Current revision

After Forever - After Forever

General Information

Original Author: The Uncreator

Artist: After Forever

Album: After Forever

Genre: Symphonic Metal

Tracklist

01. Discord
02. Evoke
03. Transitory
04. Energize Me
05. Equally Destructive
06. Withering Time
07. De-Energized
08. Cry With A Smile
09. Envision
10. Who I Am (Starring Doro Pesch)
11. Dreamflight
12. Empty Memories
13. Lonely

Sound

8 Great symphonic metal sound, punishing guitars, brutal growls, majestic female vocals, fast riffs, crazy keyboard stuff, heavy drums, its everything you want plus a guest appearance by Doro Pesch (whom i love )

Guitars

9 Amazing!! Sanders Gommans and Bas Maas are an incredible guitar team. There tone on this album is just wicked good. It cuts through with there combination of just Punishing riffs, whether they be heavy chug-alongs or technical frenzies, or even soft Acoustic interludes. They perform excellently on this album, there solo's are an outstanding feature on this album, the beginning of De-Energized has 3 very cool solo's, including a harmony with the keyboards over some crazy 6 string sweeps. I wasnt expecting this from After Forever, but dam, there guitarists can play some great solo's! and i must mention the very cool guitar solo/ keyboard solo harmonies, very impressive and catchy.

Bass

8 Great as well, Luuk Van Gerven is a more than exceptional bass player. With his gentle, subtle, and beautiful interlude parts, he adds a new layer of flavor to this wonderful cake that is After Forever (what the hell does that mean anyway? ). When not doing his lead playing, he beating the hell out of you following the guitars, making the riffs even heavier, great playing, great sound, just great.

Drums

8 Amazing again, Ander Borgman knows how to beat the skins i tell ya. With his solid grooves, heavy sound, and more than great performance, The drums will make your head do that thing where you force it back in forth involuntarily, you know what im talking about . While not revolutionary or anything, i cant help but just loving his style.

Vocals/ Floor Jansen

10 Ahh, what a beautiful voice she has. Whether it be here more aggressive and in your face style, Her soaring Mezzo Soprano vocals, or her soft lullaby like voice, She can capture your very soul with her performance. Fans of Nightwish or Epica will feel right at home with Floor Jansen.

Vocals/ Sanders Gomman

10 While also one of the axeman, Sanders also has a truly demonic voice that he is not afraid to unleash. From the low rumbling growls, to the higher screams, Sanders has a good range of growls and screams, much like that (once again) in Epica, so fans of them will feel even more at home here. There are a few cool parts where he doubles his vocals, one growling and one screaming, and ive always loved the effect it produced (when done right) and he does it perfectly.

Lyrics

8 Floor, the main lyricist, writes some beautiful lyrics. Very uplifting and very empowering. I think most should enjoy them.

From "Energize Me"

Energize me with a simple touch
Or with an open heart
Energize me, Fire up this flame between us.

Its not a fantasy, another mystery
Its just what i can feel, Its something i can see
Its like a memory, An inner melody
Its what we all know, and we all hear
I was blind
I was closed down
Could not feel it or set it free

From "Equally Destructive"

Ground is shaking
Waves are breaking
The wind has lost control
The air is shifting
While its lifting force fools gravity
A huge eruption
Vast explosions
As it bursts the earth
Waters pounding
Waves are sounding deadly extreme

...But we are equally destructive

Equally destructive as we are
Dont you think we've also gone to far?
We are just part of this machine
and its endless stream
Alarming silence
Predicts the violence that is yet to come

From "Cry With A Smile"

Cry with a smile
My heart is bleeding
Bewildered im here alone
Why is there pain in a beautiful moment?
Why do i feel so lost so empty?
Cry with a smile
My heart is healing
From pain i knew that would come
Why is there luck in a deeply sad moment?
Why do feel so calm?
So peaceful

Take my heart and set it free
Take my heart and give it time to heal
I know in my memories you'll live
Take my heart a little while
Take it with you to the place you'll go
I know we will meet again someday

Overall Impression

9 An amazing, majestic, heavy, melodic, and beautiful album. If you like all of the above, with the big symphonic sound, growling vocals, perfect female vocals then this it for you. If you enjoy Epica, Nightwish, Sins Of Thy Beloved, Tristania or bands like them, you will thoroughly enjoy this album. Absolutely superb.