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Welcome back to Finetuned! How the hell are ya, dweebs (lovingly)? I hope you are having a great week - you deserve that. I am stoked about the rec this week, given its heavy nostalgic factor for me. Let’s take a trip back 13 years in time.
This week, we are chatting about After The Burial. Let’s get into it! 🤘
After the Burial is an American progressive metalcore band that started back in 2004 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This is a story of when high school friends came together to make something louder and more technical than what they’d heard around them. The original lineup (Trent Hafdahl, Justin Lowe, Nick Wellner, and Greg Erickson) started playing local shows, posting demos, and building a reputation for tight rhythm work and an unusually intricate style for metal bands at the time. As they developed, they signed with Sumerian Records (so mixed on these fuckers, overall meh) and released albums that helped define the modern metalcore and djent-leaning scene, bringing precision and aggression to every performance.
Through lineup changes and personal struggles, including the tragic loss of founding guitarist Justin Lowe, the band kept pushing forward, melding crushing heaviness with melody and complexity. Their talent for blending brutal riffing with atmospheric dynamics built them a loyal international following, and their sound became a go-to for listeners who wanted heavy music with brains and heart behind the brutality. I truly rock with this band HEAVY, from now until after my burial. 😏
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After the Burial’s sonic identity sits at the intersection of progressive metalcore, djent, and aggressive technical metal. They’re known for layered, polyrhythmic guitars, chugging low-tuned riffs, complex drum patterns, and a furious precision that feels like mathematical chaos when played at full throttle. Their riffs are tight, their breakdowns are seismic, and the interplay between rhythm and lead guitars creates a tension that’s both punishing and hypnotic
They have overtime kept these signature production choices. Their tone and feel across the board is something that I immediately recognize, and go ahhhhhhhh to. I feel like Wolves Within is a snapshot of After the Burial, almost at their peak of technical precision and aggressive clarity. The album is built on low-tuned, palm-muted guitars and layered djent grooves that ooze with rhythmic complexity, while the drums lock in tight patterns that drive the music forward without ever feeling repetitive. Guitars and bass anchor the heaviness with an almost mechanical weight, yet there’s also melodic interplay that adds dimension rather than distraction. The production feels polished but still raw enough to convey the sheer power of the performances.
Lyrically, Wolves Within doesn’t shy away from intense emotional terrain. While the band’s music is heavy, their themes explore internal conflict, vulnerability, and existential struggle, tapping into feelings of alienation, fear, and confronting inner demons. The screaming vocals are cathartic (which is simply true across the board for metal imo), conveying emotional weight as much as sonic force, while any moments of more discernible melody serve to underline the themes of persistence and endurance.
Why Listen? If you love banging your head and groovin’ hella hard, Wolves Within is essential listening. It balances raw aggression with compositional depth, giving every head-bang moment a narrative payoff. For fans of djent, metalcore, or progressive metal who want brutality mixed with brainpower, this record delivers in spades. Whether you’re discovering After the Burial for the first time or revisiting them with fresh ears, just check this shit out.
Finetuned Rec 👇
I found this band just before this record came out and became hooked. This was the first record I had jammed from them on its release. Incredible riffs, heavy as shit, brootal as feck.
Enjoy the jams, Finetuners!
artist - After The Burial
album - Wolves Within
album rating - 9.7/10
fave track - Pennyweight
hon. men. #1 - A Wolf Amongst Ravens
hon. men. #2 - Virga
Thanks for reading here, Finetuners! I do hope you all have enjoyed this week’s Finetuned. I’d appreciate any insights, admiration, or otherwise. You can email me here: [email protected].
See you all in the next one! 🙌
(Sources:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/After_the_Burial,https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolves_Within
,https://thestatetimes.com/2015/04/08/way-back-wednesday-album-after-the-burial-wolves-within/, https://metalmusicmania.wordpress.com/2009/08/06/after-the-burial/?, https://www.notreble.com/buzz/2013/12/18/after-the-burial-release-wolves-within/?