Steerpike's Spotlight #38: After Forever - A New Generation of Gothic Metal

[Steerpike]

Well, last week's spotlight was quite a hit. I've got people in Europe now looking forward to not just Edguy and Dragonforce on tour, but also Sabaton supporting them.

It's times like this that remind me why I do these every week. I always get a couple people out there at least who appreciate it, but hearing that a band I really enjoy now has a new member to their audience to help give them the support they deserve is really gratifying.

Kamelot - Real American Power Metal (http://www.musicianforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=415201)
Blackmore's Night - A Match Made In Heaven (http://www.musicianforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=417518)
Michale Graves - Dig Up Her Bones for Witch Season! (http://www.musicianforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=419906)
Melechesh - Sumerian Black Metal (http://www.musicianforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=422394)
Darkest of the Hillside Thickets - Ia! Ia! Cthulhu rocks! (http://www.musicianforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=424234)
Tangerine Dream - The World's Greatest Synth Band (http://www.musicianforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=426021)
Sabaton - This Means War (http://www.musicianforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=428552)

Christmas Special: Trans-Siberian Orchestra - A New Christmas Tradition (http://www.musicianforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=426215)

As you can see, we have already covered a lot of ground, and we're in the home stretch for this chapter. In only a few more months, we'll be hitting the one-year anniversary of the series. I'll have to think of something to celebrate the occassion. And don't worry, I still have plenty of bands to go through.

Now once again we are covering the Goth sound, but those of you who may be wary and are still reading, I thank you. You see, you might be pleasantly surprised...

Biography

With the success of Nightwish, who released their debut in 1997, the advent of female-fronted bands has been sky-rocketing. They are usually seen in symphonic/Gothic metal in particular. Epica, Lunatica, Within Temptation, Edenbridge, etc. Like any movement in music, there are good bands and bad ones to take into consideration. This week, we're going to take a closer look at After Forever.

It should be pointed out right now that this elegant, symphonic band originally started in 1995 under the name Apocalypse playing a progressive stripe of death metal. The band members though felt the need to experiment more. They recruited vocalist Floor Jansen to help with their new ambitions in 1997, and the music began moving in a more symphonic direction. At the time, Floor was only 16.

They signed to Transmission records in 1999 and finally began work on a debut album. A year later they released Prison of Desire. Their success was mostly confined to continental Europe, but it was still encouraging, and a very lucrative market anyway.

Their symphonic sound also fused with some of the classic aesthetics of Goth rock, such as chilling sonic textures and introspective lyrics. They also mixed Floor's beautiful soprano with guitarists Mark Jansen and Sander Gommans' death metal growls to create contrasting moods in the song. Fans of Opeth should appreciate this approach.

Prison of Desire was quickly followed up by Decipher in 2001, but this marked the end of the first stage of After Forever's career. Mark Jansen wanted to move in a different direction than the rest of the band. As the creative differences piled up, the band and Mark decided to part ways.

Mark went on to form Epica (coming soon to a spotlight near you), and Bas Maas, the group's guitartech, took his place. Since Mark was one of the main songwriters for the group, their style took on a new direction, one more based in epic feeling. Bas also added a new dimension to the music with his clean, baritone vocals.

The transition left a little to be desired in some regards, but last year's release of Remagine has recovered any ground the band may have lost. The tour concluded toward the end of 2005, and has cemented the status of After Forever as a big name in the symphonic metal scene.

At the moment, the band members are all in their downtime. Bas is working on some side projects with Sander, and Floor is teaching performing classes at a music college in her hometown while continuing her own study of music. Rumors are circulating that she may be a candidate to replace Tarja Turunen in Nightwish, though these are all unfounded and little more than hearsay.

Now with this new information, perhaps some of you who would have originally shyed away from Gothic metal might feel inclined to give it another chance?

Official Web Site (http://www.afterforever.com/)

[Steerpike]

Current Line-Up

Floor Jansen - soprano vocals
Sander Gommans - guitar, growls
Bas Maas - guitar, clean male vocals
Luuk van Garven - bass
André Borgman - drums, acoustic guitar
Joost van den Broek - keyboards


Current Label

Transmission Records


Discography

Prison of Desire (2000)
Decipher (2001)
Exordium (2003, EP)
Invisible Circles (2004)
Remagine (2005)


Mailing List

We're in the homestretch, so don't drop out on me now.

