░░
▐███▓
▐████ G R A V E W I S H ░░▄
▓░ ░█▓██▌░ ▓░ ░▐██▓ ▄
▄██▄▀▓░ ▐████▄ ▐██▄▄ ▄▄▄ ░███ ░▄█▌▓░
▄████░▀ ██████ ░█▓███▌ ░███▓ ▐██▌ ▓▄▄███░
░████▀ ░ ░▐██▀███▓ ░██████▓ ▐██▌ ▐██▌░▄▄▄██████▀▓
▐▓██▓ ▓ ▐██▌▓▀██▄ ▐██▌▐███ ░███▓ ███▐███▀▀▀▀ ░▄
░███▌▓ ▐█░░░▄▄▓░██▓▓ ███▄ ▐▓█▌░███▌ ▐██▌░ ███ ░██▌ ▄████▓ ░░
▓███░ ▐██████▌░███▓ ███▄ ███▄▄▓███▌ ░███░░▐███ ░█████▀▀ ▄▄▄▄▄░
▓███░▓ ▓ ███▓░▐██▓▓_▄████▓███████████▓ ▐██▌░▐███ ███▓ ▄▄██████▓░
▐██▌░░▓ ▄██▌░ ▐███████▀▀ ███▀▓ ░▐███▄ ███▓███▌ ░██▌▄████▀░ ▐░▌
░▀██▄▄▄▄███▀ ░▐██ ▐██▌ ████░ ▀███▄ ▐▓█████▓ ░█████▀░ ▄ ▓
▀███████▀ ▐██ ███ ████▌░ ░▀███▄██████ █▓██▓ ▀░▀ ▐░
▓▀▀▀▓ ░▐██ ███▌ ░▀░▓ ░░░▓▓▀▀░ ▓▓▀▀▓ ░▀▀▀▄ ░
▄ ▄ ▄▄▄ ███░ ░ ░▓█████▄▓ ░▓▓ ░██▌ ░█
▀░▀ █ ░▓ ░███▓ ▄▓██░ ▄███▓▐███░ ░▌ ░███ ▄ ▀█░▄▄▄
▄ ░▐███▓ ▐██▌ █████▌ ░███▓░ ███░ ▓ ░▐██░ ▀ ▄ ▀▀░
▄ ▀ ▐███▌ ░███ ▀██▓██▄ ▄██▀ ▐███ ░██▌ ▀██▄
▄██▀ ░▓▓ ████▓ ███▓ ░░░ ██▌░▄██▓ ░███▓ ░ ▓▐██▓ ░ ▐▓▓▄
▐▓▓▌░ ░██▓ ████▌ ▐██▌▓▄█▓░ ▀███▀ ███▌░ ░▌ ░▐██▄███▄▄▄▓▓▓▀░▀
▀▓▓▓▄▄▓██▌░ ██▓██▓ ▐██▌███░ ████▄ ▀▓▓▓ ▓ ░ ░░███████▓▄
▓▓▐██▓▓ █████▌ ███▌███░ ▄██ ██▓ ░░ ▄▄▄██████████▌▓▐███░
▓██▌░▐██▀███▓███▓███░ ██▓▓▓ ▀ ░▄▄███▀▀▀▀▓ ░███▌ ░██▓▄
░███ ██▌ ▐██████░▐██▓██▓▓▄▄▄████▀▀░▓▄░ ▐████ ██░ ▀ ▄
▀█░▄▄▄ ▐█████ █████▌░▐███████████░░ ░▓███▓░ ▐██▓██ ░██ ▀██▄
▀▀░ ▓▀███▓ ▐░▀▀█ ███████▀▀░▐█▄░░ ▒▐███▓ ░▄██████ ███░ ▐▓▓▌
▄ ░░ ░ ░ ▄▓▀██▄▀ ▄████▄██▌███▓ ▄███▀▐▓▀ ▐██ ▄▄▓▓▓▀
▀░▀ ░ █ ▄▓▓▀░▓▓░ ░███▓▓▒▒█▌░██░ ████▓ ▓ ░██▌▀▄ ▀▓▄
▄ ░ ▓███████ ░ ░████▒░░██▌██░░███▀ ▐██▌ ▀▓▓▄
▄ ▀ ▓██████████░ ▐███░█▓▐░██▐▌▄███▓ ▓ ░▐██▄ ▐▓▓▓
▄██▀ ▓███████▓▓▓█▄▄ ▐██▓▒░░░███▐███▀ ▀██░ ▄▓▓▓▓
▐▓▓▌ ░ ██▓░░▓█████▓▓▓█▀ ░██▓▒░░░███▐██▓ ░░ ▄▄▓▓▓▓▓▀
▀▓▓▓▄▄ █▓░ ░▓████▓██▓▓█░ ██▓▒░▀███▌ ▓ █▀▄ ▀▄▓▓▓▀▀
██░ ░████▓▓▓█▓█░░░▐█▒▀▄░▄██░ █ ▄▓▓▀
░ █▓ ▓ ▓ ░▓███▓▓▓▓████▐▓▒▒▓████░ ▓ ▄ ▓▓▀
██ ▄▀▀▀▌▓ ░██████▄▄▄▄▄██▄▓▓▓███░░░░▄▄▄▄▄ ░ ▀ ▄ ▀▓ ░
▓█░ ▓▐▄▓ ▌ ▓▓▐█▀▒▒▒▒████▀░ ░░░▀█████▓▒▒▒▓▀█▌▓ ▀██▄
░▄█▓ ▄▄ ▓▄ ▌▀ ▓█▄█▄▄▓▓▀▀███▓░▄▄▄▄░░███▓▓░▄▄▄██▌ ▐▓▓▌ ░ █
▓█▓░▓█ ▀▌ ▐▄ ▐ ░█▓▓▀▀▀██▄█▓███▄█▄█▄▄▄▀▀▓▓▓ ░ ▄▄▓▓▓▀ ░
▓█▓ ▓▐ ░ ▌ ▐▓ █▓▄▓▀░▓██░ ▀██████▀███▄░ ▄██▀▀ ▄█▄ ▄ ██▄
