Formed in Los Angeles in 1980, Afterimage’s dark and moody approach was clearly influenced by UK post-punk while not being blatantly imitative of any specific predecessor. Joy Division is a bandied point of comparison, but Afterimage benefited from raw muscularity that reflected their Cali punk surroundings. Impeccably designed by Independent Project Records, Faces to Hide collects the early recordings of the band onto double vinyl (white or black) and compact disc. As the original lineup was extant for only a short time, the contents of this anthology adds live cuts and demos. The whole is surprisingly consistent as a deep dive immersion into a bygone era.
The Afterimage documented on Faces to Hide is guitarist Barry Craig (aka A Produce), bassist Rich Robinson (aka Rich Evac), drummer Holland DeNuzzio, and vocalist-saxophonist Daniel Voznick (aka Alec Tension). After splintering in the mid-’80s, Voznick continued to record as Afterimage with the aid of numerous contributors, but this set is focused entirely on the lineup that released the “Strange Confession” b/w “The Long Walk” 45 and the “Fade In” 12-inch on Contagion Records in 1981.
That’s a total of eight tracks, but Faces to Hide offers a significant expansion, although much of it was already collected on Anthology, a cassette issued in 1984 on Craig’s imprint Trane Port Tapes. In 2007, Craig and Voznick gave Anthology a CD expansion with Strange Confession, a co-release by Trance Port and Voznick’s Strategic Records.
Faces to Hide adds even more tracks (while subtracting the later Afterimage material that concludes Strange Confession) for a sequence of 26 that appears to comprehensively document the original incarnation of a band that largely flew under the radar, though the inclusion of “Satellite of Love” (not a Lou Reed cover) on the 2014 Sacred Bones compilation Killed by Deathrock: Vol. 1 raised Afterimage’s profile a bit, no doubt.
Joy Division is a touchstone that’s perceptible in the guitar playing in “Satellite of Love.” But “Strange Confession,” which opens Faces to Hide, feels more indebted to Gang of Four. “The Long Walk” and “Afterimage” are less easily comparable to specific acts as they blend elements of cold wave and yes, deathrock. Or if one prefers, goth rock. In either case, the point of emphasis is Rock, as “Soundtrack” is fast paced and punky.
There are moments, as in “No Dreams,” where Voznick’s vocals hit on a blend of Peter Murphy and a less histrionic John Lydon. But “Surf Generator / Part of the Threat” helps reinforce Afterimage’s geographical reality a bit, and the inclusion of saxophone helps them in standing out from their peers, of which in Los Angeles, there frankly wasn’t many.
One contemporary is Bruce Licher of Savage Republic (and Independent Project Records), who is a credited cowriter on “Surf Generator / Part of the Threat.” As the sharper edge of the live tracks and demos unwinds on Faces to Hide, a deeper affinity with Savage Republic becomes clear, if still appealingly subtle. And other similarities emerge, as the live version of “Surf Generator / Part of the Threat” could’ve been tacked onto the Keats Rides a Harley comp.
Sure, there’s a fair amount of multiple versions on Faces to Hide, but there are a few standout cuts, like “Idol,” “Just a Laugh,” and the title track, that didn’t make it onto the 45 or the 12-inch. The two versions of The Sex Pistols’ “Submission” are also a kick. So, if not a streamlined introduction, the set is still a very necessary acquisition for connoisseurs of post-punk (and just punk, for that matter). And it’s an exquisite package to behold. Good gravy, there’s even a flexi-disc.
GRADED ON A CURVE:
A-
