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For bands that start out with a strong underground presence and thrust their way into the mainstream, major label releases can be credibility killers. Bands that made their early career on the strength of a devoted following can often alienate their early diehard fans in search of a sound that is more palatable to the mainstream. Thus far, and including their latest release, AFI has not yet fallen into this trap.


That’s not to say that the band isn’t evolving, or shedding some of their earliest trappings. In fact, on Crash Love, AFI is showing AFI’s transformation from a gothpunk band to more of a rock and roll band. It’s just, that in doing so, they haven’t dulled their dark edge, nor have they dumped their creepiness factor entirely in the name of selling records.

This time around AFI did choose to scrap the electronica that was predominant on 2006’s Decemberunderground, opting instead for more straightforward rock arrangements. In doing so, they have created songs that are extremely lush and complex, and an album that is more focused than anything they’ve done yet.

Case in point: “Beautiful Thieves” is a lush, upbeat majestic tune, and is exactly what you might want from the AFI you’ve known from the past, and “I am Trying Very Hard To Be Here,” “Cold Hands” and “Medicate” are giant-sounding tunes that grab hold of that rock and roll ring without ever dropping what AFI has been known for, and all the big guitar sounds never completely conceal AFI’s dark demeanor.

But for all of their gothic bluster, I think it’s the explorations into a more straight punk rock sound that truly elevates this album above their previous works. This found on tunes like “Too Shy To Scream” and “Sacrilege,” perfectly crafted tunes, that slide seamlessly between choppy punk riffs to lush choruses and back again. The hooks are their, as are the intricate melodies, and together they’re a great thing to behold.

There is also a healthy dose of sinister nostalgia that brings an element of morbid joy to those of us from the old school. “Veronica Sawyer Smokes” is a song that pays homage to bands that made it possible for AFI to exist, darkwave progenitors like the Cure and the Smiths, with jangly, melodic guitars and an underlying uneasiness, and “Darling, I Want To Destroy You” and “Torch Song” are swirling tunes that also hold true to those same early ideals, albeit with a lusher sound and a bigger blast of energy.

The album isn’t entirely perfect, though. “OK, I Feel Better Now and “It Was Mine,” while well-crafted and perfectly produced, are songs that seem to have been created around a dark rock formula, with soft melodies and breathy vocals that merge with majestic guitar lines. They really aren’t bad, but they are pretty predictable.

AFI may seem to be shedding their goth punk cowls in pursuit of mainstream music dollars, but the fact remains that there is an underlying darkness to Crash Love, and their riffs, while heavily rock influenced and hook laden, a riffs that fortunately still haven’t crawled completely out of the shadows.

Release Date: September 29, 2009

Track Listing

1. Torch Song
2. Beautiful Thieves
3. End Transmission
4. Too Shy To Scream
5. Veronica Sawyer Smokes
6. OK, 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