So, I'll admit. I've had AFI's ("A Fire Inside") new album, Crash Love, on preorder since it was first available on iTunes. This review will track my feelings on the album as I listen to it for the first time--as I drink wine.
So far, it's f*cking awesome. Now, I realize it's a bit early for real unbiased review, but I'm loving it. I'll also admit that I was actually scared to listen to the album, because I had terrors bubbling to the surface of how I felt when I heard AFI's December Underground back in 2006. I felt so disappointed. I was actually sad. I felt like I was forcing myself to finish December Underground. What happened to AFI? Here was this band waving AFI's banner, a band I've been following since riding around in my brother hatchback in '99. What I did know is that this band on December Underground was not Shut Your Mouth & Open Your Eyes, The Art of Drowning, or even Sing the Sorrow. It was so...foreign. But, ultimately, December Underground was a solid album.
Okay, the album starts a bit different than I thought it would with "Torch Song." There's no intro, per usual. The album just jumps right in. It's good. It's got the rifts of an opening one minute intro, but it's a whole song that sort of reminds me of the Mars Volta, surprising enough...but not for long.
It's getting better. So far, I'm digging "Beautiful Thieves" and "End Transmission." "End Transmission" starts with the lyrics, " pull the top down, use your knees to drive," which just brings up a vision I'm falling in love with, only to be soon followed by "go grab your bag, I'll bring the gun." Images of John Dillinger are filling my head.
"Too Shy to Scream" has an interesting big band beat. It's good. I want to mosh.
Some of the guitars, beats, and melodies on the album are reminiscent of The Smiths to me, especially on the present track "Veronica Sawyer Smokes." Which isn't surprising, seeing as Davy Havok is a huge fan of The Smiths. "Beautiful Thieves" kinda made me think that way until the choir singing, not sure what I think about that...
"Okay I Feel Better Now." Track 6. Just okay, starts off with a Red Hot Chili Peppers re "Californication" guitar riff, a little boring because it's at a tempo that isn't slow but not fast, so it's easy to not notice. I'll have to give it another listen because I felt my mind drifting off to other things, but felt it was pleasant.
Alright now, "Medicate," it's pure AFI on Sing the Sorrow, which is awesome. Given that, it's not surprising this is the first single off the album. It's pretty kick ass, up tempo. Pretty awesome.
Some synth work in the background of "I'm Trying Very Hard to Be Here." Chris will dig that. A lot of layering, very busy. It picks up on the tempo of "Medicate" and keeps it going, so I feel like jumping around and dancing. And it's short at 2 minutes 44 seconds.
Digging track 9 "Sacrilege." Starting to notice I've yet to hear any of Davy Havok's signature screaming/shouting, just hints of his rasp/verge of screaming, but not quite there. This song is serious, lyric wise, and reminds me of The Art of Drowning or Black Sails in the Sunset. The melodies sound like God Call in Sick Today or Ghost Under the Stairs, but sped up.
Track 10,"Darling, I Want to Destroy You," seemed so promising from it's title. Pure crap. Tediously grating voice effect. Sh*tty sharp key. Very disappointing. It's noisy. I don't like it at all. Ugh...
"Cold Hands" starting well. God, I hate voice effect. Davy's voice is layered or something, it's irritating. I HATE it when singers do that. The song is a bit boring and noisy.
If AFI could make a song that sounds like Chris Isaak, they've done it with "It was Mine," at least with the main part. I never dreamt I would say that. And they've got some Queen-esqu elements in the breakdown. I don't know what this song is about, it's all over the place. Not digging it.
"Too Late for Gods," track 13. Some good group chanting. Which reminds me that AFI held a contest to get fans on the album for the chants. I can't recall if there was any real chanting before this, beside track one. This is making me a bit perturbed. But this song is pretty good. But, it just ends.
BONUS TRACK: "Breathing Towers to Heaven." Why is this song a bonus track. Am I the only one who thinks most bonus tracks are actually better than tracks that made the actual album?
END RESULT: Crash Love is a pretty good album that will take multiple listens to really get into. It's not as good as Sing the Sorrow or any of the predecessors. Unfortunately, it's also not as good as December Underground. But, then again I had hopelessly high hopes for this album. And it's still good. There are some truly great songs on here, which is why AFI is still around. I LOVE the track "End Transmission." And, I still can't wait to see them in November!
