AFI - Decemberunderground

Fans of AFI's early hardcore sound will find little in common between their old favorites and the material on their second major-label release, but while their newest material is far more accessible than anything the band has released thus far, Davey Havok and friends have managed to keep their gloomy, romantic aesthetic intact. Introductory track "Prelude 12/21" shows a more personal touch than previous album intros; instead of a militant cry of solidarity, it's a simple romantic appeal to "Kiss my eyes and lay me to sleep." "Kill Caustic" brings the gothic hardcore feel back in full effect, though, with raw-throated vocal shouts and a Misfits-inspired chorus. A number of tracks are poppy enough to turn off punk purists; "The Interview," for example, is the closest thing to a ballad AFI have ever done, and "The Killing Lights" is reminiscent of nothing so much as The Cure at their most melancholy. There's also the fact that the electronics have been brought to the forefront, thanks to none other than VNV Nation's Ronan Harris. "Love Like Winter," though, is no less a fist-pumping anthem for its use of keyboards, and the production on "Summer Shudder" is exquisite whether you're a punk fan or an EBM club patron. Even first single "Miss Murder," though it's so catchy it's already taken over the mainstream radio airwaves, is hard to find fault with. It's neither as fast nor as heavy as classics like "The Phoenix" or even "Silver And Cold," but its themes of suicide and soaring vocals punctuated by hardcore bellows are the very elements that generated AFI's cult following. Give this album a chance, ignoring for the moment that you can buy it at Wal-Mart, and you'll see it for the progressive gothic punk masterpiece it truly is.

Visit the band's website at www.afireinside.net.