In a scene some may consider to be nearing saturation point, After Forever are one band adding, what I think to be, a genuinely exciting progressive twist to female-fronted symphonic metal. Much heavier in sound than say, Nightwish or Within Temptation, yet still vivacious and at times full of optimism; After Forever demand to be sampled by your ears before you try to categorise them, or toss them aside as ‘just another’ band with a lady singer.

First formed in the mid-90s in Holland by guitarists Mark Jansen and Sander Gommans, the vocal talents of Floor Jansen (not related to Mark) were shortly enlisted. Even then, only in her mid-teens, her soaring soprano abilities could already set the band apart from the pack. Although their sound could certainly be described as of the "beauty and the beast" style, the dual assault of scream and grunt vocals from both guitarists can add intensity and variety. Using a choir on their debut, and later enlisting the help of string sextets and sitar players gives their sound an immense depth and atmosphere right from the off.

Their 2000 debut, Prison of Desire, was not exactly ground breaking but the epic atmosphere of the record, created by Latin choral chants and lush keyboards, makes it a very enjoyable listen and an accomplished first album. The shared lyric writing duties of Floor and Mark allow their song meanings to be diverse, with some lyrical themes focussed around the Islamic religion, even quoting the Quo'ran at points and some from a more personal, emotional perspective. A fact which may appeal to any Within Temptation fans reading, the album also features ’Beyond Me’, with guest vocals from Sharon den Adel; although certainly not the best track on display here, the harmonies between the 2 vocalists are beautiful.

2001's rather epic Decipher album is considered by many to be a classic of the genre and I expect a lot of fans would call it their favourite. It worked on the foundations laid by their debut, but with a small string group to expand the symphonic element of their sound, and songs with a more instant appeal, they scored a winning formula. Following the release, they were able to tour throughout Europe and South America with Nightwish. Despite both bands featuring jaw-dropping opera styled vocals, After Forever's music is far from that of the Finns'; the power metal roots of the latter are not found, as AF's influences lie in death metal, but also in classical and Arabic sounds.

It was following Decipher that core song-writer Mark Jansen left the band to pursue a different direction that would later become Epica. This event led to the band changing dramatically; from a listener’s point of view, the sound created by After Forever after this point could almost come from a different band entirely. And fortunately, it is the music created since Jansen’s departure that is truly exciting.

Their current sound, as defined by Invisible Circles, a concept album, is complex in a way that is hard to swallow. Simply writing ’Decipher Part 2’ would have probably been easy, but rather than repeat themselves, After Forever opted for something far more challenging for both themselves, and their fans. A lot of fans initially criticised the record, and that is likely to be because it was not at all what they were expecting. Either that or it confused the hell out of them. Songs that merge into each other, a storyline, dialogue and even a doorbell sound effect might send some listeners away screaming, but I must urge anyone to listen to it more than once, as repeated spins allow this to become a glorious symphony of a record that is very rewarding to listen to. Delightfully heavy and complex guitar lines are entwined with swirling symphonics, alongside which is that amazing voice of Floor’s. I say ’voice’, but one could easily say ‘voices‘, as she explores the rock edge to her voice as well as the operatics, sometimes to signify the change of character in the storyline of the record, adding genuine drama - particularly in a live setting. Featuring an entirely piano-based ballad (‘Eccentric‘) and their heaviest song to date (‘Blind Pain‘) proves they can do both sides of the spectrum successfully. Now gone are any politics; Floor’s emotional lyrics are usually able to avoid clichés, probably with the help of Gommans whose day job as a teacher gives him a different outlook on psychology.

Although Invisible Circles is probably not the best introduction to the band, I believe it’s an essential purchase for fans of the band and genre, and it’s certainly interesting to observe the evolution from their earlier works. The addition of guitarist/ vocalist Bas Maas to the AF ranks and later, former Sun Caged keyboardist Joost van den Broek have allowed them to excel in their many live performances on the Dutch festival circuit, all of which points to a healthy future

Although there are a lot of ‘lady metal’ bands out there to choose from, if it’s freshness and variety you’re after or if you’re someone who enjoys something a little challenging to listen to, then it’s time to take an interest in After Forever.

The new album from AFTER FOREVER is titled "Remagine" and is due for European release this coming September!