"Without any need for exaggerated solos or absurdly complex riffs, they are able to send their message simply, in good songs and without exiting the realm of Melodic Death Metal. Their particular style may be most easy to compare with early In Flames (hopefully these don’t present a similar sonic decay in the future) or mid-Hypocrisy, it is clearly Nordic and displays the talent of their country like almost any band from there.
With a voice that mostly brings it nearer to Death Metal than to lighter things, the drums are mostly basic but with some interesting fillings every now and then, while the guitar gets it all together in a harmonic yet hard way. Starting off with a dark intro, the first song may stick in your head and take some days to get out, “Pyre” is the clearest highlight from an EP with no filler songs."
- Bathory'Zine
www.bathoryzine.com/2020/10/after-earth-before-it-awakes-review-by.html?fbclid=IwAR0_6lO9mOJQ9ZyAXvqZVqWTS7ewT_-_8C5c-a3uCGIJhxqQOwphoQqBaNw


"After the short intro “Embers”, the band tells a tale of finding solace in the flames with “Pyre”. [...] vocally there are two different tones that work together well. “The Storm” and “Embrace the Nothing” feature lots of good guitar work and double-bass drumming, providing no shortage of heaviness.
“Into Demise” is a catchy track with some synchronized rhythm guitars from Victor Lundblad and Rob Olsson. Around the 2:50 mark the song breaks into a strumming guitar riff that would fit right in on a Born Of Osiris record.
Overall this is a quality EP. Of course, coming from the land that practically invented melodeath means that these guys are in a crowded pool, and it will take a lot to make After Earth stand out. They’re not there yet, but given the short time that the band has existed I’d say they’re off to a good start."
- Metal-Rules
www.metal-rules.com/2020/11/01/after-earth-before-it-awakes-ep/?fbclid=IwAR2UxY55RZ8SqKhoRfq-49cJBUJQgXcN3TuEvMrMTSC7a3E4vRtKkJP4SDU


"The first EP by Skövde's Metal export is a five-track release introduced by melodic instrumental 'Embers'. But once the last note has faded out, After Earth show what they are after. The following four tracks are defined by heavily grooving and melodic Death Metal. Tough riffs roll forward with ice cold movement. Partially, there are some Metalcore-like breaks in the Groove sphere.
The track 'Into Demise' ruffs with its versatility of styles and genres while always staying true to the Melodic Death Metal sound. Most outstanding are the guitar leads that add to the intense soundscape. Also, Marcus' growls and screams are often chanted in a very melodic way which pleases the ear.
After Earth's "Before it awakes" is a release that restores hope in Melodic Death Metal. I can imagine listeners of Nordic Folk Metal, Black Metal or Old School Death Metal enjoying this EP, too. Looking forward to seeing what this band is up to in the future."
- MangoWave
mangorave.blogspot.com/2020/09/ep-review-after-earth-before-it-awakes.html?fbclid=IwAR0OISSEONuihqOyLoyWU9rsK6WLdc3dP9jXggjQhbiiyZrQRDrdI-roHOE


"Late in this pandemic afflicted year, a volunteer rises from the middle of Southern Sweden in the form of AFTER EARTH with their own debut EP, "Before It Awakes", a Melodic Death metal dagger from the Scandinavian forge. Not quite eighteen minutes in all, and starting with eighty seconds of acoustic, the inherent fast burn of the EP leaves the listener wanting.
Once "Embers" finishes, things heat up with "Pyre", which goes to a few different places and uses quality production techniques to make an interesting albeit familiar sort of sound. "Into Demise" follows that up with similar studio trickery but not so much that it becomes a staple, and the drumming along with the rhythm guitar putting in serious work gives it enough magic to say it’s a potential hit.
The next track, "The Storm", is another of the more standard Melo-Death compositions but it, along with the end track, "Embrace The Nothing", still manages to bring a distinct heaviness that adds to the band’s oeuvre. The last track in particular, coming in on a heartbeat and exploring their production values even further, goes places not at a sprint but with a methodical velocity to it.
In the end, this is unlikely to break UGLY KID JOE’s record for debut EP sales, and when the first full-length album comes around, "Before It Awakes" might well be relegated to the dustbin of Heavy Metal. For now, however, AFTER EARTH has something to be proud of; getting this far, even three years after creation, is a major step for any band, and they’ve managed to set their best foot forward to do it. What the future has in store for them is largely theirs to decide"
- Metal Temple
www.metal-temple.com/site/catalogues/entry/reviews/cd_3/a_2/after-earth-before.htm