After Forever

After Forever
After Forever live at the Masters of Rock festival in 2007.
Background information
Origin	Netherlands
Genres	Symphonic metal, gothic metal, progressive metal
Years active	1995–2009
Labels	Nuclear Blast
Associated acts	Epica, Star One, ReVamp, Nightwish
Website	www.afterforever.com
Past members	Sander Gommans Mark Jansen Joep Beckers Jack Driessen Luuk van Gerven Floor Jansen André Borgman Lando van Gils Bas Maas Joost van den Broek

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.

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 gothic 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. Soon, the band began composing their own songs, and then they changed their name to After Forever. In 1999, the band recorded two demos entitled Ephemeral and Wings of Illusion, which drew the attention of the Dutch Transmission Records label, with whom the band signed a contract.

Their debut album Prison of Desire was recorded in 2000, featuring the guest appearance of Sharon den Adel of the Dutch band Within Temptation on the song "Beyond Me". The album obtained very good reviews in Europe. By the end of the year, drummer André Borgman and keyboardist Lando van Gils joined the band, replacing Joep Beckers and Jack Driessen.