Geert Kroes

Geert Kroes — Dutch vocalist — is part of HDK, the project created by Sander Gommans, co-founder and guitarist of After Forever. HDK was born after After Forever closed in 2009 and represents a different direction. Where After Forever made symphonic metal with lyric soprano and written orchestration, HDK is an extreme metal project, closer to melodic death metal and industrial, with heavy structures and aggressive vocals. That shift makes sense in Gommans's path. He was After Forever's guttural vocalist, responsible for the contrast with Floor Jansen's voice — meaning he always had a foot in extreme metal, even inside a band known for its symphonic elegance. HDK is a case of an authorial project built outside the format that established its creator. It is the kind of decision that rarely produces commercial success but documents what a musician actually wants to do when not meeting the expectations of an established band.