Aftermath is better than Burning Bridges and What About Now, it is still a poor record though. It has more guitar for sure, but it is the same generic playing that has been in Bon Jovi for years, just more of it.

Aftermath, especially the guitar playing, highlights that Richie was a big problem in the way Bon Jovi's sound went too. There isn't an inspired piece of guitar music on the album, even the dearly held (by some) Seven Years.

Richie has never been a master blues player, so making blues albums would result in him falling flat on his face. Stranger is very blues based, but place it next to a record from SRV, Clapton, BB King, or any of the blues greats and it falls way short.

That said, it was an excellent album taken on merit coming from an 80s player who many thought was just another show off.

Richie at his flashiest and most dynamic = 80s
Richie at one with his guitar and most creative = 90s
Richie on a downhill spiral of generic playing, recycling poor phrases and licks, and using a sloppy fretting hand = 2002-present.