I have liked Helmet ever since I first heard them, and this album was my gateway into their unique style of alternative metal. From the catchy yet heavy opening riffs of Pure to the weird time signatures of Broadcast Emotion, this album keeps me interested time and time again. Helmet are known for their varied approach to metal and I think this album is one of the best examples of their talent. This is the last album before the vicious breakup and subsequent reorganization of the band and I think it shows a lot of maturity in their music. Some may argue that the music on this album isn’t nearly varied enough to be their best album, but in my opinion the point of this album is subtle differences.

Pure starts the album off with heavy riffs and the somewhat clean yet somewhat rough vocals of Page Hamilton. The song is very catchy but also has an undercurrent of melancholy in it, which can be said of much of the music on this album. There are subtle melodies that just pull me in. Renovation comes in next with a bassline that leads into the another catchy set of guitar riffs. This song is also short and to the point, coming in at just under 3 minutes. Exactly What You Wanted starts out with the same catchiness and some rawer vocals from Hamilton this time. The song also has an angrier edge to it created by the vocals and the halting style of the guitar. This is another short song, at about two and a half minutes but it feels substantial and quickly became one of my favorites from the album because of the very catchy and recognizable riffs. Most songs on this album are pretty short, but they never leave me feeling like there should be more to them, which I think is really a credit to this band's songwriting abilities. Like I Care Starts off with another very memorable bassline that I can’t help but love. Hamilton comes in with deeper, cleaner vocals this time, which fits the slower tempo of the song perfectly. Driving Nowhere is another song that quickly became a favorite of mine because it has such a memorable chorus and catchiness to it, like many of the previous tracks.

There's really no point in continuing the review in this manner. Every song, and I do mean every song, continues to have its own character, its own energy. From the fun catchiness of It's Easy To Get Bored to the darker, grungy feel of Diet Aftertaste, every song on this album has something to appreciate and really just rock out to. The song writing as well as the technical aspects of the album are impeccable. Some may say that this album really offered nothing new to an overcrowded genre, and they might have a point, but the difference is that when Helmet do it, it sounds genuine, powerful, and, above all else, memorable and thought provoking. Much of this band's energy seems to radiate from frontman Page Hamilton and on this album he shows off his talent as a rock vocalist and guitarist who can sing with both aggression and melancholy, often times in the same song. To me this is the pinnacle achievement from the band. The songs just slam into you, keeping your attention for 13 tracks of extremely heavy, catchy alternative metal. The songs and melodies created here sounded familiar from the first listen and I haven't been able to stop listening to these guys since, though I have never been moved by any album as much as I am by Aftertaste. If there's only one Helmet album you ever listen to, make it this one.