Victim of Choices
Zenith
Silence from Afar
Follow in the Cry
Beyond Me

[milkman41]

first post, yeah, this sounds pretty interesting I'll have to check them out :thumb:

send pleece

sparklepinknick@gmail.com

[Ve Das]

Nice write-up :thumb:
Been lookin for some stuff of theirs ever since I saw em live in Wacken.
Feel free to send some to ve-das@gmx.de

[Jom]

Isn't this Issue 38, Steerpike? I thought Sabotan was Issue 37.

Let me know if you want me to fix the title for you.

And as always, this was a terrific read. I hope the poll question wasn't alluding to you feeling like no one is reading them. As I said, I don't want to sound like a broken record saying, "Good read, Alex!" all the time :upset:

[Shattered_Future]

Good writeup, per usual. One thing though, the released Decipher after Prison Of Desire, not Deception. :thumb:

Absolutely stunning band. Floor is one of the best singers in the genre, hands down.

[Ve Das]

plus,she´s über-hot :naughty:

[Steerpike]

Isn't this Issue 38, Steerpike? I thought Sabotan was Issue 37.

Let me know if you want me to fix the title for you.

And as always, this was a terrific read. I hope the poll question wasn't alluding to you feeling like no one is reading them. As I said, I don't want to sound like a broken record saying, "Good read, Alex!" all the time :upset:

Yeah, it's supposed to be 38. I've been kind of sluggish today and don't have all my wits collected.

And I put the poll question in there as a joke. We're down to two bands and Primal Fear had the commanding lead last week. Seems like the poll now is just going through the motions until next chapter.

[Ve Das]

Hmmm,seems like people want to break the chain.After After Forever,how could one NOT do a write-up of Epica?

[Stoic]

Now with this new information, perhaps some of you who would have originally shyed away from Gothic metal might feel inclined to give it another chance?

Female vocalist? Soprano? Eeewww :p

Unlike some nightwish fanboys (ahem...) female vocals (and especially operatic vocals) are a huge turn off for me. But I didnt quite understand the analogy between female vocals and growled or clean male vocals :confused:

[Ve Das]

Floor rules.Personally,I find her voice much more fitting to the music than Tarja´s...or found when I was mucho drunk in the audience.

[GenuineImitation]

I like some female vocals, so I think I'll check this band out.

Are you going to send samples out? If so, here is my email:
rock15guitarist@aol.com


Nice job as usual.

[Stoic]

Floor rules.Personally,I find her voice much more fitting to the music than Tarja´s...or found when I was mucho drunk in the audience.

This is the case I'm afraid...:D

/says a guy who's never listened to any After Forever
/AcquiredDisguise@yahoo.gr

Still, I want my metal to have grind-y vocals :mad:

[Steerpike]

Female vocalist? Soprano? Eeewww :p

Unlike some nightwish fanboys (ahem...) female vocals (and especially operatic vocals) are a huge turn off for me. But I didnt quite understand the analogy between female vocals and growled or clean male vocals :confused:

Are you referring to the Opeth analogy? Well, everyone knows Mikael alternates with clean vocals and growls. After Forever uses Floor's vocals in addition to growls and clean male vocals to create different moods and atmospheres to the songs.

Kind of like Therion at that.

[ThatBunnKid]

I'd really like to hear some of this if you're sending anything out.
that_bunn_kid@yahoo.com
Good write up btw.

[Hells Bells]

Floor is a fantastic singer, other than being able to do a beautiful operatic soprano, she can also pull off powerful theatrical vocals pretty damn well...she nails Bruce Dickinson's vocal lines dead on in AF's cover of the evil that men do.

[Stoic]

Are you referring to the Opeth analogy? Well, everyone knows Mikael alternates with clean vocals and growls. After Forever uses Floor's vocals in addition to growls and clean male vocals to create different moods and atmospheres to the songs.

Kind of like Therion at that.

much clearer now :thumb:

she nails Bruce Dickinson's vocal lines dead on in AF's cover of the evil that men do.