░██░ ▀▌▀▄▄▓ █ ░▄▀▓ ▓ ▓█▓░ ▒ ▒██▓▓ ▓░░▀▄▄░▀ ░ ▀▀████████▀
█▓░ ▀▌ ▄▀░ █▌▓ ▒ ██▓ ░ ░░▀▄ ░ ▀██▀
█▓ █ ░ ░ █░ ░█▌ ▓░ ▐█▓ ░ ░█░ ▀░▐
█▓ ▄▀█░ ░█░ ░ █▌ ░▓░ █▓ ░ ░ █ ▄ ░
█ ▓█▓ █ ░ █░▓ ░███▄▓░ ░▌▌ ░ ░█ █
░█▓▄ █▓▓░ ░▓█▀█▓▓▓▓█▓ ░ ░ ▐█ ▄
▄ ▀▓░ ▐▓▓░ ░ ░ ░ ▀░▀▀░ ░ ▓▌ ▀ ▄
▄██▀ █▓░ █░▓ ░ ░ ░ ░ ░ ░ ▌ ▀██▄
▐▓▓▌ █▓░░█░▐█▓░░░ ░ ░ ░░ ░ ░░ ▌ █▀▄ ▐▓▓▌ █
▀▓▓▓▄▄ ██░░░▐█▓░▓░ ░░ ░█ ▌█ ▄▄▓▓▓▀
█ ▀▀██▄ ░█░░▐█░▓░░▓ ░ ░ ▓ ░▓▌ ▄
░ ▀ ▓█░▐█▌░▓░░░ ░ ░░ ░░ ▓█░░ ░ ▐ ▀ ▄ ▓
░ ▐█░██░▄▓░░░▓ ░ ░ ░ ░▓░░░░█ ▀██▄
█ ▄ ▄ ▓█▐█▓▐▓░░▓█████▄░░░ ___░ ░░░▐█▓ █░ ▐▓▓▌
█ ▀░▀ ░ █ ▓███▓░▄██████████░░ _▄█████████▄ ██▓░█ ▄▄▓▓▓▀
█ ▄ ▐█▌░▐███████████▌▓█▓▄▄▓███████████▌▐███▌ ▄██▀▀ ░ █
█▓ ░ ▄ ▀ ▐█░░████░█████████▌▓░███░█████████▌│▐██▌▀
█ ▄██▀ ▄▀██░░█████████████▌░░░▌▐███████████▌▓▐██ ▄
█ ▐▓▓▌ ▄▀ █░█░░▐█▓█████████▓ ▄▓▓░░███████████▓▓██▓▄ ░ ▀░▀ ▓█
█ ▀▓▓▓▄▄ █ ▄▓ ▐▌▓░░████████░░░▐█░██ ░░█████████░▓███ █
█ ▄▓▀ ░█▌▓░░▀▓████▀░░░ ██▓██▓░ ░▀▓▓▓▀▀ ░░▐█▌▄ ░ ░ █
█ ░ ▄██▀ ▐██░░░░░░░░░░░ ███▓███░ ░ ░░░ ░ █░ ▀ ▄ █
█ ░ ▐▓▓▌ ██░░░░ ░ ░ ░ ░███▓███░░░ ░ ░ ░▌ ▀██▄ ▓█
█ ▀▓▓▓▄▄ ▀█░░░░░░░ ░ ░███░█▓█░▌░ ▄░░ ░░_▄█ ░ ▐▓▓▌ ▄
█▓ ▄▄ ▀▀██▄ ▐██▄▄█▄▓░ ░█▓█░▐██▓▌░░▓ ▄▄▓▓██▀░ ▄▄▓▓▓▀ ▀░▀
▄ █ ▄▓▐▀ ▀ ░▐▓█████░░ ░▀█░░▓▀▓░ ░░████▄█▓ ▄▄▄██▀▀▐▓▄▄▄
░▀ █▓ ▄▓▀░ ▄▀ █▀▄ ▐ ░███▀░░░▓░ ▓░▀░ ░ ▓▐▓▌▓ ▄▓▓▀▀ ▀▄ ▀▓▄ ▓█
▄▓▓▀ █ ▌ ░▌▌▀█▓▓░▐▓░░ ▄░▓▓ ░ █▓▌░██▀ ░ ▀▓▓▄ █
▐▓▓▓▐ ░ ▄ █ ▌▌░▐▄▓▓░░░█▓▄█▓████▄█▀▓▄███ ░ ░ ▐▓▓▓▌█
▐▓▓▓▓▄ ▄ ▀ ▄ ▓ ░▌▓░▐▓▀█▀██████▀██░█░▌█░▓▓▌▓ ░ ▄▓▓▓▓▌█
▀▓▓▓▓▓▄▄░▀ ▀██▄ ▌░░▐█ ░░▐▌░█▌▌░▐█░░░█░░▀▓▓ ░ ▄▄▓▓▓▓▓▀ █
█ ▀▀▓▓▓▄▀ ░ ▐▓▓▌█ ░░██▄██▌░▐▌▌ ░▌███▓░ ▀▓▄ ▀▄▓▓▓▀▀ █
█▓ ▀▓▓▄ ▄▄▓▓▓▀ ░ ░▓█████ ▓▓ ▐██░▌▓░ ░ ▀▀■ ░ ▄▓▓▀ ▓█
█▓ ▀▓ ▄██▀▀ ░ ░░██▄▀░▓░▓ ░▌▀█▀█░░ ▓ ▓▓▀ ▓█
▓█▓ ▓ ▓▀▓ ▓ ░ ░▌░▓▓▓█ ▓ ▐░▓░░░░ ░ ▓ ▓ ▀▓ ▓█▓
▓██▀██████████████████████████▓▐▄▄▄▄▐░▓░▌▓ ▄▌░█████████████████████████▀██▓
▓██▄▓▄██████████████████████████▓░░▓███▓▓▌▀▀▀▓░█████████████████████████▄▓▄██▓
▓████████████████████████████████░░░▓▓█▌▓░░░███████████████████ ▄██████████▓
▓██ ▐▄ ▄▓▓ ▐█
▐██ ▄▄▓█▌ ▄▄▓▐█▄▓ ▄█▀▓█▌ ▄▄ ▄▄ ▐█▌ ▄▄▄
▓█▀█▄ ▓█▀▀█▌ █▓▓█▀▀█▌ ▐█▐█ ▓█▀ █▀ ██▀▀▓ ▓██▄ ██▓█▀▀█▄▐██
▓█▌ ▐█▌ █▌▀█▄▄██ █▌▀█▄▄██▄██▄▀ ▄▄█▄██▄██▀▀█▄▄▓ ██▀█▄█▌ ██▀▀ █▌█
