december hotel
Helmet banner with stark industrial textures

Helmet — Aftertaste

Track Listing

  1. Pure
  2. Renovation
  3. Exactly What You Wanted
  4. Like I Care
  5. Driving Nowhere
  6. Birth Defect
  7. Broadcast Emotion
  8. It's Easy to Get Bored
  9. Diet Aftertaste
  10. Harmless
  11. (High) Visibility
  12. Insatiable
  13. Crisis King

Album Review

The black sheep of their 90s discography. You'd think Betty would've been held as the weird one, but it's Aftertaste's streamlined, less jagged, appealing style that got under people's skin.

The intro for Pure might've you fooled, but this really is a no holds barred album. The transition to Renovation is a fine example of that. The songs don't waste much time building up their riffs, sometimes they come right out swinging, like on Broadcast Emotion. But Page was building up some resistance against their heavy style from before. It seemed he wanted to shoot himself in the foot again (like on Betty) and explore different paths, and then songs like (High) Visibility, which showcase a much more mellow and catchier singing, serve as an example of how Page is not a chump at pop-sensible metal songwriting, though Size Matters might've you believe otherwise. It's also probably one of their best lyrically, being essencially a easier to decipher Betty, showcasing their usually cynical social commentary and general bitterness, though Size Matters might... well, it's not the best lyrically. The songs ebb and flow well, all fitting into this "thinly veiled alt metal, disguising as a pop album" style. It's Easy to Get Bored and Driving Nowhere for a second might've even trick you for something you'd hear on a rock radio, though the last third of the latter is there to remind you that you're listening to good old Helmet. Harmless and Crisis King are the punkish hitters on this record, even if notally on a much lighter tone if you compare it to anything back in Meantime. The groove wasn't completely gone, Diet Aftertaste being one of the strongest on the album in that sense, also really interesting lyrically.

And that's pretty much what this album does back and forth. A collection of catchy staccato rock, at a time where the band was at a peak. Pretty much every song is good, some are especially notable, like Pure, Driving Nowhere, Diet Aftertaste and (High) Visibility, for being successful attemps at evolving their formula at the time, but still keeping what everyone enjoyed about the Helmet sound. A recommended listen for those who might be interesting in 90s alt-alt-metal and might've not enjoyed the in-your-face style of Meantime or might want something a litte more focused than the general irreverent tone from Betty's tracks.

Review by jhihlol

A Second Perspective

The best moments on Aftertaste come when a melody has to work its way through the riff. Page Hamilton sounds more willing to sing here, but the guitars still cut his phrases into sharp little pieces. That friction gives the album its character. The songs are easier to follow than some of Betty's detours, though their clipped rhythms can still make a straightforward chorus feel slightly uncomfortable.

"Exactly What You Wanted" gets that balance right. The hook arrives clearly enough to stick, while the playing underneath keeps a sour edge. "Driving Nowhere" is another strong example: its accessible shape gives the heavier passages somewhere to go. Hamilton doesn't need to abandon the band's vocabulary to write a more inviting song. He just needs to leave a little space around it.

That space also makes the rhythm section worth following. Henry Bogdan's bass gives the low end movement rather than simply adding weight, and John Stanier makes the stops count. "Diet Aftertaste" has the kind of stubborn pulse that rewards listening past the guitar tone. Even when the arrangement stays narrow, the musicians can find small changes in emphasis that keep it alive.

The trouble is that not every song earns its place so convincingly. Across the middle of the record, the dry guitar sound and recurring stop-start patterns begin to flatten the differences between tracks. Some choruses suggest a stronger tune than they actually deliver. Aftertaste is focused, but there are stretches where that focus feels restrictive, particularly beside the peculiar turns that made Betty such an interesting record.

Still, the strongest material makes a good case for this version of Helmet. "Pure" establishes the tension early, "(High) Visibility" gives the vocal melody more room, and the shorter bursts keep the album from settling entirely into midtempo repetition. Aftertaste doesn't sustain its best ideas all the way through, but it offers a solid set of compact, abrasive songs with enough hooks to invite another listen.

Helmet • Listen on Apple Music