Aftermath The Cutting Begins LP
Damn, that is one strikingly grim cover, one that can be seen as a warning to the listener who therefore will no longer be able claim that they didn’t suspect that there’s proper dark music ahead. AFTERMATH makes no secret of their sonic intentions and unleashes their primitive brand of metallic crust from the outset of their first full album, The Cutting Begins. I discovered the band through their first record, the Garbage Day 10”, and rather like their simple but effective gait on the well-trodden path of dark Swedish crust. AFTERMATH will sound familiar to most crusties, which is not a bad thing, and this second effort incorporates a more pronounced metallic stenchcore influence with the addition of mid-paced numbers (not far from CANCER SPREADING) to their groovy crust. The music has an early extreme metal vibe as well, and I am significantly reminded of LEGION 666 or early ANGUISH (especially in the vocals and some arrangements), although the sound is definitely embedded in the Swedish tradition. It is a solid follow-up that demonstrates the quality and the seriousness of the project (I have to admit the 10” left me wondering), and something of an improvement on the first one if you like more filthy metal in your crustcore.