█▌██ ▐██▀ ██ ▐██▀ ██▓ █████▀▀▓▄▄ ▄████▀ ▓ ▀██▌ █▌ ▓█▀
▓█▌▐█▌ ▓▀ ▀▀ ▓▀ ▀▓ ▀▀▀ ██▓ ██ ▀▀ ▀ █▌ ▓
▀▀▀▀ ▀ ▐█▓ ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▓██▄█▀ ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▌▀
░▓█▓░ ▀█▄ ▓▐█▀▀ ░▓█▓░
░█▓░░ ▓ ▓ ▓░▓█░
░▓▄█████▄░ ▄ ▄ ▓▄██████▄░
░▐██▀▀▀▀███▓░ ▀▓▀ ▀▓▀ ░███▀▀▀▀██▄▓
▀▀▀ ▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▀▀▀▀▀ ▀▀▀
███ ████▀ ▄▀▀▄▄█████▄▄ ▄▄█████▄▄▀▀▄ ▀████ ██
██ ▀██▄▐▄ ■ ▄██▀▀ ▀██▄ ▄ ▄██▀ ▀▀██▄ ■ ▄ ▄██▌ ▐█▓
░▓▄ ▀██▄▀▓█▄▄▄█▀▀ ▄ ▄▓▓▄ ▐█▌ ▌ ▀▓▀ ▐▓▓▌ ▄▓▓▄ ▄ ▀▀▓▄▄░▄██▀ ▄▀
▓░▓▄███ ▐▀ ▀▓▀ ▀▀ ▄██▀ ▀██▄ ▀▀ ▀▓▀ ▀███▄ ▓▓
▄██▀▓ ■ ▀▄▀ ▀▄▀ ■ ░▀███░
▓███▓ ░░ ▐▌ ▐▌ ░███▓
███▌░ ▀ ▀ ███▓
▐██▀ ▀███░
██▌ Artist...: Aftermath ░▐██▌
░▐██ Album....: There is Something Wrong ░██▌░
▓▐██ Year.....: 2019 ▓▐██▓
▓▐██ Rel.Date.: 2021-01-30 ░▐██▓
▐██ Genre....: Thrash Metal ██▌░
░ ██▌ Label....: Sleaszy Rider Records ██▌
▐██ Source...: CD ▐██
░▐██▌ Type.....: Album ▐██▌░
▓▄████ Quality..: VBR, 44.1kHz, Joint Stereo ████▌░
▓▄████ ████▌░
███▌░ ███▓
▐██░░▀█▄░ ▓█▌ ███
▀██▓ ▓█▄ ▄█▀ ▓██▀
▓██▄ ▓▓▀▄ ▄▓▀ ▄██▓░
██▌ ▓ ▄▄▄ ░ ▐██▓░
██▌ ░ ░▀▄▓▓█▀█▄▀▀░ ▓██░
░██░ ░ ░▄ ▄▄██▐▓▓█▄░▄█▌██▀▀ ▀░ ░ ▄▄▀▀█░░▐█░
▄ ▐█▌░ ░▄▄▀▓▓███▀▄░ ▓▄▄█▌▓▓█ ▓█░
▀░▀ ██ ▀▀▀ ░█▓▄▄▄█▀░ ▓█
░▐█▌ ░█▌▐▓ ▓▄▄░ ▌
░█░ ▄ ▐▓▓▀▀▀░▓█▄▄░
░░▄█▄ ▄ ██▄ ▀░▀ ▀█░▄▄▄ ▄█░▄▀▀▄▀▀▄░▀▀▄
▀▀████████▀░ ▀▀░ ▄█▓░░░░▀░░█ █▄█▓
▐█░▀██▀ ▄█▓░░░ ▐ ▄ ░▓█▄
▓ ▐▌ ▐ ▄█▀█░ ░ ░ ▄ ▀█▄▓█░
░▓▓▀▀░▄ ▌▓ ■░▒ ░ ▄ ▐▀▀▓▄█▓░░ ░ ░ ▄█▀█░█▐▓▌▀▄
░▀█▌ ▓ ▓▀▓ ░▄▄▓▀▓░ ░▀█░▀█▄░░ ░█░ ██ █░▀█▐▌
░▓░░▐▌ ▌ ░░■ ▄█▐ ▐ ▓▓▓█░▓█▄▄█░ █▓█▓▌░ ▀ ▄
▓░▓ █▓▐░▌ ▓ ░▓▓ ▓▐▒▄░░▐▓█ ▌ █▀▀░▐▀░█▀▓ ▐▌ █▌ ▀░▀
▄ ▐░▌░▐█ █▌ ▓ ░█░░█▀ ▐▓▐░ ▀▄▄▀▀▌░ ▄▄███▐████▄▓ ▌ █
░ █ ─▀▀▀█▓░█▄▌ ▐░▐░ ▄▄▄░██ ░ ░ ░▓░ ▐▌▓▄▌▓▓▌▓▐▓█▀ ■
▄ ▌ ▀█▄█▌ █▌▐▓░█▓ ▀ ░░░ ░▓█▄█ █▓▓▓▓▓█▄▓▓▐▓ ░ █
░ ▄ ▀ ░ ░ ▓██ ▄██▀ ░▌█░▄░██░░▐▌ ▄ ░▌▄░░░▄▌░▌▀ ▄ ░ █
▄██▀ ░░▓ ░▀█▐█▀▀▀▀▀ ▐▄██▀▀█▌░░▌ ▀░▀ ░▌ ▀░▀ ▐ █ █
█▄▐▓▓▌ ▀▄▄ ██▌▒ ░▄░ █▐▓░▐░ ░ ░▌▄ ░▌ ▄ ░
██ ▀▓▓▓▄▄ ░▓░ ▐██▀▀▀▓░ ▐█▌░ ▌░ ███▄░ ░▌ ▀ ▄ █
███ ▄ █▄▄██ ░░ █▐░ ▐▓ ▐▓██░ ░▓▓ ▀██▄
███ ███▌ ▀░▀ ░▀██▌ ▐▓▌░ ▌░ ▐▓█▓ █ ░ ▐▓▓▌
