Aftertaste (album)
Aftertaste is the fourth album by American alternative metal band Helmet, released in 1997 on Interscope. It was the band's final album with original members John Stanier (drums) and Henry Bogdan (bass). Guitarist Rob Echeverria, who appeared on Helmet's previous outing, "Betty", left the group to join Biohazard. Subsequently, the album was recorded as a three-piece, with Page Hamilton covering all the guitar parts. Guitarist Chris Traynor (formerly of Orange 9mm) came on board for the supporting tour. "Aftertaste" harkens back to Helmet's earlier sound, omitting some of the experimental/jazz tendencies of  Betty. The album met with a mixed critical reaction and poor commercial response and went out of print in 2006. This album along with "Meantime" and "Betty" is considered a definitive text in post-metal. Writing and production. Hamilton said his goal in writing the album was to create a greater mix between smarts and crunch. "I don't want to say that I'm sick of the visceral animal response that we get - I'm not, But I need more than that. I need more than seeing a bunch of kids jumping around and breaking each other's noses . I feel like I really need to communicate with an audience who will listen. I'm painted into a corner. Whatever I write in a rock 'n' roll context will elicit a conditioned response, unless I quit rock and make a country record or something." Release. Delays. The album was close to being released in the fall of 1996, with promotional interviews being held (Visions Magazin 09/1996 cover story) and advance tapes being sent to journalists. A 1996 version of the track "Insatiable" featuring the same intro that appeared as the final albums intro to "Pure" was released on the  German "Metal Hammer"s magazine CD "Offroad Tracks Vol4" in the fall of 1996. The album release was withdrawn and the mix duties were handed from Producer Dave Sardy to Terry Date. The version of "Pure" that appeared on the "Exactly What You Wanted" CD single in 1997 appears to be taken from this early version of the album. The track list of the early version would've held "Insatiable" as the opening track and Pure as the album closer. "Renovation" at the time was not included in the album as it was to be contributed exclusively to a Soundtrack compilation  album. Reception. The album was met with mixed to positive reviews from music critics. AllMusic staff writer Stephen Thomas Erlewine gave the album a negative review, writing "Without the invention of "Betty" or the gut-level force of "Meantime", Helmet is simply a bland alternative metal band, lacking riffs, hooks, and purpose and relying only on volume. It's a shocking and disheartening turn of events for one of the more intriguing metal bands of the '90s." Kevin Templeton, writer for Vancouver music publication "Drop-D", remarked in July 1997 that, "Although I consider myself a fan of Helmet's  riffs... er, music, I can't help feeling that they could sound a little more dangerous than this." Legacy. Muse bassist Chris Wolstenholme has mentioned "Aftertaste" as his favourite album. On the album's 20th anniversary in 2017, "Diffuser.fm" stated that ""Aftertaste" was less musically adventurous than "Betty", going for more crunching, immediate riffing." They also observed that, "The music scene had shifted somewhat dramatically in the nearly three years since "Betty", and 1997 would ultimately be remembered for bands like Limp Bizkit and Coal Chamber creeping into the spotlight under the guise of nu metal which, incidentally, was a  genre Helmet would end up credited by many to have primarily influenced." Personnel. Band Guest musician Production Chart positions. Album Singles