Tejiri Ohwahwa
Contributor
Afterimage by Recovery Child is a departure from their 2006 debut album, On Being and the Affect. This album represents their growth as a rock band and their journey through the production process. Relatively short, with only seven tracks including an introduction, this album marks the ends of a four-year hiatus—the four-piece Toronto-based band used that time to define their sound.
Like many bands starting out, Recovery Child made its name through radio play on various university and college radio stations across the country. Following the release of their 2006 EP, they gained fame and success after
winning the 97.7 HTZ-FM Rocksearch Contest.
While Afterimage may be different from their previous work, the album is not winning on originality. The songs are reminiscent of other rock bands like the Foo Fighters and Nickelback. The intro “Welcome To The World” lets us imagine that the album would have a different tone and feel.
The rest of the songs do not necessarily match the first impression. When listening, get past the first generic song: there are a few gems in there.
The next song “Armour Worn”
is all loud electric guitars, shouting, screaming, and booming drums and cymbals. In spite of all these, the chorus manages to be catchy—uncharacteristic for an alternative rock album.
A song that resonated with me was “I Will Defend” as it captures their journey as a band. It explains some of the struggles and realities that are part of being in a rock band. This song represents the band as a whole and really shows what exactly was being done during the band’s time away.
The sound is consistent, and the vocals are strong, invoking feelings of tenacity.
The album is an eclectic mix of different sounds, some new and old. Though the band is relatively new, they have potential. Recovery Child will be playing in Owen Sound, Ontario, on November 24.