███ ▓████░ ▐█▌▄▄ ░ █▐▓ ░▌░ ░█▓▌░ ░ ▌ ▄▄▓▓▓▀
███ ▐█▓██░ ▒▐▌ ░▄██ ██░ ▄▄█▌▌░▄█░░░░░██░░ ▓▌ ░ ░░▌ ▀▀▓▌░
██▌░ ████░ ▄██▄░ ▄▄███ ▄██▄▄ █▓▓░▓█▓▓▄█▓▓▓░▌░░ ░█ ▄▄▓▄░▀▄█▓░▓▄▀▀▀█
██▌▓░████▓░ █▌░ █████▌ ▀██▀▀ ▓▀▀▀▓▄ █▄█▐█▓▓▓█▌▓░ ░░ ▐▄▄▄▄█▓ ▄░ ░ ▒█████
███▓▄████▓ █▌ ▐██ ██▌ ░██ ▄█ ░▄▄░▓██▀███▄▄▄██▀░▓▄▓█▀▀░░ ▀▒ █░ ░ ░ ▄▀▀█▄
██████████████████████████▄██▄▄▓█░██▄███▀░░░█▓▄▄▄█░▄▄▄▐█▓▄▓▓▓▓▄█▀▀█▄▄█▀░▄██▄
████▀███████████▓███████████████▀▓▓▀▐▌█▌█▀░▐█▀▀░ ▐███▄█▄▌░ ▀▄█░░░▌▄░░▄▓░▐▓▄▓▀
██▄▓▄████████████████████▓████████████▓▌███▓░░░▄░░░░███▓░█████▀░▀▐ ▓▓▓▐▓█████
████████▄▄███████████████████▐████████████████████████████████████▓█▌██████
▓█░▓▄▄▄████▄▓▀ ▄▄▓ ▄▄▄░█▌ ░▄▀▀▄█▓░ ▓▓█░████▓███░██▀▓▓███▓
▓██▓▐█▌ ███▄▄ ▐███▄ ▓▄█▀▀ ▐█▄█▀ ▄▀▀░ ▄█▀░ ░ ▓████████▐██████▓█▓
▓█ ██ ░█▓ ▐█▄▓██▄██▄▐█▌░ ▐██▌▓▄█▀▓ ▄▄▀▀▀▀▄▄▄ ▓██▓▓▓▀▄████▐░███
█░█▌▄ ▐█▀██▀ ██▀ ▀███▄▄█▓ ███████▄▓▀▀▀▀▄▓ ░▄██▓ ▓ ▓██▓▀▄█████▓
▄▄▀▀▓▄▄█▄▐█▄▄▓▄▄▄▄▄▄▄░▄░░░▄▄▀▄▄▀█░▄▄▄▄▄▄▐█▌ ▄██▀▄▄▄▄▄▄ ██░████
▓ ░ ▓██░ ▓█▄█▀ ▓██████
▀▀▄▓ ▓▀▀▀ ▓ █
1. Can You Feel It? 0:45
2. FFF (False Flag Flying) 5:59
3. Diethanasia 2:47
4. Scientists and Priest 5:33
5. Smash Reset Control 3:28
6. Gaslight 4:53
7. A Handful of Dynamite 2:25
8. Temptation Overthrown 3:34
9. Pseudocide 6:53
10. There is Something Wrong 6:38
11. Expulsion 4:23
------
47:18
I checked the band page here shortly before Christmas, but there was
nothing new postedà apparently the guys were content enough with roaming
the world for the odd live stint after the reformation in 2014, in a way
similar to their colleagues from Coroner, with no intentions of
producing anything newà
But thereÆs always an aftermath to the aftermath, like my very wise
grandmother used to say; in other words, lose no hope folks, and here I
am, on a cold February afternoon, shortly after St. ValentineÆs Day,
staring at this utterly unexpected, belated present given to me by this
gorgeous female deity (name unspecified) that I have inexplicably
forgotten about. Still, they love you selflessly and perennially, these
