Cait.

by Blair Hoyle

A Fire Inside (AFI) doesn’t receive enough credit for being as good as they once were. Due to the fact that their sound changed dramatically with the release of their 2007 breakout record Decemberunderground, which was a huge mainstream success, a lot of people seem to have forgotten just how incredible The Art of Drowning and the All Hallow’s EP were and still are.

But with a career spanning over 25 years, AFI has consistently tried to mature and develop their sound, though it hasn’t always changed for the better. Their latest outing, The Blood Album, is on the weaker end of their discography, but it isn’t without its merits.

Channeling much more of a goth rock sound than ever before (which is saying a lot), the record begins extremely methodically. After the slow start, the fourth track on the record, “Hidden Knives,” shifts the tone in a catchy and fast-paced direction, occasionally evoking shades of the old AFI. The vibe is present in the opening riff of “So Beneath You,” as well, and it almost feels as though this is about to become a solid entry in the AFI discography. Unfortunately, that feeling doesn’t last long and the majority of the record is generic, woe-is-me Hot Topic rock with no shelf life.

This is never more present than during the track “Snow Cats,” which is symbolically the midway mark of the record. What is essentially a three-minute-long whine, the song is so heavy-handed in its disdain for love that it loses all meaning. The art of the metaphor is an important one when it comes to song lyrics, but these sound like something torn from the pages of a 14-year-old’s diary. Aside from that, a majority of the record sounds like the stereotypical mid-2000s alt-rock that was often misclassified as being emo. If you have forgotten that most of that music ever existed, then you’re probably not alone, though I do envy you.

But if you actually are a fan of that sound, then there is probably a lot to enjoy with this one. Most likely, though, listening to The Blood Album will just leave you wanting to listen to one of AFI’s older, better records. Musically, there is something to appreciate here – particularly the work of guitarist Jade Puget – but nothing ever comes together in a meaningful way. It’s a chore to listen to, and a sad reminder of just how far one of the greatest punk bands of the 1990s has fallen off.

2/5

Recommended tracks: Hidden Knives So Beneath You