I must listen to this :eek:

[Steerpike]

Floor is a fantastic singer, other than being able to do a beautiful operatic soprano, she can also pull off powerful theatrical vocals pretty damn well...she nails Bruce Dickinson's vocal lines dead on in AF's cover of the evil that men do.

Unfortunately I don't have the EP that was on.

Though you can really hear the Bruce Dickinson influence in her voice. There's also a little Rob Halford and Dio in there, to my ears.

Anyway, the write-up is finished and the uploads will be going out tomorrow. I chose Victim of Choices first because I think the power in it will allay the doubts of some that this is just another Nightwish-esque band.

[Hells Bells]

I must listen to this :eek:

Sent :thumb:
I've sent it to you too Alex, in case you wanted to put it in the mailing list.

Are you referring to the Opeth analogy? Well, everyone knows Mikael alternates with clean vocals and growls. After Forever uses Floor's vocals in addition to growls and clean male vocals to create different moods and atmospheres to the songs.

Kind of like Therion at that.

Other than the mix between male and female vocals, there are a lot of similarities between the two bands, especially with the atmosphere they create. Both use symphonic elements to make their music dark but very dramatic...the first time I heard Ex Cathedra, I thought it was a song by Therion.

[Stoic]

Sent :thumb:
I've sent it to you too Alex, in case you wanted to put it in the mailing list.


This is not bad at all! In fact it's really impressive!

Does she sound like this in After Forever or she has a more operatic approach?

/looks forward to alex's uploads :)

[Hells Bells]

Haha, nice, we'll get get you into female vocals yet :p

Like I said before, she mixes the two approachs, and goes back and forth between them seamlessly. Emphasis is a great song to demonstrate her abilities with both styles.

[TojesDolan]

Interesting band.

I had the chance to see them live but oh destiny, I had to leave town those days. :( And I ran out of money too, so yep.

[Eleventeen]

I have yet to hear them, dling now.

[eighty d]

cranuaed@gmail.com

great writeup. i've been meaning to check after forever out. i actually found out about them after buying ayreon's human equation album. floor's sister irene does some amazing vocals on that album, so hopefully it runs in the family.

[Jom]

38 it is, Alex.

[Stoic]

Haha, nice, we'll get get you into female vocals yet :p

:lol: I hope so, I hate missing good music because of that!

Like I said before, she mixes the two approachs, and goes back and forth between them seamlessly. Emphasis is a great song to demonstrate her abilities with both styles.

If this is the case then her voice certainly has more variety than Tarja's. I'm downloading Emphasis on Soulseek, I'll leave feedback tomorrow, after I listen to the songs Steerpike will send.

[Iron Bars]

Good work again Steerpike. I'm not to big a fan of this band and its other Dutch counterparts (mainly Epica and Within Temptation). I liked the Decipher album but because of the over comercialised anouncements of the next wave of goth metal I never listened to it. Luckily its died down a bit over here now so I'll sign up again to try it: jvm360@hotmail.com

Why is this already on the third page?

[Apocalyptic Raids]

The Evil That Men Do.... more people need to cover this song! It's a classic. I wish Maiden would play it live instead of Can I Play With Madness? which starts to grate after about the tenth listen.

Nice write up, too :p Even though After Forever don't sound like my cup of tea, sign me up anyway jonhislop@gmail.com.

I vote Primal Fear, after looking them up on teh MA, they sound like something I would like.

[ATC]

I'm a big fan of female vocals, but not the symphonic kind. But I'm hoping you'll convert me. I remember liking the few After Forever songs I'd heard last year. So sign me up. Anticarnation@gmail.com.

And needless to say, nice review.

[King_Of_Terrors]

Noice write-up, I liked it. I also love female vocals, I don't think I've heard this band though.

kingofterrors13@yahoo.com

[Stoic]

The Evil That Men Do.... more people need to cover this song!

The constant repetition of the pre chorus gets a little irritating actually...

[Riva]

I hate Nightwish's vocals, but hey, I'll give anything a try once. :p

[Cain]

Steerpike, have you heard of Within Temptation?

They're posing a slight dilemma for me, I was wondering if you were a fan. They're related to After Forever and Nightwish in a big way, style-wise, so I was curious.