female deities, regardless of whether you stillà worship them or not,
and gifts from them keep coming in one form or another.
This particular form, though, may surprise the band fans, especially
those who were expecting a faithful follow-up to the grandiose ôEyes of
Tomorrowö; cause this isnÆt. However, itÆs a fairly interesting cross
over the bandÆs entire discography, not forgetting about the musiciansÆ
spell from the late-90Æs under the Mother God Moviestar moniker either,
which may sound like a curious mish-mash on first, even second listen,
but those who have been following the guysÆ career from the very
beginning all the way to the present day will be hardly left
disappointed.
So be prepared for a quirky progressive metal amalgam with thrash still
leading the show but provided in a less serious, goofier shape. The
various, plain disparate as well at times, nuances are scattered all
over the band creating the illusion that this may as well be a logical
sequel to ôEyes of Tomorrowö initially with the jumpy neurotic
progressiver "False Flag Flying", a really nice restless inauguration
which unerringly serves the unique old/new school juxtaposition from
said album. But then the short bursting thrashcore cuts (ôDiethanasiaö,
ôSmash Reset Controlö) recalling the bandÆs early demos come flying and
the situation becomes fairly unpredictable, the listener further stunned
by the unperturbed balladic ambience of "Pseudocide", a nod to the
alternative/industrial rockabilias from Mother God MoviestarÆs only
album; the abrasive music-less distraction "A Handful of Dynamite", and
the noisy industrial parade "Expulsion".
The stylish progressive thrashisms donÆt jump out the window, mind you;
they stay around being regularly provided either as outtakes from the
more recent Voivod output (the vivid dystopian nightmare "Scientists and
Priest") or as labyrinthine psychedelic journeys like the title-track
where surprises lie in wait at every corner, with twists and turns
