After Forever - Invisible Circles
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Free Music Notes for Invisible Circles
Free Music Review: After Forever Rocks
Hit: 5 Stars
After Forever teased fans with what they were capable of on "Exordium"; now with "Invisible Circles" we get a better idea of the kind of power that this group holds in its hand. The band is labeled as Melodic Dark Metal and this fits especially well based on the lyrical storyline that is the basis of the album. The Soprano that is Floor Jansen blends her amazing voice with the sad topics of loss, hardship and disappointment in one's self. Behind her is a forceful group of talented musicians made up of Ben Maas (guitar, vocals), Sanders Gommans (guitars, grunts), Luuk Van Gerven (bass), Lando Van Gils (synths) and Andre Borgman (drums). The 6 member band has a full and in your face sound based on their musical abilities and the varied style of vocals presented during the songs. Both Sanders and Ben offer Floor accompaniment during the songs to some good result. Lead Singer Floor Jansen is stunning in her looks and a hurricane with her vocal prowess. One thing I felt when I heard her sing was a commanding power that is unlike the group's peers in Nightwish and Epica (also Dutch and led by former After Forever guitarist Mark Jansen). The piece wastes no time in showing you that After Forever means business with the rousing "Beautiful Emptiness" and it begins the tale of a young girl, a child of loveless parents. The enclosed booklet allows you to get the whole story in a lot more detail throughout its 16 pages. The story itself has some interesting moments but the dialogue between the central characters that is blended in some of the songs takes a little bit away from it. The level of some of this seems distant, and my guess was they wanted you to feel this was being overheard from a distance. That kind of perceptions is better left for video or television since an album makes you question your hearing or the recording process. I think that to make this a better concept album, the dialogue should have been less prevalent and perhaps spread out more between the songs.
There are a number of solid tunes on the album. One of my favorites is not heavy at all, but is a slow piano piece by Floor alone, entitled "Eccentric". During this tune, we get to see a softer side of Floor and just how beautiful her voice is when used in this fashion. Some fans might be reminded of when Amy Lee of Evanescence does this type of thing, however I feel that Floor has a better overall presence. Musically interesting at many points, I feel listeners will take to tracks like "Through Square Eyes" and "Blind Pain", mainly for the different changes in time and technical ability displayed. After Forever has a few good points in their favor and they do not sound like a Nightwish clone. This allows you to absorb their music and not feel like you have heard this somewhere before. "Invisible Circles" is the group's third full-length release and I believe this sets them apart from other groups who are fronted by powerful female vocalists. Check them out.
Free Music Review: had any doubts ?
Hit: 5 Stars
I've been a fan of this type of music for a while now.. bands like Nightwish and Epica are other bands that i consider in my list of favorite bands. I was a big fan of the first 2 After Forever albums and when Mark left to start Epica, it was a sad day and i thought that After Forever would not be the same.
Well guess what? they are not the same... they are even better.
At a time when Nightwish came out with the album "once" and it's dominating charts, After Forever are still not known by lots of fans of the genre.. but in my opinion, this album blows "Once" out of the water.
The album is powerful from start to finish. It is a concept album telling the story of a girl unwanted by her parents and you hear the cycle from birth to when she is an adult and repeating the same mistakes her parents did.
The album starts off with a bang with "Beautiful emptiness", and in fact the first 3 songs are in a succession and are the biggest highlight of the album for me. Song 3 (actually #4 because of the intro at #1), shows an improved Floor (she's the singer) switching from her normal singing to opera style in order to play both roles of the little girl and the mother. I actually get goosebumps listening to that song.
I won't go into every song in detail, but i do recommend this album as a good metal album for those who want a change from the crap that has been put out and dominates the charts (in Canada and the US) lately.
:)
Free Music Review: Wow
Hit: 5 Stars
This is the type of album, that when you get into the music, and all that's behind it, you really love it. This is Metal. Some call it Gothic Metal, whatever, Floor's powerful voice, Sander's powerful growlings, the emotional lyrics, the powerful instrumenta, all togheter reached a very high quality.
It is a concept album and it talks about a 14 year old girl that grow up without feeling any love or support from her parents.
My favourite tracks:
Beautiful Emptiness: It starts with a lot of power, with the choirs singing angerly "Your the worst of all, with all your accusations and compunctions, i can't suffer this duress from someone so depraved and selfish" All the anger comes out right in the second track, one of the best of all.
Sins Of idealism: Powerful, great lyric, greath choir, great vocals.
Through Square Eyes: Best track of all album!! Floor and Sander sing together, and the chorus of this song is one of the bests I ever heard. GREAT SONG!!
Life's Vortex: The album finish with this great song. it begins very slowly with Floor's voice but the chorus is powerful and catchy.
There's a piano ballad, Eccentric. Simply beautiful!!
Free Music Review: After Forever GETTING BETTER!!!!
Hit: 5 Stars
After Forever Invisible Cirlces its their fourth album and first LP without Mark Jansen ( who is now in EPICA and was one of the main composer and song writers )... Invisble Circles is a CONCEPT album about a young girl... thats all im saying , cuz I dont want to screw up the story behind it... The album its amazing... The singer Floor Jansen its the greatest singers af all time and there are still the grunts by Sander and a new voice on some songs which is by the new guitarist Bas Mas... The album its powerfull, with songs like Between love and fire, sins of idealism and Eccentric just show what a powerfull album this one is... if your an AFTER FOREVER fan , or new to this kind of music and wants a band with the best singers out there now... GET INVISIBLE CIRLCES you wont be disapointed!!!! ( dont forget to get Prison of Desire, Decipher and Exordium as well.)
AFTER FOREVER !
Free Music Review: I think this is their best album
Hit: 5 Stars
I've listened to all their past albums and the one after Invisible Circles and I must say Invisible Circles is my favorite After Forever album.
I've read a few reviews and they're a bit harsh. I'm a huge fan of concept albums, Queensryche, Ayreon etc... and this one is just as good.