Review Summary: One of the best symphonic metal albums ever recorded, After Forever were ahead of their time, and laid the groundwork for bands yet to come.
A long time ago, After Forever were a force to be reckoned with in the symphonic metal world. They were going toe-to-toe with Epica as one of the giants in the genre. And then they randomly quit, and I was shattered. Never again would I hear a new After Forever song. Psyche. In this 15th anniversary edition there’s two new songs, and one of them is a throwaway piano track. It’s a dismal offering, but thankfully, their new song Sweet Closure brings everything great about the band to the table for one last hurrah, and that of course includes impressive instrumentation. It’s a glorious return to form, fitting perfectly in the album, even if their return may be short lived (let’s hope not).
This is a remastered version of their self-titled, and final album. It’s remastered perfectly, sounding incredibly clear while not taking away any of the metallic punch from the original release. That alone makes this album worth the admission. Fifteen years later this is still one of the best symphonic metal albums ever recorded. As far as I’m concerned, After Forever laid the foundation for the genre with this album.
Floor Jansen is known best as the singer of Nightwish, but she originally was the brainchild of After Forever. She writes music that matches her passion, whether it be a non-stop slammer piece like Transitory, or something more delicate. Dynamics captivate rather like a cinematic musical, with completely over-the-top orchestration mixed with an authoritative, crushing guitar tone (which the opening song Discord illustrates with gusto). I cannot even begin to name a symphonic metal album that sounds better than this, and yes, that also includes Nightwish, who have misused Floor’s talents since stealing her. Certainly it’s a cheesy album with cascading synthesizers like waterfalls, but that’s all part of the show.
Floor’s best vocal performance is in here, which is saying a lot. It’s some of the best singing I’ve heard in metal, period. The way she hits every note with boisterous aggression is ridiculous. Whether singing “regularly” or with operatic bravado, it all exceeds expectations. The growls served from the harsh vocalist also still impress. After Forever is a master class in symphonic metal and must not be forgotten. With endlessly catchy choruses and stunning melodies, After Forever is hypnotizing from beginning to the end.
