After Forever

After Forever was a Dutch symphonic metal band with strong progressive metal influences. The band relied on the use of both soprano vocals and death grunts.

In February 2009, it was announced that After Forever had disbanded. Singer Floor Jansen and keyboardist Joost van den Broek both collaborated again in bands ReVamp's and in Star One. In 2013, Jansen also joined symphonic metal band Nightwish. Former guitarist Mark Jansen also created the band Epica in 2002 after his departure from After Forever.

History

After Forever was originally assembled in 1995, under the name Apocalypse. They were originally a death metal cover band with harsh male vocals. With the joining of vocalist Floor Jansen in 1997, their style and sound shifted towards symphonic metal, in order to give emphasis to her soprano voice, in contrast with the grunts and screams provided by Sander Gommans and Mark Jansen. Their line-up at this point comprised Floor Jansen, Mark Jansen, Sander Gommans, Luuk van Gerven, Jack Driessen and Joep Beckers.

After Forever (song)

"After Forever" is a song by English rock band Black Sabbath. The song was released on their third studio album Master of Reality in 1971, and later the same year it had been released as the first single from the album, but failed to chart anywhere. The lyrics were written by Geezer Butler while the music was written by Tony Iommi.

History

The lyrics of the song "After Forever", written by Geezer Butler, a proclaimed Catholic, focus entirely on Christian themes. Although the album jacket credits Iommi alone as the composer of this song (including lyrics), the Black Sabbath Black Box Set refutes the album jacket credit and gives credit to this song (along with "Orchid" and "Embryo") to all four band members in keeping with their wishes to remain a democratic band. At the time, some viewed Black Sabbath as Satanists (which the band had consistently denied) due to their dark sound, image and lyrics. "After Forever" was released as a single along with "Fairies Wear Boots" in 1971.Rolling Stone reviewer Lester Bangs criticized the Christian theme of "After Forever" as too obvious, but welcomed the arrangement, while Wilson & Alroy's called the guitar sound "crude but effective".

After Forever (album)

After Forever is the eponymous fifth and final studio album by Dutch symphonic metal band After Forever. It was released in the United States on September 28, 2007. The bonus track "Lonely" appears on the digipack edition. The album reached position No. 6 on the Dutch album charts.

Track listing

All music by Sander Gommans, Joost van den Broek and After Forever, except "Energize Me" and "Envision" by Gommans, van den Broek, Gordon Groothedde and After Forever. All lyrics by Floor Jansen

DVD

A bonus DVD was bundled together for the North American release featuring the following:

Personnel