So far, it's f*cking awesome. Now, I realize it's a bit early for real unbiased review, but I'm loving it. I'll also admit that I was actually scared to listen to the album, because I had terrors bubbling to the surface of how I felt when I heard AFI's December Underground back in 2006. I felt so disappointed. I was actually sad. I felt like I was forcing myself to finish December Underground. What happened to AFI? Here was this band waving AFI's banner, a band I've been following since riding around in my brother hatchback in '99. What I did know is that this band on December Underground was not Shut Your Mouth & Open Your Eyes, The Art of Drowning, or even Sing the Sorrow. It was so...foreign. But, ultimately, December Underground was a solid album.
Okay, the album starts a bit different than I thought it would with "Torch Song." There's no intro, per usual. The album just jumps right in. It's good. It's got the rifts of an opening one minute intro, but it's a whole song that sort of reminds me of the Mars Volta, surprising enough...but not for long.
It's getting better. So far, I'm digging "Beautiful Thieves" and "End Transmission." "End Transmission" starts with the lyrics, " pull the top down, use your knees to drive," which just brings up a vision I'm falling in love with, only to be soon followed by "go grab your bag, I'll bring the gun." Images of John Dillinger are filling my head.
"Too Shy to Scream" has an interesting big band beat. It's good. I want to mosh.
Some of the guitars, beats, and melodies on the album are reminiscent of The Smiths to me, especially on the present track "Veronica Sawyer Smokes." Which isn't surprising, seeing as Davy Havok is a huge fan of The Smiths. "Beautiful Thieves" kinda made me think that way until the choir singing, not sure what I think about that...
"Okay I Feel Better Now." Track 6. Just okay, starts off with a Red Hot Chili Peppers re "Californication" guitar riff, a little boring because it's at a tempo that isn't slow but not fast, so it's easy to not notice. I'll have to give it another listen because I felt my mind drifting off to other things, but felt it was pleasant.
Alright now, "Medicate," it's pure AFI on Sing the Sorrow, which is awesome. Given that, it's not surprising this is the first single off the album. It's pretty kick ass, up tempo. Pretty awesome.
Some synth work in the background of "I'm Trying Very Hard to Be Here." Chris will dig that. A lot of layering, very busy. It picks up on the tempo of "Medicate" and keeps it going, so I feel like jumping around and dancing. And it's short at 2 minutes 44 seconds.
Digging track 9 "Sacrilege." Starting to notice I've yet to hear any of Davy Havok's signature screaming/shouting, just hints of his rasp/verge of screaming, but not quite there. This song is serious, lyric wise, and reminds me of The Art of Drowning or Black Sails in the Sunset. The melodies sound like God Call in Sick Today or Ghost Under the Stairs, but sped up.
Track 10,"Darling, I Want to Destroy You," seemed so promising from it's title. Pure crap. Tediously grating voice effect. Sh*tty sharp key. Very disappointing. It's noisy. I don't like it at all. Ugh...
"Cold Hands" starting well. God, I hate voice effect. Davy's voice is layered or something, it's irritating. I HATE it when singers do that. The song is a bit boring and noisy.
If AFI could make a song that sounds like Chris Isaak, they've done it with "It was Mine," at least with the main part. I never dreamt I would say that. And they've got some Queen-esqu elements in the breakdown. I don't know what this song is about, it's all over the place. Not digging it.
"Too Late for Gods," track 13. Some good group chanting. Which reminds me that AFI held a contest to get fans on the album for the chants. I can't recall if there was any real chanting before this, beside track one. This is making me a bit perturbed. But this song is pretty good. But, it just ends.
BONUS TRACK: "Breathing Towers to Heaven." Why is this song a bonus track. Am I the only one who thinks most bonus tracks are actually better than tracks that made the actual album?
END RESULT: Crash Love is a pretty good album that will take multiple listens to really get into. It's not as good as Sing the Sorrow or any of the predecessors. Unfortunately, it's also not as good as December Underground. But, then again I had hopelessly high hopes for this album. And it's still good. There are some truly great songs on here, which is why AFI is still around. I LOVE the track "End Transmission." And, I still can't wait to see them in November!
"Darling, I Want to Destroy You" sounds like it should be the title of a Smiths song. Anyway, I'll have to give this a spin on the ol' turntable.
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