following in dizzying succession recalling the works of other
visionaries like Calhoun Conquer, Wartech, and Transilience. The ride
never becomes too abstract on these more contrived numbers with
"Gaslight" nicely blending intricate psychotic thrashing with sudden
speedier escapades, and "Temptation Overthrown" shooting a delightful
portion of fast-paced dissonant riffs, serving the template for the
potential hyper-active remake of ôDimension Hatrossö either by Voivod
themselves or by any other team of intrepid musicians.
ThereÆs a bit for everyone here, and although there will be some who
will frown at the larger-than-life conglomerate cooked, the lack of
perfect homogeneity works to the bandÆs advantageà this time. Being
missing from the scene for such a huge period, a veteran can surely
choose to cover a wider area from their repertoire, not only to make
their old fanbase feel nostalgic, but also to present the younger
generation with an adequate picture of what was going on in the band
camp before some of those folks were even born. I personally had no
expectations whatsoever regarding this opus, again its emergence caught
me absolutely unprepared, and although I immediately started praying for
a faithful continuation to the ôEyesàö, I was by no means pulled back by
these multifarious soundscapes. Provided that the Mother God Moviestar
stint also worked for me to an extent, especially those tracks recorded
earlier as the 1996 demo, I saw no major reasons to complain; itÆs the
aftermath to the aftermath, after all, can we really expect strict order
and robotic discipline from such unheralded occurrencesà
No we canÆt, and these veterans from old Chicago town are back to show
us that. ThereÆs nothing wrong with this new creation of theirs; on the
contrary, thereÆs always something right with anything/anyone that
doesnÆt give up but keeps providing an aftermath to the aftermath to the
aftermath to the aftermathà to the aftermath.
