Release date: 26-06-2008

After Forever is a Dutch symphonic metal band, relies on the use of both soprano vocals and death grunts. Their music is also influenced by power metal, progressive metal and gothic metal. This is the fifth self-titled After Forever

Tracks:
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 
11. Dreamflight
12. Empty Memories  
13. Lonely 

After Forever's music is a thick but not muddy background of two guitars and keyboard. Somebody did a good job to keep these these apart and away from the voice, you have a medium-high speed background that drives the music forward.

Not that Floor's voice needs protection, it is extremely powerful. More of a direct, no-nonsense voice, always keeping in the "singing range", never shouting or screaming. There are some growly male vocals in here, but much less than other bands with growls.

There is a number of ballads on there and again, After Forever just know how to do it. No bombastic landslide style instruments. Show off the voice, support it properly. Many songs show good variety, including "Dreamflight" which is an 11 minute true symphonic piece.

This is not death or trash or speed metal, I would describe it as a mix of symphonic and power metal. I hesitate to mention power metal at all, because After Forever have "true" power from Floor's voice and they are not at all like some European power metal acts that spend their time posing and fiddling with guitar effects. Speaking of guitar work, there are nice pieces of that in here (although somebody needs his wah-wah time limited). -Martin C. Amazon.com