AFI – Crash Love

Releasedate: 25-09-2009; Label: Interscope
By: Nina Mende

AFI is an American rock band from Ukiah, California, formed in 1991. They have consisted of the same lineup since 1998, lead vocalist Davey Havok, drummer and backup vocalist Adam Carson, with bassist Hunter Burgan and guitarist Jade Puget, who both play keyboard and contribute backup vocals. AFI has released seven studio albums over 18 years as a band, the first being Answer That and Stay Fashionable in 1995. The band then went on to release Very Proud of Ya the next year, followed up by a third in three years, Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes. Over the years, AFI has changed its style from the earlier days of hardcore punk, to the horror punk-influenced sound of 1999’s Black Sails in the Sunset and 2000’s The Art of Drowning. It wasn’t until this, the band’s fifth album, that the band first featured on the charts, as The Art of Drowning peaked at #172 on the Billboard 200.
The band had its first major success 12 years after it formed, in 2003, with Sing the Sorrow reaching #5 on the Billboard 200. The album was supported by singles “Girl’s Not Grey” and “The Leaving Song, Pt. II”, both featured in the top 20 of America’s Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart in 2003. It went onto receive Platinum certification with over one million units sold in the US. After several years they finally released their 8th studio album.

They did a few shows in Europe and it made my heart bleed deeply that I couldn’t go. But now listening to this album electrifies me and brings me close to tears. Yes I am an AFI fan and I love all of their albums. So you can imagine how badly I was awaiting “Crash Love” and how excited I am now to be able to write about it. The album starts out with a soft sound that soon leads into a typical AFI intro, strong and full grabbing your whole body and not letting it go. Shaking it along to how Davey would perform on stage. Davey sings more than shouts this time, which is nice. He plays quite a lot with his voice as well. The chorus has a choral shouting in the background. The riffs are typical for AFI. The melody is keeping your mind captivated during the entire “Torch Song” and far beyond that. “Beautiful Thieves” is a much brighter song, at least sound wise. The lyrics are melodic and melancholic again. The chorus is big and goes deep into your veins setting free adrenaline. This time AFI played a lot with choir and different voice styles, very interesting to listen to and it fits amazingly well. “Too Shy To Scream” is a faster and more powerful song that probably makes you jump around wherever you hear it. It’s easy to sing along and the catchy melody also causes it to get stuck in your head in no time for a long time. “Veronica Sawyer Smokes” is a very easy going and catchy song as well. The beat is fast and grabs you by the feet making them move along as well. “Ok, I feel Better Now” is a very serious and deep song, the lyrics cut you deep. The arrangements on this song bring along everything to create the perfect atmosphere to the song. A very touchy and sad song. But “Medicate” kicks the sad emotions and tears right away. Faster and catchy as usual it rocks you and shakes off everything negative. It makes you shout along, a sort of rock medication for a happy mood. “Medicate” also includes a great guitar solo. “Darling, I Want To Destroy You” reminds me of a music box song, really great and emotional, yet not as deeply cutting as some others. “Cold Hands” is rocking off a last time again, catchy and thriving. “It Was Mine” is slow and more melodic again, closing and rounding this entire new masterpiece of AFI. “Crash Love” definitely suits very well as title to these twelve amazing songs. I don’t only say this as a fan: this album is wonderful!

Tracklist: 1. Torch Song 2. Beautiful Thieves 3. End Transmission 4. Too Shy To Scream 5. Veronica Sawyer Smokes 6. Okay, I Feel Better Now 7. Medicate 8. I Am Trying Very Hard To Be Here 9. Sacrilege 10. Darling, I Want To Destroy You 11. Cold Hands 12. It Was Mine

Links:
AFI MySpace
AFI Official