Album Review: After Smoke Clears – Intentions (Self Released)

Following a hot streak of singles, metalcore unit After Smoke Clears will release their sophomore album, ‘Intentions’, on November 19th, 2024.

This feels like a big moment for After Smoke Clears. The moment that more people take notice of them and the moment they step out of the underground and become an even more potent force within the metalcore scene. All on the back of a new album that features eight absolute ragers. Their intent is clear and to prove that claim, the first half of the album features several high profiles guests.

Namely, Damien Bigara of Diesect, who joins After Smoke Clears on the intense opener that is Status Game. Get used to the aggression, it is not a one-off. Then there is Jimmy Dahmer of Asleep at the Helm, who guests on the impressive Serenity. After Smoke Clears showing off a clearer melodic side here with a smooth chorus that has clean singing. Be under no false illusions though, it’s still a beast of a track.

As is Animal, which just so happens to feature Stephen MacConville of Confessions of a Traitor and stands tall as one of the most impressive tracks on the album thanks to the balance of metal and melody.

Completing the first half of the album is one of the fastest and most visceral sounding tracks in Chase the Sun. A very aggressive song with frenetic hardcore energy, like many of the tracks that make up the second half of the album such as the utterly wild Unintelligent, it threatens to break some bones with its intense feel throughout. That mania kept in check by some pretty epic elements and creative twists though.

Can it get much better? Well, not really, but it certainly doesn’t have a drop in quality as Fractured explodes with so much heavy passion and Echoes has some of the most eye-watering drumming heard so far.

An album to leave you bruised all over. What a f**king unit this band is, so how do they wrap this up? With a brilliant showcase of their metalcore powers in Daze. Mic drop.

After Smoke Clears – Intentions Track Listing:

1. Status Game (feat. Damien Bigara)
2. Serenity (feat. Jimmy Dahmer)
3. Chase the Sun
4. Animal (feat. Stephen MacConville)
5. Fractured
6. Unintelligent
7. Echoes
8. Daze

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