A self-confessed result of the band’s road to musical evolution, Afterimage shows signs of maturity and
poignant instrumentation, but also suffers from some degree of rock cliché.
While the track “Welcome the Future” may feature a groovy beat that reeks of the sleaze and grittiness of rock ’n’ roll’s wild and drug-addled past, “We Collide” is the only song on the album, in my opinion, to be worthy of a single. Th e chorus is brought to life by a melodic, soaring guitar line which adds immense texture and a sonic contrast to the underlying rhythm. If the band strived for maturity, this song was their best attempt. All in all, the album is a cohesive effort, but not one with lasting appeal.
Overall, Afterimage sounds too radio-friendly to appeal to any hardcore fans of rock music. The singer, like
many singers in popular modern rock, is what I call a “vocally-trained dude” — essentially a man who has
taken a few vocal lessons, but lacks character or memorability. Recovery Child may have grown as a band over the four years since their previous release, but they will need to lean further on their more subtle strengths to stand out in the future.