Artist: AFTER FOREVER
Album: REMAGINE LTD. EDIT. (CD+DVD O-CARD)

Release date: 2005
Media type: CD

A Gothic Doom act with a strong sense of the majestic. Livno based AFTER FOREVER employed three vocalists, Floor Jansen on soprano, Mark Jansen on “screams” with Death Metal grunts courtesy of Sander Gommans. The group, just in their mid-teens, was conceived as APOCALYPS during 1995, quoting an opening formation of guitarists Mark Jansen and Sander Gommans, bassist Luuk van Gerven, keyboard player Jack Driessen and drummer Joep Beckers. Floor Jansen enrolled in 1997. AFTER FOREVER's recording debut came in 1999 with the demos 'Ephemeral' and 'Wings Of Illusion'.

Signing to Transmision Records, and still with an average age of just nineteen, the band's commercial inauguration came with the 2000 single 'Follow In The Cry' preceding the album 'Prison Of Desire', produced by producers Hans Pieters and Dennis Leidelmeijer at Excess Studios in Rotterdam. Japanese versions of this record added the bonus track 'Wings Of Illusion'. Ambitiously, 'Prison Of Desire' saw the band making use of a vocal choir comprising bass Hans Cassa, tenor Caspar De Jonge, alto Yvonne Rooda and sopranos Melissa 't Hart and WITHIN TEMPTATION's Sharon Janny den Adel. AFTER FOREVER's opening gambit had made a serious impact upon the European Metal scene, with Floor Jansen's almost flawless soprano bringing the group attention in particular. The singer made a further mark with the AYREON project's 'Universal Migrator Part 1: The Dream Sequencer' conceptual album, duetting with Johan Edlund of TIAMAT.

AFTER FOREVER's momentum afforded by favourable press and fan reaction to the debut was maintained with the 2001 'Decipher' release. The 2002 single ‘Emphasis’ included two tracks, ‘Who Wants To Live Forever’, a QUEEN cover version and ‘Imperfect Senses’, that featured Damien Wilson of British ProgRock act THRESHOLD on guest lead vocals.

During April of 2002 founder member Mark Jansen decamped, his replacement swiftly being announced as Bal Maas. Floor Jansen had recently donated guest lead vocals to the STAR ONE Sci-Fi concept album of AYREON mentor Arjen Lucasson and would tour with this project in September.

Mark Jansen was also ensconced in the Dutch / Belgian Doom 'Supergroup' LES FAIDITS assembled by ex-SENGIR members singer Jurgen Cobbaut and guitarist Kris Scheerlinck. Mark Jansen too would break away from AFTER FOREVER to forge SAHARA DUST. Joining the six stringer for this new venture would be a cast of Dutch notables comprising ex-CASSIOPEIA guitarist Ad Sluijter and keyboard player Coen Janssen, former TRAIL OF TEARS vocalist Helena Iren Michaelsen and drummer Iwan Hendrikx of SILENT EDGE and EXIVIOUS.

The October 2003 EP 'Exordium' included a cover version of IRON MAIDEN's 'The Evil That Men Do'. European package tour dates for January of 2004 found the group in league with with AMARAN, DARK MOOR and French veterans NIGHTMARE. They would follow up with a round of Mexican dates with guests ARKHE before returning to the European mainland for shows throughout April and May united with FLOWING TEARS. That month the band dispensed with keyboard player Lando van Gils's services, replacing him with Joost van der Broek, formerly of SUN CAGED.

AFTER FOREVER commenced recording of a new album billed 'Remagine' in February 2005, laying down drums, bass and guitars at Excess Studios in Rotterdam with the vocals and mixing being conducted at producer Sascha Peath's Gate Studios in Wolfsburg, Germany. The band received a blow that same month when drummer Andre Borgman was diagnosed with cancer. Following surgery to remove a tumour Borgman rejoined the ranks, although Ed Warby of STAR ONE, AYREON and GOREFEST acted as stand in for the band's 11th February show at the Heineken Music Hall in Amsterdam. Koen Herfst of XENOBIA would then be recruited as temporary drummer.

October found the band appearing at the Belgian 'Female Metal Voices III' festival alongside a cast comprising LACUNA COIL, LEAVES' EYES, EPICA, ELIS, MIDNATTSOL, SKEPTICAL MINDS, MERCURY RAIN, ASRAI, AUTUMN, DILUVIUM and THE LEGION OF HETHERIA.

In early 2005 Joest van den Broek featured in the multi-national Hard Rock outfit THE COTTON SOETERBOEK BAND, comprising a veteran cast including AYREON singer Robert Soeterboek, guitarist Alan Cotton, Mike Davis from TERRIF, HALFORD and LIZZY BORDEN on bass guitar with SAHARA, ROB ROCK and DRIVER man Reynold 'Butch' Carlson on drums. The keyboard player also guested on the 'Ohm' album of Brazilian melodic Metal band SAGITTA. Meantime, both Floor Jansen and Sanders Gommans put in session spots on the album 'The Dominion Gate' by veteran French Heavy Metal band NIGHTMARE.

AFTER FOREVER put in South and Central American dates in July and August, taking in Mexico, Brazil, Argentina and Chile. A new album, 'Remagine', would be scheduled for September. An October single, 'Being Everyone', featured non album cut 'Face Your Demons' complete with guest vocals by Marco Hietala from NIGHTWISH.

TRACKLIST CD:

1. Enter
2. Come
3. Boundaries Are Open
4. Living Shields
5. Being Everyone
6. Attendance
7. Free Of Doubt
8. Only Everything
9. Strong
10. Face Your Demons
11. No Control
12. Forever

BONUS DVD FEAT. REMAGINE DOCUMENTARY [!]

LINE-UP:

Floor Jansen (soprano vocals)
Mark Jansen (vocals / guitar)
Sander Gommans (vocals / guitar)
Luik van Gerven (bass)
Jack Driessen (keyboards)
Joep Beckers (drums)