It's actually quite strange how much a band can change from song to song and still sound the same. There are huge differences between the songs on "After", everything from the softest melancholic ballad to really extreme or even hysteric. The latter with reference to "A Grave Inversed" which sounds like something that would come from Devin Townsend rather than some old school Black Metal guy, very technical, a bit industrial and at a furious speed. The rest is more alike Ihsahn's previous releases. The music is dark and symphonic, like a less complex version of OPETH with the Metal influences more present. It's impossible to not draw parallels to their Swedish neighbors since the feel over the music as well as the style carries multiple resemblances with that Progressive outfit.

The best thing with the Black Metal elite's side projects is that heavy is natural, the drive is too and even if this is a very varied record with scents from PINK FLOYD, OPETH, DREAM THEATER and even Jazz it never looses that dark heavy feeling. The songs are landscapes and it's very hard to stay in the presence listening to it. The mind starts wandering immediately and time and space become one. It's amazing how that feeling can remain almost straight through the album since the music is complex and very technical for the major part of the time.

Ihsahn is probably more known as the vocalist of EMPEROR and what most reminding of his other band are the vocals, at least in the more brutal parts of the record. In between the splendid clean vocals and freaky screaming there's that Black Metal hissing sound that is very typical for the genre. I like that, it again gives an additional layer to the music and it's fascinating if he does all these voices himself.

One thing that's hard to decide whether it is cool or just annoying though is that brass instruments which appears every now and then. On most occasions it adds an even more sad feeling to the already melancholic melodies, especially together with the heavy music but on occasions it's just irritating. It's like being brutally woken up from a pleasant dream.

I don't think "After" is as good as "angL" but from a musical technical perspective it's probably more interesting. It's just that the saxophone was a little too much for me.
<