When
After Forever decided to call it quits in 2009, fans wondered what would become of
Floor Jansen (who had been their lead vocalist since 1997). Would she stick with goth metal, or would she move into a different area of metal? Would she get out of metal altogether, perhaps? As it turned out, the classically trained Dutch singer continued to embrace goth metal -- and this self-titled debut album by
ReVamp, the band
Jansen formed in 2009, isn't a radical departure from the songs that she performed during her 12 years with
After Forever.
ReVamp favor a slightly heavier approach than
After Forever, but the basic recipe is pretty much the same: goth metal with an obvious classical influence (
Jansen's classical training is impossible to miss) and very symphonic leanings. And the fact that the songs on this 2010 release are slightly heavier than
After Forever's material works out well for
Jansen, who still projects the darkly angelic quality that female goth metal singers are known for but also brings a certain amount of grit and toughness to her new band. In fact, one can even hear echoes of
Pat Benatar in some of
Jansen's performances. But while melodic tracks such as "Kill Me with Silence," "The Trial of Monsters," "Head Up High," and "Sweet Curse" are solid, it is unlikely that someone who wasn't already a fan of symphonically inclined goth metal will hear
ReVamp's debut and suddenly become a convert. With
ReVamp,
Jansen is essentially preaching to the goth metal choir -- and in doing so, she has delivered an album that isn't groundbreaking but is pleasing if one enjoyed her work with
After Forever. ~ Alex Henderson