[Shattered_Future]

Ergh, Within Temptation is like Nightwish and After Forever's cousin with an IQ of 70.

They have all the elements, yes, but they dumb everything WAY down. It's godawful...though they have a few decent songs.

Alex, are any of those songs not off of Decipher or Invisible Circles? If so, send them to me.

anemiate@yahoo.com

Much thanks. :thumb:

[Apocalyptic Raids]

The constant repetition of the pre chorus gets a little irritating actually...
I suppose... but it still isn't half as irritating as Can I Play With Madness?

[StreetlightRock]

Dude, I LOVE After Forever! I got my hands on Remagine yesterday, but I've yet to give it a listen. Good write-up.

[Werny]

Steerpike, have you heard of Within Temptation?

They're posing a slight dilemma for me, I was wondering if you were a fan. They're related to After Forever and Nightwish in a big way, style-wise, so I was curious.

Of course he's heard of them, they're mentioned in the write-up. I think.

I'd like a few songs werny89@hotmail.com
but I don't think I'll like them. Are they more like Nightwish or Within Temptation? 'Cause I love Nightwish, but I recently purchased Within Temptation's new CD and it's the biggest pile of stinking commercial pop crap even to come out of a "goth" band.

[StreetlightRock]

Definately more like Nightwish. Only Better. :)

[ThisEnds]

If it is not to late, I would love to hear some of this, Injahta@yahoo.com.I love Nightwish and female singers in general.

[Shattered_Future]

Of course he's heard of them, they're mentioned in the write-up. I think.

I'd like a few songs werny89@hotmail.com
but I don't think I'll like them. Are they more like Nightwish or Within Temptation? 'Cause I love Nightwish, but I recently purchased Within Temptation's new CD and it's the biggest pile of stinking commercial pop crap even to come out of a "goth" band.

Trust me, After Forever doesn't have the problem Within Temptation has. :)

[Werny]

Trust me, After Forever doesn't have the problem Within Temptation has. :)

After listening to one song (thanks for uploadage), I can certainly agree with that! They have the problem of focusing on vocals, but it's still very enjoyable. It was the song Victim of Choices. I love it when there's the growls under the lead vocals, they go together perfectly.

[Det_Nosnip]

Ergh, Within Temptation is like Nightwish and After Forever's cousin with an IQ of 70.

They have all the elements, yes, but they dumb everything WAY down. It's godawful...though they have a few decent songs.

Alex, are any of those songs not off of Decipher or Invisible Circles? If so, send them to me.

anemiate@yahoo.com

Much thanks. :thumb:

Have you heard the "Enter" album? Great stuff...really took what Paradise Lost started on the "Gothic" album and made something of it. Unfortunately, they then got popular, sold out, and are now a really bad Evanescence rip-off.

Anyways, After Forever are one of my all time favorite bands, and it really makes me happy to see them pushed by somebody other than myself. Floor is probably my favorite singer (tied with Anneke Van Giersbergen from the Gathering)...very emotional, amazing songwriter as well (unlike Tarja, she writes all of her parts and even writes alot of the music as well). She's also technically incredible...her belting voice is incredibly powerful, and her ability to switch between her power voice and her opera voice right in the middle of phrases is awesome.

I'm also really happy about Joost Van der Braek joining the band. He's really an incredible keyboard player, although he really shines when he gets on an acoustic piano. Damn, the man can play! :cool: People who are curious should check out his old band "Sun Caged." Very technical stuff, kinda like Dream Theater or Symphony X. He also did some phenomenal stuff on the latest Ayreon album, "The Human Equation." The synth solo that he did in "Day 2: Isolation" is a real jaw dropper. :eek:

Well, that's my 2c...keep up the great work!

[Shadows Within]

yeah i like them i got wacken with them preforming ai love that one and the evil that men do

quigfoas@yahoo.com

[StreetlightRock]

He also did some phenomenal stuff on the latest Ayreon album, "The Human Equation.

DING! Ah! thats where i've heard his name before. 'twas bugging me.

[Cocaine]

Great band. I've only heard a few songs though, so I'm down for a mail out.

lintmunro@hotmail.com

Thanks.