New Music From Afterimage

Independent Project Records and the surviving members of underground ‘80s post-punk band Afterimage have announced the upcoming release of a 22-track retrospective compilation including all of the early era Afterimage’s studio recordings, plus demos and live tracks from performances at now legendary spots such as Whisky a Go Go and Al’s Bar. Faces to Hide proves as scathing, urgent, taut, angular and gripping as the group’s scarce but unforgettable output must have sounded more than forty years ago. Listening to Faces to Hide, it is easy to see how the four members of Afterimage – Alec Tension (Daniel Voznick), A Produce (future ambient explorer Barry Craig), Rich Evac, and Holland DeNuzzio – must have bonded over a love of Public Image Ltd, Pere Ubu, Magazine, The Fall, Gang of Four and Television. But there was even more to Afterimage’s abrasive sound. As this compilation chronicles the short life of the original line-up of one of Los Angeles underground’s most adventurous – if still overlooked – outfits, it also helps define the complexity of a fairly elusive scene and its era. The original Afterimage line-up only existed for a couple of years and released merely one single and one EP, but their take on post-punk – at once raw and explorative, with an eye to the sound that was emanating from across the ocean and one to a past-acknowledging future – surely left a mark in the sonic psyche of the City of Angels. Afterimage seemed to sculpt their sound in marble, coming up with hypnotic skittery sonics revealed to be chilly upon their surface and fiery in their details.

Kicking things off on Faces to Hide are the two tracks that appeared on the band’s 1981 debut single on Contagion Records. The opening attack of “Strange Confession” is probably close to what Gang of Four might have sounded like had Lora Logic of X-Ray Spex joined their ranks, as frontman Tension’s kick-out-the-jam blasts of saxophone immediately reveal a penchant for a quilt of sound that was more adventurous, playful, and complex than most contemporary punk. On “Surf Generator,” A Produce’s guitar conjures The Ventures or The Chantays with spikes. “Satellite of Love” is another instant highlight, as the sound of a raptured, frantic Afterimage makes it easy to see why the LA Times once called them “LA’s Joy Division.”

“Go check out this early ‘80s underground L.A. band as soon as possible if the post-punk sound is your cup of tea.” – Strutter Zine

“Urgent drumming and slashing guitars… vocalist Alec Tension hovered over the busy, frenetic arrangement[s]… tasty, buzzing synths…” – Post Punk Monk

FCC Warning: Tracks 5 & 12

Label: Independent Project Records

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