Originally founded in 1993, the current line-up of Afterworld was finalized in 1995. All five members of the group have different musical backgrounds, ranging from classical to death/thrash metal, yet it is this diversity that makes the band's sound so distinctive. Although their music has been described as heavy melodic power metal with comparisons made to acts such as Iron Maiden and Rage, there is another newer style on display which is certainly a result of these backgrounds and the different influences each band member brings to the mix.
Their debute album Dark Side Of Mind was a combination of melancholy and melodic approach packed with tons of metal energy and it was highly appraised worldwide. The new album Connecting Animals is an excellent sequel with a bunch of excellent pieces of metal. With this album these Finnish guys prove once again that they can do both fast and furious double bass songs as well as heavier songs with beautiful guitar melodies. In their new album singer Mika Kuokkanen has a great chance to show his much appraised distinctive powerful and personal voice to create excellent vocal melodies varying from sensitivity to rage.
Afterworld is on its best when experienced live. They have been touring with Sentenced and Embraze among others and played all the big heavy metal festival in Finland. Mika Kuokkanen's charisma on stage does not leave anyone cold. Connecting Animals consists of twelve tracks of Melodic Power Metal played with tight Northern attitude. Songs like "Second Chance" and "Tell Me Why" are modern fast power metal songs, whereas songs like "Let It Go" and "World of Hippocrates" bring out the heavier, slower and darker approach. The song "Seventh Year" is a proof of the band's ability to write slow and powerful songs and also brings out singer Mika's versatility as a singer as does the cover of "Money Money Money", which was made long before the late Abba Boom. Special attention should be paid to "Promises" with its very catchy chorus. If the lyrics on the debute album Dark Side Of Mind were dark, on this new album the songs show some glimmer of hope.
Overall this album presents Afterworld's ability to write good songs while not recycling the same idea again and again.
LINE-UP Mika Kuokkanen (voc), Petri Saaskš (g), Ville Koskela (g), Marko Salo (b), Jani Outinen (dr + key)