---
Ohhh boy, this is a weird one. I always favour thrash acts over other
styles when I flick through promos to review, simply because it's my
favourite sub-genre and I find there's far more variety out there than
naysayers would have you believe. However, occasionally I come across
something that makes me yearn for less variety because they've taken
experimentation the wrong way.
Chicago's Aftermath are a peculiar anomaly in that they formed way back
in 1985 and produced a shit ton of EPs, demos and splits. They didn't
get round to releasing a full-length, Eyes Of Tomorrow, until 1994 Even
in thrash's waning years, this proved to be a sorely overlooked album
which pushed the boundaries of the sub-genre and could have pioneered a
new progressive, experimental direction for the style. Unfortunately,
the '90s happened. We wouldn't see Aftermath release another LP until
February 2019. There Is Something Wrong is the quintet's sophomore
effort and their first in 25 years. Fellow thrashers Sacred Reich pulled
a similar return to the fold this year with Awakening< , but that turned
out to be a massive disappointment. This album also disappoints, but in
a totally off-the-wall way.
I found myself scratching my head for the majority of this release,
wondering why the hell they had made such odd decisions. After the short
intro "Can You Feel It?", I felt the use of media cuttings, press
samples and sound effects was a little intrusive, but they were used as
transitions between the songs on the first half of the album, so I
accepted them as a linking theme. However, the latter half lets this
trait get totally out of control, to the point where tracks like "A
Handful Of Dynamite" can barely be called 'songs' and would be more
suited as obscure B-sides on a noise album. Being labelled as 'technical
progressive thrash metal' on Metal Archives was one thing, but literally
filling 4-7 minute tracks with nothing but samples from documentaries
and news reports is just taking the piss. The worst offenders here are
"Expulsion" and "Pseudocide" which meander along totally aimlessly, and
I literally never want to hear ever again.
The frustrating thing is that when they do finally get around to
thrashing like a real band, they can thrash pretty fuckin' hard and
sweet. There's not much here, so make the most of tracks like
"Temptation Overthrown" which is a solid tech/speed metal track, and the
more rounded "Scientists & Priest" (probably the closest to a
fully-fledged song on here). The production quality is solid, with the
guitar/bass/drums combo making for a satisfyingly crunchy sound. Even
the batshit burst of "Diethanasia" is not without its merits. Sure, it
straddles the fence between cleverly playing around with time signatures
and just...being wrong... But at least it's not devoid of energy and
momentum. The title-track almost comes close to being a progressively
tinged thrasher but, again, it's like the songwriter is spinning a
freakin' wheel to decide what the next section will sound like. Despite
the obvious flaws in the songwriting and flow, there is one aspect of
this record which is unforgivable...
There Is Something Wrong? Yeah, you bet there is. The fucking vocals and
lyrics. If you remember Colorado metallers Havok and their 2017 album
Conformicide, you'll doubtlessly remember the backlash over the
ridiculous alt-right, conspiracy theorist, faux-rebellious lyrics which
were so bad they flat-out ruined the experience for some listeners.
Well, bold statement incoming: There Is Something Wrong makes
Conformicide sound like Death's Symbolic. At least Havok had a semblance
of cohesive thought to their ramblings. Aftermath opt for total
incoherence in their garbled excuse for a message. It's all predictable
tin-foil hat bullshit about how governments are liars, pharmacies rule
the world, JFK shot Abraham Lincoln on 9/11, blah-blah who actually
fucking cares? The following is a genuine lyric from this 2019
'technical progressive thrash metal' album:
'Hollywood, Vatican, FBI, CIA!
Hollywood, Vatican, FBI, CIA!
They lie by deceiving mankind!
Liars, liars, evil empires!
They lie!
Pure evil!
By deceiving!
These people!
Mankind!
Watch out!'
And who could forget this poetic gem?
'Decorating words, population stabilization.
Unsustainable sustainable international development.
Nuclear chemical biological warfare'.
