After Forever "Prison Of Desire (2007 Reissue, Collector's Edition, Japan, Avalon, MICP-10705)"

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 growls.

In February 2009, it was announced that After Forever had disbanded. Singer Floor Jansen and keyboardist Joost van den Broek both collaborated again in ReVamp and Star One, before Jansen eventually joined Nightwish as lead singer in 2013. Former rhythm guitarist Mark Jansen founded Epica in 2002 after his departure from After Forever and, in 2010, founded MaYaN, which included former After Forever members Sander Gommans and Jack Driessen. Floor Jansen has appeared as a session or live vocalist for both Epica and MaYaN.

Prison of Desire is the debut album by Dutch symphonic metal band After Forever. It was released on 21 April 2000 by Transmission Records. The album contains the first four installments (three parts and a prologue) of The Embrace That Smothers, a collection of songs by Mark Jansen which deals with the influence and distortion of religion in human society. This theme was carried over to the Epica albums The Phantom Agony and The Divine Conspiracy.

The final track, "Beyond Me", features a guest appearance of Sharon den Adel, lead singer in Within Temptation.

The album was reissued in June 2008 by the re-financed Transmission Records, as a two-disc set containing previously unreleased studio sessions, instrumental/a cappella tracks, and a handful of demo recordings. Guitarist Sander Gommans has urged fans not to buy this re-release through the band's official forum.

In 2021, it was elected by Metal Hammer as the 6th best symphonic metal album of all time.

Track listing

All music is composed by Mark Jansen, Sander Gommans and Floor Jansen, except "Mea Culpa" by M. Jansen. Lyrics as indicated.

1. "Mea Culpa (The Embrace That Smothers - Prologue)" M. Jansen 2:00
2. "Leaden Legacy (The Embrace That Smothers - Part I)" M. Jansen 5:07
3. "Semblance of Confusion" F. Jansen 4:09
4. "Black Tomb" F. Jansen 6:29
5. "Follow in the Cry (The Embrace That Smothers - Part II)" M. Jansen 4:06
6. "Silence from Afar" M. Jansen 5:52
7. "Inimical Chimera" F. Jansen 5:00
8. "Tortuous Threnody" F. Jansen 6:13
9. "Yield to Temptation (The Embrace That Smothers - Part III)" M. Jansen 5:53
10. "Ephemeral" M. Jansen 3:05
11. "Beyond Me"   F. Jansen/M. Jansen   6:11
12. "Wings of Illusion"  07:24
13. "Silence from Afar (Demo)"  05:55   
14. "Wings of Illusion (Demo)" 07:21

Time:   01:14:42

Released as part of the DIVA Collector's Edition series.

Recording information:

Recorded from December 17th, 1999 - January 16th, 2000 at the Excess Studio, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

After Forever Choir recorded & produced on February 26th, 2000 at RS29, Waalwijk, The Netherlands.

Mixed on February 1st, 2nd, 21st until March 5th, 2000 at RS29, Waalwijk, The Netherlands.

Mastered at Sound Factory, Soest, The Netherlands.

Hans Pieters – engineering

Dennis Leidelmeijer – engineering

Oscar Holleman – choir producer, engineering, mixing

Hans van Vuuren – executive producer, coordination and research

Peter van 't Riet – mastering