Most long-time Helmet fans (and I count myself as one), when this album was released in 1997 pointed to what they saw as flaws - a concious effort to make the album accessible, a (slight) tempering of the ferocity the band displayed up to and including "Meantime," and the simple fact that they didn't remake the same album over and over. Guess what? "Aftertaste" might be their most consistently enjoyable disc.
While I pretty much enjoy any and all of Helmet's albums (okay, "Size Matters" isn't that great...), I can ALWAYS throw "Aftertaste" in and get into it. The songs hit with the melodic sensabilities of a band like Foo Fighters without losing the crunch Helmet was known for. I think this set of songs stands out more than their breakthrough "Meantime" or their older material, generally favored by fans that want to put forth the image that they weren't late to the Helmet party. The drums on this disc are particulary noteworthy, with John Stanier turning in his always-reliable hard-hitting drumming, this time augmented with better production. The songs (all of which, I think, were written by Page Hamilton) are better than anything he's written before or since, minus a handful of tracks. The lyrics are better than anything before or since - take lines like "I'd rather be insulted by you than someone I respect" for instance.
I know this review will irk some long-time fans, but it's time to hang up your elitist attitude and admit that just because a band breaks through to the mainstream, it doesn't mean their best work is behind them.