AFI - Black Sails in the Sunset

1999 release on Nitro for this raw and powerful East Bay hardcore punk band. 12 tracks including 'Strength Through Wounding', 'Exsanguination', 'Clove Smoke Catharsis', 'God Called In Sick Today' and more. Album Description

 Wow
I was introduced to AFI through Decemberunderground. The first song I heard by them was Love Like Winter. My friends (sell-out fans) told me that the new stuff was horrible, and that their old stuff was great.

When I got this, I was shocked. Davey...his vocal style is so...different is an understatement. And does he, like, have a lisp or something? Is that from the lipring? It's weird.

I'm not saying this album is bad; it's not. It's just so incredible different from their new stuff. April 22, 2007

 This is the title. It means nothing. Please procede.
You know what? In many ways "Black Sails in the Sunset" is probably the perfect AFI record. That's not to say that it's their best but whatever phase of AFI you like---the early hardcore stuff, the middle period goth punk stuff or the current arena ready stuff--- you can find something to like and admire on this album.
This was the first AFI record I heard when a friend played it for me back in the spring of 2000 and I immediatly knew I loved it as it blends two of my favourite types of music, eighties goth like the Cure and Joy Division, with hardcore, and does so perfectly. Although they would build on this template and improve it on their followup releases "All Hallows" and the nearly flawless "The Art of Drowning", "Black Sails" will always have a special place in my record collection.
Now, as one of the few earlier AFI fans who doesn't believe that they have recently sold out(rather they have been given the finincial means to expand on their influences, and this isn't as a bad thing as both "Sing the Sorrow" and it's followup "decemberunderground" are excellent records), I am not feeding you some purists nonesense when I tell you that if you are an AFI fan then you need "Black Sails". Where there earlier hardcore records were typical east bay hardcore, "Black Sails" builds on the template. The songs have more crashing dynamics than anything that came previous, while upping the melody and allowing Davey Havok room to write more insteresting lyrics and expand his vocal range. The songs all feature the same chant along choruses that have taken AFI to the top of the charts lately, only this time they're dellvered with a far more breakneck speed.
What's surprising to hear, or at least to me, how much sense the bands newer stuff sounds when you listen to "Black Sails". The playing is strong and the melodies are easily digestable without being easy and obvious. The production of the record at time can be a little same sounding, thought each song has it's own distinctive features and ebbs and flows that you know exactly what you're listening to every given second.
Again "Black Sails" is not the best AFI record in my opinion(that really has to be "Art of Drowning"), whatever you like about AFI is here on this record in spades. Crushing hardcore, melodic breakdowns, excellent lyrics and vocals and even the requisite power ballad("God Called in Sick Today", still one of the bands best songs), and for those reasons alone that should make this record an essential in every AFI fans collection.
That and every sing is pretty great. What more could you ask? February 4, 2007

 AFI's Darkest Hour; Suffering

'Through our bleeding, we are one!'...

...so begins AFI's fourth, and controversially their best.

This is one emotionally upsetting album to listen to, let me tell you. But in a good way. It's like reliving someone else's nightmare of the pain, suffering, and horror that is everyday life.

This is Davey Havok at his darkest and most poetic edge. Just listen...

'When daylight forms blinding walls where do we go? Days, arid are scorching all. When daylight forms blinding, binding walls, where do we go? The darkness calls.'...

...and...

'We all begin to burn. Autumn's flame dances in my eyes. Set alight for all we've learned. My ashes falling. My skin is singed but it heals my heart and with growing pride I'll wear my scars.'...

...brilliant!

And that's not the end, but I can't fit every good lyrical quote in this review, because the WHOLE ALBUM is like this!

Is it AFI's best? In one way, but in my opinion, all AFI is good, for different reasons. This is like a gourmet steak dinner, but you don't always feel like a steak dinner. Too filling. That's where AFI's latter career comes into play.

See also AFI-The_Art_Of_Drowning, and AFI-Sing_The_Sorrow, lighter fare when you don't want to feel like ripping something's head off from listening to this disk.

PS- For people who like dark music in general, see The_Cure-Pornography. Also highly recommended. October 23, 2006

 not what i was hoping for
i bought this album after reading the "rave" reviews on here about it...what a let down. im still giving it the benefit of the doubt with 3 stars even though i didnt think it deserved that, notice i said i, its only my opinion. the songs all sound alike. before i could leave the mall parking lot i looked down and my player said song 4. i was like what the heck? i just popped it in and i couldnt even tell when the last song had ended and the next one began. September 20, 2006

 Be Prepared For The Goth ( :<
This is no doubt a great CD. It's AFI at their goth point, so be prepared for some dark music. Especially if you only have AFI's first few CD's.

1.Strength Through Wounding
4.5/5 Holy crap, what an intense intro! THROUGH OUR BLEEDING WE ARE ONE!!!
2.Porphyria Cutanea Tarda
3.5/5 It's fast, it's good. It didn't really catch my intrest though.
3.Exsanguination
4/5 It better. But still not much compared to what's next.
4.Malleus Maleficarum
5/5 $#!+, this has got to be one of the best(if not THE best) songs on the CD! It's like a metal song or something! AFI truly did a great job on this song. The first masterpeice of the album!

SIDE NOTE:Soemone postted earlier that Porphyria Cutanea Tarda, Exsanguination, and Malleus Maleficarum were latin terms for vampirism or something. He's wrong about that. Porphyria is a desease which forbids you to go out into the sun; Exsanguination is a process that removes blood from the body; and The Malleus Maleficarum is a book about with burning. Just to clear up some confusion.

5.Narrative Soul Against Soul
5/5 I freakin love this song so much. Especially the chorus, and the part before the chorus where Davey wails "todaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyy" It gets me every time. <3<3<3
6.Clove Smoke Catharsis
5/5 Forget about God Called In Sick Today, Clove Smoke Catharsis is my favorite slow song of the album. I love how it goes from a very heavy intro to a soft, clean guitar melody. This song could've easily gotten twice the popularity GCIST recieved if it got the chance.
7.Lower It(vinyl only track)
5/5 Easily the most "punk" track on Black Sails. Deffidently a keeper.
8.The Prayer Position
5/5 Another metal song. It's awesome.
9.No Poetic Device
4.5/5 Cool. I really like the chorus.
10.The Last Kiss
5/5 How can you not love this song?
11.Weathered Tome
4/5 Once again, I absolutely love the chorus!
12.At A Glance
4.5/5 Boy, this album has some great choruses. I love it. It's kind of like a mix between The Last Kiss and The Despair Faction.
13.God Called In Sick Today
4.5/5 Although it is very overated, I still love it!

XXXMidnightSun
6/5 This is really my favorite song on the album. It a gothic metal song with forces yet to be reckoned with. It also has arguably the greatest breakdown AFI has ever done(along with Coin Return ( :)

Well, this review might not've been so helpful, but that's not the point. The point is, you have to buy this now. September 4, 2006

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