SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: AFTERIMAGE – FACES TO HIDE

AFTERIMAGE
FACES TO HIDE
INDEPENDENT PROJECT RECORDS

Throughout rock history, there are a number of bands that existed for a very short time but have an almost mythical reputation. Afterimage is one such band. The original line-up of Los Angeles’ Afterimage only existed for a couple of years and released just one single and one EP. However, both the single and EP had a lasting impact and to this day. Faces To Hide is a new compilation that not only includes their released material but a treasure trove of previously unreleased songs.

It also serves as a time capsule of a city that no longer exists. Los Angeles is, of course, still there but the post-punk L.A. is gone, including some of the iconic venues and places that make rock history, such as Whisky A Go-Go and Al’s Bar. The band is caught live in these classic places, and you can hear the ambience of those well-known and fondly-remembered places. And in some ways Afterimage was a product of the city and the time. The late 1970s and early 1980s was a time of a shift in music, a shift from vinyl to cassettes and the huge rise and importance of independent record labels.

In the same way that L.A. had its own distinct ‘punk sound’, they also had their own version of ‘post-punk’. Post-punk rose out of the ashes of the punk movement in the original U.K. punk movement and produced bands like Magazine, Wire, and Joy Division. Some of Afterimage’s material is very close to UK punk, such as “Soundtrack”, which leans towards Public Image Limited. Songs like “Satellite Of Love”, which is a song that borrows a bit from Joy Division, but the band still carves out their own distinct sound.

There are a lot of songs on this album. The band did not release a great deal of material, so there are a lot of demos and live songs. Some of the recordings are not the best, but it is the music and the historic context that is the most important. The demos actually sound extremely good, and songs like “Relapse” in demo form have more stark and sparse arrangement than the EP versions. “Relapse” is much slower and has a much grittier vibe. Two attempts at the Sex Pistols’ “Submission” are also included, and once again, the difference between the two is quite interesting.

Faces To Hide is a fascinating historical document of an era that really didn’t last long, nor did the band. One can hear the potential in the band and when listening to the music, one can be forgiven for asking the ‘what if’ questions. Afterimage had a great and unique sound, and over time they would have definitely morphed into a very strong and influential band. In many ways, they were an influential band that not many people, especially outside of L.A., know about. Afterimage left a small legacy for all to enjoy and Faces To Hide is a chance to not only revisit the music but discover a long lost band.

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