Frontman Glenn Hughes spent around six months writing material for a planned solo album, which later became the basis for a third Black Country Communion release.

Afterglow received generally positive reviews from critics, some of whom suggested that the truncated recording process made the album feel more spontaneous.

[11] The first song to be released from the album was "Confessor", which received its premiere on Planet Rock on September 11,[12] ahead of being made available as a free digital download around a week later.

[20] Bonamassa claimed after the cancellation that he had refused to play the show as he was worried Hughes might "make some stupid fucking announcement on stage" in relation to whether the band would continue or disband.

[22] The guitarist's manager Roy Weisman later confirmed Hughes' suggestion that the Wolverhampton show had been pulled due to disagreements over ticket prices, which the BCC frontman had earlier claimed online.

[3] Metal Hammer gave Afterglow the same 8/10 rating, with reviewer Dave Ling suggesting that "One listen to songs like 'Confessor' and 'This Is Your Time' and you'll be drawn in; repeated spins will lead to addiction.

[1] Despite this, the reviewer praised the contributions of all four band members: Hughes' "incomparable voice", Bonamassa's "versatile guitar licks", Bonham's "ever powerful, spot-on drumming" and Sherinian's "always tasteful keyboards".

[1] Similarly, in a 3/5 review, British newspaper Metro wrote that the album is "at its strongest when it resembles Led Zeppelin in their pomp", but claimed that "Too often, BCC fall into their default mode, which is shrieking cock rock with machine-gun drums, which doesn't endear them to many outside the metal faithful.

"[46] At the end of the year, Afterglow was named in the Blues Rock Review's list of "Top 20 Albums of 2012", at number 18, with writer Don Tice stating: "With the timeless sound of Hughes on the mic, the classy blues swagger of Bonamassa on guitar, one of a kind flare from Sherinian on keys, and a star child by birthright, backed by immense talent in Bonham, Black Country Communion pries the lid off the past, and propels it into the now.

"[51] American music historian and radio personality Eddie Trunk named it his seventh best album of the year, calling it "pretty much live and in your face classic sounding rock that just happens to be from a new band".