Decipher (After Forever album)

Decipher is the second album by Dutch symphonic metal band After Forever, released in 2001. In this album, the band make use of live classical instruments and a complete choir to back up the soprano voice of lead singer Floor Jansen. Thrown in the mix are also a duet of soprano and tenor voices in "Imperfect Tenses" and the recording of the late Israeli PM Yizhak Rabin voice during the Peace treaty signing ceremony on October 26, 1994 on "Forlorn Hope". This is the last After Forever album with guitarist and founder Mark Jansen, who left the band soon after its release.

Decipher
Studio album by After Forever
Released	December 26, 2001
Recorded	June–September 2001
Studio	RS29 Studios, Waalwijk, Netherlands
Genre	Symphonic metal, gothic metal
Length	54:45
Label	Transmission
Producer	Stephen van Haestregt and Oscar Holleman
After Forever chronology
Prison of Desire (2000) Decipher (2001) Exordium (2003)
Singles from Decipher
"Emphasis/Who Wants to Live Forever" Released: 2002 "Monolith of Doubt" Released: 2002

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Lords of Metal	(96/100)[2]
Metal Hammer (GER)	[3]
Metal Storm	[4]

The album has been re-released by Transmission Records in 2003 in a limited edition of 5,000 copies worldwide. The limited edition in digipack had an extended booklet, a sticker with new artwork and two bonus live tracks.[5]

The album was re-released in 2012 as a 2-disc set by the re-financed Transmission Records.

Track listings

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Length
1.	"Ex Cathedra" (Overture)	Mark Jansen	Sander Gommans	2:02
2.	"Monolith of Doubt"	Floor Jansen	M. Jansen, Gommans, F. Jansen, After Forever	3:31
3.	"My Pledge of Allegiance #1" (The Sealed Fate)	M. Jansen	Gommans, M. Jansen, F. Jansen, After Forever	6:24
4.	"Emphasis"	F. Jansen	Gommans, M. Jansen, F. Jansen, After Forever	4:18
5.	"Intrinsic"	F. Jansen	M. Jansen, Gommans, F. Jansen, After Forever	6:44
6.	"Zenith"	F. Jansen	M. Jansen, Gommans, André Borgman, F. Jansen, After Forever	4:21
7.	"Estranged" (A Timeless Spell)	M. Jansen	M. Jansen, Gommans, F. Jansen, After Forever	6:54
8.	"Imperfect Tenses"	F. Jansen	M. Jansen, F. Jansen	4:08
9.	"My Pledge of Allegiance #2" (The Tempted Fate)	M. Jansen	Gommans, M. Jansen, F. Jansen, After Forever	5:05
10.	"The Key"	F. Jansen	Gommans, M. Jansen, F. Jansen, After Forever	4:47
11.	"Forlorn Hope"	M. Jansen	M. Jansen, Gommans, F. Jansen, After Forever	6:21

Bonus tracks limited edition digipak CD 2003

No.	Title	Length
12.	"My Pledge of Allegiance #1" (Live @ 2 Meter Sessies)	6:28
13.	"Forlorn Hope" (Live @ 2 Meter Sessies)	6:22
Total length:		67:35

Bonus tracks 2012 edition (Disc 1: The Album)

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Length
12.	"For the Time Being" (Non-album track)	M. Jansen	M. Jansen, Gommans, F. Jansen	5:04
13.	"Who Wants to Live Forever" (Queen cover, non-album track)	Brian May	Brian May	4:48
14.	"Imperfect Tenses" (A-capella version)			4:10
15.	"Monolith of Doubt" (Previously unreleased instrumental version)			3:32
16.	"Imperfect Tenses" (Orchestral version)			4:06
Total length:				76:25

2012 edition track listing (Disc 2: The Sessions)

No.	Title	Length
1.	"The Key"	4:42
2.	"Monolith of Doubt"	3:31
3.	"My Pledge of Allegiance #2"	5:02
4.	"Emphasis"	4:17
5.	"Estranged"	6:53
6.	"My Pledge of Allegiance #1"	6:20
7.	"Imperfect Tenses"	4:05
8.	"For the Time Being"	5:02
9.	"Forlorn Hope"	6:20
10.	"Zenith"	4:18
11.	"Intrinsic"	6:56
12.	"Who Wants to Live Forever" (All instruments by A. Lucassen)	4:48
13.	"Monolith of Doubt" (Demo)	3:43
14.	"Emphasis" (Demo)	4:30
15.	"For the Time Being" (Demo)	5:09
Total length:		75:36

Personnel

Band members Floor Jansen – vocals Mark Jansen – guitars, grunts Sander Gommans – guitars Luuk van Gerven – bass guitar Lando van Gils – keyboards André Borgman – drums, acoustic guitars Production Stephen van Haestregt – producer, engineer Oscar Holleman – producer, mixing Hans van Vuuren – executive producer, coordination and research Peter van 't Riet – mastering

Additional musicians Cees' Kieboom – piano, keyboards Ebred Reijen – solo violin Noemi Bodden – violin Janine Baller – viola Carla Schrijner – violoncello Roxanne Steffen – double bass Irma Kort – oboe on "Intrinsic" and "My Pledge of Allegiance #1" Jack Pisters – sitar on "My Pledge of Allegiance #2" Rein Kolpa – tenor vocals on "Imperfect Tenses" Hans Cassa – choral bass vocals Caspar de Jonge – choral tenor vocals Marga Okhuizen – choral alto vocals Ellen Bakker – choral soprano vocals Damian Wilson – vocals on "Imperfect Tenses" (The Sessions version) and "Who Wants to Live Forever" Arjen Anthony Lucassen – guitar and keyboards on "Who Wants to Live Forever" (Disc 1), all instruments on "Who Wants to Live Forever" (Disc 2)

References

1. Rivadavia, Eduardo. "After Forever Decipher review". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved July 5, 2011.
2. Barten, Michiel. "After Forever - Decipher". Lords of Metal.nl. Retrieved July 28, 2014.
3. "After Forever - Decipher". Metal Hammer (in German). December 2001. Retrieved July 28, 2014.
4. Congrains, Kike (August 23, 2003). "After Forever - Invisible Circles review". Metal Storm (webzine). Retrieved April 11, 2010.
5. "After Forever - Decipher". Encyclopaedia Metallum. Retrieved April 3, 2010.