The Embrace That Smothers is the collective title for a series of songs written largely by composer 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...

 and with help from 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:...

, 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...

, Simone Simons

Simone Simons

Simone Johanna Maria Simons is a Dutch coloratura mezzo-soprano singer who is the lead vocalist of symphonic metal band Epica.-Biography:...

, Ad Sluijter

Ad Sluijter

Ad Sluijter is a Dutch guitarist who is mostly known for his work with the Dutch symphonic metal band Epica. He also contributed to other bands like Delain.- Links :* the of his current band, Hangover Hero...

, Coen Janssen, and Yves Huts. The songs are performed by 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:...

 and 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...

 and spread out over three different albums.

The theme of the series is the danger involved in organized religion. The songs therefore contain ideas that could be considered "anti-religious". The songs contain lyrics in both English

English language

English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...

 and Latin

Latin

Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...

.

The first four songs were released on After Forever's 2000 album Prison of Desire

Prison of Desire

Prison of Desire is the debut album by Dutch symphonic metal band After Forever. It was released in 2000 in Europe. The album contains the first four installments of "The Embrace That Smothers" collection of songs by Mark Jansen...

. The next album by After Forever, Decipher

DECIPHER

DECIPHER is a web-based resource and database of array comparative genomic hybridization data from analysis of patient DNA. It documents submicroscopic chromosome abnormalities, including microdeletions and duplications, from over 6000 patients and maps them to the human genome using the Ensembl...

, did not contain any songs from the series. After that album Mark Jansen departed from After Forever, but continued The Embrace That Smothers with his new band Epica. The next three parts in the series were released on Epica's 2003 debut album, 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...

. In 2007, on Epica's 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 three parts of the series were released.

Song listing

#	Title	Length	Band	Album	Year
Prologue	Mea Culpa	2:00	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:...	Prison Of Desire Prison of Desire Prison of Desire is the debut album by Dutch symphonic metal band After Forever. It was released in 2000 in Europe. The album contains the first four installments of "The Embrace That Smothers" collection of songs by Mark Jansen...	2000
1	Leaden Legacy	5:07	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:...	Prison Of Desire Prison of Desire Prison of Desire is the debut album by Dutch symphonic metal band After Forever. It was released in 2000 in Europe. The album contains the first four installments of "The Embrace That Smothers" collection of songs by Mark Jansen...	2000
2	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"....	4:08	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:...	Prison Of Desire Prison of Desire Prison of Desire is the debut album by Dutch symphonic metal band After Forever. It was released in 2000 in Europe. The album contains the first four installments of "The Embrace That Smothers" collection of songs by Mark Jansen...	2000
3	Yield To Temptation	5:53	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:...	Prison Of Desire Prison of Desire Prison of Desire is the debut album by Dutch symphonic metal band After Forever. It was released in 2000 in Europe. The album contains the first four installments of "The Embrace That Smothers" collection of songs by Mark Jansen...	2000
4	Adyta - The Neverending Embrace	1:27	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...	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...	2003
5	Cry for the Moon	6:44	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...	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...	2003
6	Façade of Reality	8:12	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...	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...	2003
7	Seif al Din	5:47	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...	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...	2003
8	La‘petach Chatat Rovetz - The Last Embrace	1:46	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...	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...	2007
9	Death of a Dream	6:03	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...	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...	2007
10	Living a Lie	4:56	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...	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...	2007
11	Fools of Damnation	8:42	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...	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...	2007

Related songs

There are two songs in 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...

's repertoire that reference an 'embrace' in their titles: 'Adyta - The Neverending Embrace,' (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 'La‘petach Chatat Rovetz - The Last Embrace.' (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...

) Despite the allusion to an embrace, which could possibly be a reference to The Embrace That Smothers, neither song is recognized as part of The Embrace That Smothers. 'La‘petach Chatat Rovetz - The Last Embrace,' is, however, used as an introduction to part 7 of The Embrace That Smothers, 'Death of a Dream.'