Prison of Desire is the debut album by Dutch

Netherlands

The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...

 symphonic metal

Symphonic metal

Symphonic metal is a term used to describe heavy metal music that has symphonic elements; that is, elements that are either borrowed from classical music or, as with progressive rock music, create a style reminiscent of it, e.g...

 band After Forever

After Forever

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.-Biography:...

. It was released in 2000 in Europe. The album contains the first four installments of "The Embrace That Smothers

The Embrace That Smothers

The Embrace That Smothers is the collective title for a series of songs written largely by composer Mark Jansen and with help from Floor Jansen, Sander Gommans, Simone Simons, Ad Sluijter, Coen Janssen, and Yves Huts. The songs are performed by After Forever and Epica and spread out over three...

" collection of songs by Mark Jansen

Mark Jansen

Mark Jansen, , is a heavy metal musician.As guitarist, Jansen founded After Forever with Sander Gommans, and was one of the main songwriters since their debut album Prison of Desire. He left After Forever in 2002, and after his departure the band took a new musical direction...

. This collection of songs deals with the influence and distortion of religion in human society, a theme which continues in the Epica

Epica (band)

Epica is a Dutch symphonic metal band founded by guitarist and vocalist Mark Jansen subsequent to his departure from After Forever. They are known for their symphonic sound and the use of female vocals and male growls performed by Simone Simons and Mark Jansen, respectively. All six members write...

 albums The Phantom Agony

The Phantom Agony

The Phantom Agony is the first full-length studio album by Dutch symphonic metal band Epica. It was released in 2003 by the Dutch label Transmission Records. It is the first album recorded by guitarist Mark Jansen after his departure from the band After Forever. On this album, Mark Jansen continues...

and The Divine Conspiracy

The Divine Conspiracy

The Divine Conspiracy is the third full-length studio album by Dutch symphonic metal band Epica as well as their first concept album. It was released on September 7, 2007 through Nuclear Blast in Europe...

.

The final track, "Beyond Me", features a guest appearance of Sharon den Adel

Sharon den Adel

Sharon Janny den Adel is a Dutch singer and composer, best known as the lead vocalist and one of the main songwriters in the Dutch symphonic metal/rock band Within Temptation...

, lead singer in Within Temptation

Within Temptation

Within Temptation is a Dutch symphonic gothic metal/rock band founded in 1996 by vocalist Sharon den Adel and guitarist Robert Westerholt. Their music is described as symphonic metal, although their earlier material, such as Enter, was gothic metal. In an interview, Den Adel said they fell into a...

.

The album was re-released in June 2008 as a 2-disc set by the re-financed Transmission Records. Sander Gommans has urged fans not to buy this re-release through the band's official forum.

Track listing

All music by M.Jansen, S. Gommans, F. 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, Pt. 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
   Follow in the Cry
   "Follow in the Cry" is a 2000 single by Dutch symphonic metal band After Forever, from their debut album Prison of Desire. At the end of the a cappella version of "Mea Culpa", there is an a cappella version of the intro to their song "Yield to Temptation"....
   
    (The Embrace that Smothers, Pt. II)" (M.Jansen) - 4:08
6. "Silence from Afar" (M.Jansen) - 5:51
7. "Inimical Chimera" (F.Jansen) - 5:00
8. "Tortuous Threnody" (F.Jansen) - 6:13
9. "Yield to Temptation (The Embrace that Smothers, Pt. III)" (M.Jansen) - 5:53
10. "Ephemeral" (M.Jansen) - 3:05
11. "Beyond Me" (M.Jansen, F. Jansen) - 6:41

Bonus Tracks:

• "Wings of Illusion" – 7:26 (Japanese Release)
• "Leaden Legacy (Instrumental Version)" – 5:09 (Limited Edition)
• "Silence from Afar (radio edit)" – 4:37 (Chilean Release)

2008 edition track listing

Disc One:
The same track listing of the first edition, with the following bonus tracks:

• "Wings of Illusion" – 7:22 (Non-album track)
• "Mea Culpa" – 2:01 (Instrumental version)
• "Mea Culpa" – 1:50 (A capella version)
• "Semblance of Confusion" – 4:07 (Instrumental version)
• "Follow in the Cry" – 4:05 (Instrumental version)
• "Follow in the Cry" – 1:20 (A capella version)

Disc Two:
Tracks 1 and 2 are demo versions, tracks 3-14 are session recordings.

1. "Silence from Afar" – 5:55
2. "Wings of Illusion" – 7:21
3. "Follow in the Cry" – 4:04
4. "Yield to Temptation" – 5:52
5. "Semblance of Confusion" – 4:06
6. "Beyond Me" – 6:13
7. "Black Tomb" – 6:29
8. "Tortuous Threnody" – 6:10
9. "Ephemeral" – 3:03
10. "Inimical Chimera" – 4:58
11. "Silence from Afar" – 5:50
12. "Mea Culpa" – 2:01
13. "Leaden Legacy" – 5:04
14. "Wings of Illusion" – 7:21

Band members

• Floor Jansen
  Floor Jansen
  Floor Jansen is a Dutch singer, who was the lead singer of the symphonic metal band After Forever which disbanded in 2009, and is the current singer for ReVamp.-After Forever:...
  
   – soprano
• Mark Jansen
  Mark Jansen
  Mark Jansen, , is a heavy metal musician.As guitarist, Jansen founded After Forever with Sander Gommans, and was one of the main songwriters since their debut album Prison of Desire. He left After Forever in 2002, and after his departure the band took a new musical direction...
  
   – guitar, grunts
• Sander Gommans
  Sander Gommans
  Sander Gommans is a Dutch musician. He founded the symphonic metal band Apocalypse with Mark Jansen in 1995, which later changed its name to After Forever. He played guitar and did the grunting parts in the band...
  
   – guitar, grunts
• Luuk van Gerven – bass guitar
• Jack Driessen – keyboards
• Joep Beckers – drums

Additional musicians

• Sharon Den Adel
  Sharon den Adel
  Sharon Janny den Adel is a Dutch singer and composer, best known as the lead vocalist and one of the main songwriters in the Dutch symphonic metal/rock band Within Temptation...
  
  - vocals on "Beyond Me"
• Hans Cassa - choir
• Caspar De Jonge - choir
• Yvonne Rooda - choir
• Melissa 't Hart - choir

Production

• Hans Pieters - producer, engineer
• Dennis Leidelmeijer - producer, engineer
• Oscar Holleman - choir producer and engineer, mixing
• Hans van Vuuren - executive producer, coordination and research
• Peter van 't Riet - mastering