AFI - Silver Bleeds The Black Sun... | Album Review

When Goth Rock Becomes AFI's Future

With Silver Bleeds The Black Sun..., AFI embark on one of the boldest chapters in their now over three-decade-long career. The Californian band, who started with hardcore punk and later became alternative scene icons with albums like Sing The Sorrow and Decemberunderground, finally bids farewell to their last remaining punk roots. Instead, the band presents a dark, elegant, and atmospheric work deeply rooted in goth rock, post-punk, and darkwave.

The Album

The band has been continuously evolving for years. Bodies already showed clear influences from New Wave, post-punk, and synth-rock. On Silver Bleeds The Black Sun..., this transformation is now complete. The album's ten songs forgo classic punk outbursts and instead focus on atmospheric guitars, deep basslines, ethereal synthesizers, and Davey Havok's exceptionally versatile voice. 

Critics described the album as the band's most consistent move into goth rock and post-punk to date. Many even consider it the strongest AFI album in over a decade.

The Feeling: Dark, Elegant, and Hypnotic

What immediately stands out is the album's cohesion. Every song contributes to the overall mood. Instead of individual radio hits, the album as a complete experience takes center stage.

The production is detailed and modern, without losing the band's raw emotionality. The instruments occasionally evoke The Cure, Bauhaus, Joy Division, or The Sisters of Mercy, but always remain unmistakably AFI. The blend of nostalgic 80s influences and contemporary production, in particular, gives the album its unique character. The bass work and atmospheric guitar arrangements especially contribute significantly to the album's impact.

Song Analysis

The Bird Of Prey

The opener kicks off the album with an almost cinematic atmosphere. Davey Havok's voice floats over dark guitars, immediately creating the feeling of a dystopian world. The song sets the mood for everything that follows.

Behind The Clock

The first single combines heavy guitars with dark melodies, showcasing the band's new direction. Here, goth rock and modern alternative rock elements collide. 

Holy Visions

One of the album's most catchy songs. The driving rhythm and instantly memorable melody make the track a potential classic in AFI's future catalog. Several critics highlight the song as one of the album's peaks.

Voidward

A prime example of the band's new sound. Cold synthesizers, dark guitars, and a hypnotic mood recall the great post-punk bands of the 80s. 

A World Unmade

Perhaps the album's most emotional song. It combines the plate's melancholic atmosphere with the poetic lyrics Davey Havok has been known for for years.

Nooneunderground

The finale surprises with an unexpected return to faster and more aggressive elements. Here, the band's punk past briefly flashes, providing an exciting conclusion.

Conclusion

Many bands are currently trying their hand at nostalgic eighties influences. However, AFI achieves something more difficult: they use these inspirations without copying 80s classics, creating their own, new style.

With Silver Bleeds The Black Sun..., AFI proves that even after more than 30 years, they are not willing to stand still. Those who loved the early AFI albums for their punk energy might need to adjust at first. The album is dark, atmospheric, bold, and consistent. Many critics consider it the strongest AFI album in years – and it's hard to disagree after several listens. 

Rating: 9/10