises two versions of a song "My Choice", the regular version and the acoustic version. There's also "My Pledge of Allegiance # 1" from the album "Decipher", plus an interview about sixteen minutes.

For a fan this "Single" can be a gift but for those who do not have much appreciation, is an unnecessary release.

— First review of this album —

This "Single" is composed of four songs. Originally the four tracks should belong to the album "Decipher", but withdrew in the final production the song "For the Time Being," which later served as a bonus.

There is no difference of version of "Monolith of Doubt (single version)" placed here and the existing version on the original album. This song was chosen for a propaganda and dissemination of the band.

There is not very plausible explanation for having taken "For the Time Being" from the album "Decipher", placing it as a bonus only in certain countries. Space would be easy for her ... "Mark Jansen" at the height of his screaming vocals, choirs ... why?

One of their songs most used in "Singles" with so many possible versions that would to record a "Ep" only with them. "Imperfect Tenses (Orchestral version)" is launched with the only difference between parentheses. If you are a fan of the band, it's worth, but now if a listener looking for some sound to hear, the "Single" is unnecessary.

"Exordium" was released in 2003, one year after the excellent "Decipher" and a year before the disputed "Invisible Circles". It represents the transformation experienced by the band's sound more symphonic albums in the "Prison of Desire" and "Decipher", a reality for more heavy since then.

"Line of Thoughts" is an instrumental track that serves as an introduction to "Beneath."

By introducing already see a difference, if before the album began with corals, pompous arrangements, as in "Mea Culpa" and "Ex Cathedra", now break with "Mark Jansen" was final. Corals and pompous arrangements were taken by him to the band "Epica".

"Beneath" is more direct, without many gadgets. In some ways it was a preview of what would be the band's subsequent album...

"My Choice" has one of the best lyrics of the band. "Is it not the choosing That makes the life we live so intricate?" At issue is a ballad sound.

"Glorifying Means" rescues that dueling vocals between "Floor Jansen" and "Sander Gommans" without "Mark Jansen" since left the band. His absence is needed for this "EP", the orchestral arrangements could have given a more elegant to "Exordium," beyond their screaming vocals.

A version of "The Evil That Men Do - Iron Maiden," the voice "Floor Jansen" was very good. The liveliness imposed by it in the interpretation made ​​this song became one of the highlights of "Ep". The instrumental music performed well.

"One Day I'll Fly Away - Randy Crawford," another remake, terminating the "Ep." The end result is higher than expected.

The "EP" created a good expectation of what would come from the band, the result would be "Invisible Circles" that while not being either, it was sign of musical maturity. "Exordium" is recommended even for those not a fan of the band, worth checking out this new phase of the band and their remakes.

— First review of this album —

This "single" consists of four songs, three of the album "Decipher".

"Emphasis" has no difference from the original version and its presence here seems to have been baptized to the name of "single".

A version of "Who Wants to Live Forever," the band "Queen" in the voice of "Floor Jansen" is one of the few novelties in the "single". Compare with the original would be inhuman, just say "Floor Jansen," as "Damian Wilson", the band's "Threshold," work hard to maintain the honor of "Freddie Mercury". The guitar solo here is done by "Arjen Anthony Lucassen."

"Imperfect Tenses" has exactly the same sound, arrangements, chords. The only difference is that "Damian Wilson" replaces "Rein Kolpa" in duet with "Floor Jansen."

"Damian Wilson" with his vocal technique leaves no room for suspicion and strengthens the quality of this "single".

"Intrinsic" is one of the most beautiful songs ever written by the band and their presence here enriches the "single".

Hardly a collection will not be good, especially when it comes to "After Forever". The first "CD" Only two tracks are not part of the albums but they belong to some "Ep / Single." "For The Time Being", which is a spectacle and "Who Wants To Live Forever", cover of "Queen". In the second "CD" we have another cover "Evil That Men Do" - Iron Maiden". This "Boxset / Compilation" it nevertheless represents a reflection on the band's career, where his greatest classics (especially in view of the label) are present. An interesting point also concerns the songs are put in chronological order, as the release of the band's own albums. Difficult to add any more information when there is no big news. In short, worth checking out, because in a single album can measure the various stages experienced by the band

My first contact with "After Forever" was through this "Ep." The charm remains today. The cover was different for me until then only had ears for sounds of "death metal" and "black metal". Those vocals in the chorus, "Mark Jansen" and "Sander Gommans" raging across the music and a voice of comfort in "Floor Jansen." "Silence From Afar (The Shorter Radio Edit)" a matchless beauty and "Mea Culpa (An Acapella Version)" a perfect preview of what would be the album "Prison of Desire." The best track is surely also the largest, with variations over its seven minutes, "Wings Of Illusion" does not present the culmination of an ingenious production at the studio, already showed characteristics so common later the band. Particularly for me this "EP" is the embryo of a band that unfortunately ended but left a record worthy of its existence.

After the departure of "Mark Jansen," a new chapter has been done to the band. He along with "Floor Jansen" were the main songwriters. The challenge would be to release an album that lives up to the previous two did, but unfortunately they failed ... It was not for lack of trying. "Bas Maas" joined the band, thus taking away the guitar left by "Mark". A concept album, an immense challenge for a newly structured band. A reduction in coral and a significant increase in the base guitar, abandoning the Gothic vein to something more "metal" had begun. With more elaborate arrangements and many times more cracked, the band has allowed a more focused sound to the "Prog". The album talks about the work above family, abandonment and how it affects the life of a child born in a home without attention, affection ... A novelty was the inclusion of a clear male voice ("Bas Maas") to add to the voices of "Floor Jansen - female soprano vocals" and "Sander Gommans - grunts". The biggest highlight is the "Floor Jansen" that switches the timbre of his voice according to the change of characters. In it I would not see another musician who has been recognized. In "Between Love & Fire" is the encounter of the three vocal highlight of the album. The slow "Eccentric" is a beautiful song but far from the best of the band. Not all tracks have the same quality, pleasing some and it makes very little difference in the end, because if the idea, the concept is very good, otherwise the level of implementation of the idea, we did not have the same result. The musicians seem very simplistic, as if it were not allowed to dare. "Blind Pain" is the track most "Prog" disk. In short the album is interesting to hear because of the proposal even though the result was not so good. Clearly the potential for "Floor Jansen" as a singer, lyricist, composer.

When I read in a magazine that the band put electronic elements into their music was a little worried because I had heard other bands with similar sound that did not get a very nice result. A year after launch "Invisible Circles", a concept album with progressive elements, the band decided to change focus. More heavy than before, and somehow the electronic inserts to help. Inevitably "Joost van den Broek" stands out because of the keyboard and electronic arrangements but again the high point is the individual with the singer "Floor Jansen." Here in "Progarchives" stated that he ("Joost van den Broek") played bass but as far as I know he played keyboard even. "Lando Van Gils" (keyboardist) left the band after "Invisible Circles" and who came up with was "Joost van den Broek". Tracks that stand out are: "Boundaries Are Open " , "Being Everyone", and "Strong ". In short, the album presents itself as a more heavy, far away from the gothic and prog.