The EarthQuaker Devices Afterneath Otherworldly Reverberator special edition is a limited-time run of the company's Afterneath reverb, finished in a brushed metal Retrospective enclosure. It was announced in March 2022 and offered in both pedal and Eurorack formats, giving modular users the same access to the circuit as pedalboard players1. The Afterneath itself is one of EarthQuaker Devices' oldest and most popular effects, first released in 2014 and described by the Akron, Ohio maker as "the little pedal with the big, cavernous sound"2.
What the special edition is
The special edition is a custom finish, not a new design. Guitar World reported that the "Otherworldly Reverberator" circuit remains the same, combining a reverb and delay algorithm3. Guitar.com called the Afterneath EarthQuaker Devices' top selling pedal when the special editions were announced4.
| Special edition | Standard Afterneath V3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Circuit | Same Otherworldly Reverberator circuit as the V33 | V3 "Otherworldly Reverb" algorithm5 |
| Finish | Brushed metal Retrospective, black print on raw silver enclosure12 | Matt Horak's "Wizard in a Cave" artwork2 |
| Formats | Pedal and Eurorack module1 | Pedal and Eurorack module2 |
| Availability | Limited time1 | Ongoing |
MusicRadar described the limited edition colourway as black print on a raw silver enclosure, applied to both the Afterneath V3 pedal and the Afterneath Eurorack module2.
Alongside the special editions, EarthQuaker Devices released a feature-length documentary telling the story of the pedal, featuring some of the company's top artists and industry social channels4.
Where the Afterneath came from
The circuit traces back to a mistake. EQD founder and lead designer Jamie Stillman "accidentally stumbled upon this unique algorithm, whilst experimenting" with code, according to gearnews.com's report on the special edition1. MusicRadar framed it the same way, calling the Afterneath the "happy accident" Stillman discovered while experimenting with the code that would become the Afterneath algorithm2.
The original pedal arrived in 20142, and the current version is the Afterneath V3, which introduced a new advanced "Otherworldly Reverb" algorithm when it launched in January 20205. The special edition is built on that V3 circuit3.
The pedal's artwork is Matt Horak's "Wizard in a Cave" graphic, which adorns the standard pedal2.
What reviewers said
The Afterneath has drawn strong words from engineers as well as players:
- MusicRadar called it "an inspiring, boldly adventurous" reverb pedal2
- MusicRadar reported that Tool engineer "Evil" Joe Barresi likened it to "a $1500 piece of outboard gear in a pedal"2
- GuitarPlayer.com's reviewer Christopher Scapelliti described the Afterneath as EarthQuaker's "otherworldly reverberation machine" that "has become a favorite ambience tool for guit[arists]"6
Delicious Audio's product page, by Paolo De Gregorio and Nathan Smith, opens with the same framing7:
"The EarthQuaker Devices Afterneath is an otherworldly reverberation machine"
How it sits in EarthQuaker's reverb range
The Afterneath is one of several reverbs in the EarthQuaker Devices line. Players comparing it against the rest of the range can look at the Transmisser, the Astral Destiny octave reverb, the Levitation, and the newer Ledges and Towers designs. For the wider picture, see the site's Reverb Pedals page.
The special edition was offered for a limited time only1. The standard Afterneath V3 and the Afterneath Eurorack module remain the way into the same circuit outside that run.
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Questions
Does the Afterneath special edition come as a Eurorack module?
Yes. When EarthQuaker Devices announced the special edition in March 2022, it was made available for a limited time in both pedal and Eurorack formats, so modular users could get the same Otherworldly Reverb algorithm in a rack module as well as on a pedalboard.
Who designed the EarthQuaker Devices Afterneath?
The Afterneath came from Jamie Stillman, EarthQuaker Devices' founder and lead designer. He stumbled on the pedal's unique reverb algorithm by accident while experimenting with code, and the circuit grew out of that happy accident into one of the company's oldest and most popular effects.
What is the Retrospective finish on the Afterneath V3?
The Retrospective finish is a limited-edition brushed metal enclosure treatment given to the Afterneath V3. The special edition was offered for a limited time in both pedal and Eurorack formats, with black print on a raw silver enclosure according to MusicRadar's report on the release.
Is the special edition a different circuit from the standard Afterneath V3?
No. Guitar World reported that the Otherworldly Reverberator circuit remains the same in the special edition, combining a reverb and delay algorithm. The limited edition is a custom finish on the V3 pedal and matching Eurorack module, not a redesign.
What changed in the Afterneath V3 compared with earlier versions?
The V3 introduced a new advanced Otherworldly Reverb algorithm, according to gearnews.com's coverage of the V3's launch in January 2020. The special edition of 2022 is built on that same V3 circuit.
Sources (7)
- EarthQuaker Devices unleash the Afterneath Otherworldly Reverberator special edition, gearnews.com, 2022-03-17
- “It's like a $1500 piece of outboard gear in a pedal”, MusicRadar, 2022-03-16
- EarthQuaker Devices celebrates the success of its Afterneath V3 reverb with special-edition pedal and feature-length documentary, Guitar World, 2022-03-16
- EarthQuaker Devices release limited edition versions of the Afterneath Otherworldly Reverberator, Guitar.com, 2022-03-16
- The new Afterneath V3 from Earthquaker Devices features 9 new Modes, gearnews.com, 2020-01-20
- EarthQuaker Devices Afterneath V3 Review, GuitarPlayer.com, 2020-05-19
- Earthquaker Devices Afterneath V3, Delicious Audio, 2022-11-28
