After Earth hail from Skövde, Västra Götaland, Sweden and formed initially in 2017 but according to their own words, didn’t get the ball rolling til mid 2019 in terms of solidifying a line up to perform live and to create enough material for it to be worth it. With the pandemic and missing years taking place from 2020, the band released an E.P ‘Before It Awakes’ and also the single ‘From Age to Aeon’ but as recording started for their debut full length, line-up changes took place, leaving the 5 piece as effectively a trio. With the remaining members pushing on, the band got the recording wrapped up and here is the finished product. So let’s see if it’s a rarity or just more of the same SweDeath Melodic metal.

The first thing of note on this release is how heavily it leans into the first decade of the 2000’s in where the sound lies. Numerous times during my listening and note-taking sessions for this album I ended up getting side tracked and listening to other albums from similar artists across Scandinavia: In Flames, Dark Tranquility and Omnium Gatherum (Reroute to Remain, Fiction, Stuck Here on Snakes Way respectively). It’s this chunkier take on the SweDeath melodic metal which After Earth have leaned into and it works well. The blending of a solid rhythmic core, emphasizing the riffing and drums builds a solid platform for the growling vocals and rich melodic lines to work around. The synth effects are present but sit well in the mixing, allowing for a good boost to the segments where they are needed to add an extra edge to the track.

With this in mind, the next thing is the fact this is a short album; 8 tracks which run for around 35 minutes. Whether this was by design or a by-product of the band having to adapt to the circumstances arising during the recording sessions of the album is up for debate, but what this compact runtime does is allows for easy replayability as it doesn’t feel like a chore listening to it. Sure, it’s easy to get lost in if this is your kind of music, but it’s easy enough to listen to again. Mixing this with the musical approach, you have a well put together album which has plenty to offer.

The opening and title track packs a punch with its sharp vocals and chunky low end heavy riffs. ‘Prometheus’ has that In Flames flair to it from their 2000’s releases, blending the melodic pedal tone riffing with a biting delivery whilst ‘Through Hidden Spaces’ is a bit flashier, bringing out shades of Finland’s Omnium Gatherum.

‘Legions’ is one of the wilder tracks on the album, tipping a nod to At The Gates with its faster pace and heavy emphasis on the pedal tone riffing and ‘Human Slave Machine’ keeps this ferocity up. ‘Undermine My Suffocation’ leans into the more structured and melodic aspects of Dark Tranquility and ‘Anguish To Dust’ keeps this approach going, tapping into the darker and more melodic veins of sound. Closing track ‘I Am What Remains’ is probably the most ambitious in terms of composition with its sprawling synth, string and choir intro which explodes to life in a blistering MDM assault blending elements of all the tracks approaches to bear with full force. It’s a fitting closing track and a solid reflection of the album as a whole.

Whilst this is an enjoyable album, it can feel a little too generic to some who aren’t as enthused by Scandinavian MeloDeath, especially as there are only a few noticeable hooks and spots which make you take notice if you are just casually listening to it. Add to the fact that it’s also heavily influenced by the early 2000’s sound, an era some purists try to pretend doesn’t exist and that awkward spot where a lot of the bands in this era started to massively diversity their sound, it can be seen as just a drop in the ocean when you stack it up against other similar artists. Is this a case of a record released in the wrong decade? Maybe.

On the whole, ‘The Rarity Of Reason’ is a good MDM album if you happen to like that 2000-2010 era of the genre. It’s got a solid structure to its sound, it has its moments which make you take notice and it’s an easy listen. It might have been something else totally different if the events of the recording process took a different path, but After Earth can be proud of what they forged on with. It’s worth a listen!

(7/10 Fraggle)

https://www.facebook.com/AfterEarthSWE

https://afterearth-swe.bandcamp.com/album/the-rarity-of-reason