Sheer artistry. Now imagine this bewildering stupidity being firebombed
at your ears via an unintelligible bark which makes no effort to fit
vocal patters with the music. You can't even blame language barriers,
these guys are from Illinois for Christ sake! Their jumbled ramblings on
Infowars wouldn't matter so much if there was plenty of riff-centric
thrash metal to headbang along with. Unfortunately, the samples and
ambience completely outshine the actual music. As it stands, I can
barely remember a single riff from this mess, and I've heard it four
times through. I deserve a fucking medal. Approaching this album as a
politically-charged tech/thrash masterpiece along the lines of Xentrix
or Toxik was the fault of my own dumb optimism. I've learned my lesson.
▀▀░
░▄▀ ▄█▀
░▄ ░▐███░
▀█░▄▄▄ ▄░ ▀█░░ ░
▀▀░ ▄ ░
▄ █ ▀
▄ ▄█▄ ▄ ██▄ ▀░▀ ▄ ▀
▀░▀ ▀ ▀▀████████▀░ ▀ ▄ ░
░░ ░▀██▀ ▀██▄
▄ ▐ ░ ░ █▀▄ ▐▓▓▌ █
▄ ▄▄ ░ ▄▄▌█ ▄▄▓▓▓▀ ▄
▄ ▀ ████ ░ ▐███▌ ░ ░
▄██▀ ▄▄██▄▄ ░ ▄▄███▄▄ ▄ ▓
▐▓▓▌ ░ ▓████▄ ▀ ▀ ▓█████▓ ▀ ▄
▀▓▓▓▄▄ ▐▓███ ▌ ▌█████ ▀██▄ ▄
░▄ ▀▀██▄▐████ ▌▐ ▌▓ ▓▐ ▌█▓███ ▐▓▓▌ ▀░▀
█ █ ░ ░▓▐████▄▌▐ ▌▌ ▌▌▐ ▌▐▄ ▐▐·▌▌▐▐ ▐ ▄█████ ▄▄▓▓▓▀
▓ ▓▐████ ▌▐ ▌▌ ▌▌▐ ▌▐▐▓▐▐ ▌▌▐▐ ▐ ▌█████ ▄█▓▀▀ ▄░ ░
▄▄▄░ ▓ ░▐████▄▌▐▄▌▌▄▌▌▐ ▌▐▐▄▐▐▄▌▄▐▐▓▐▄▌█████ ▓ █
█████ ▐▄░ ▓▐████ ▌▐ ▌▌ ▌▌▐ ▌▐▐ ▐▐ ▌▌▐▐▓▐ ▌█████ ▓░ ▄ ▐▓
█▓███░ ▓▐█░▄▄ ▐████ ▌▐ ▌▌ ▌▌▐ ▌▐█ ▐▐ ▌▌▐▐ ▐ ▌█████ ▄██▄ ▀ ▄ █▌
█████▓ ██▀█▀▀ ▐█▓██ ▌▐ ▌▌ ▌▌▐ ▌▐▐ ▐▐ ▌▌▐▐ ▐ ▌███▓█ ▐█▓██▓ ▀██▄ ▀██▀
█████▓░ ▓█▌ ▐████▓▌▐▄▌▌▄▌▌▄ ▌▐▐▄▐▐▓▌▌▐▐▄▐▄▌█████ ▐████▌ ▐▓▓▌▓█▌
▄█▓███▄░ ▐█▄▓ ▐████ ▌▐ ▌▌ ▌▌▐ ▌▐▐ ▐▐ ▌▌▐▐ ▐ ▀█▓███ ▐████▌ ▄▄▓▓▓▀ █▓
████████▄▄▓ ▄█████▌ ▐████ ▌▐ ▌▌ ▌▌▐ ▌▐▐ ▐▐ ▌▌▐▐▓▐ ▌█████ ▓████▌░ ▄▄ ▄▄█▄▄
██████████████████████████████▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄ █████ ░██▓████▓██▓▓██████
█░█████▄▀█▄░████████▄▄▄▄▄██████▓████████░██████▄▄▄▄▄███████░▄██░█░█████████
▓██▀█████▓░░ ░ ░ ░ ░ ░ ░░░▓███▓█████ ████████▓
▓██▓▐████▓ ▓██ █░███ █░██████▓
███▓▄▀█▓ ▓ ▓█████▓███████
▓███ ░▄▄▄▓████▓
▓████████▓
▓██████▓
▓████▓