Reading Time: 2 min read

4 out of 5 stars

AFI, AFI (The Blood Album) ยฉ ConcordGoth-rock vets AFI return with AFI (The Blood Album), their first album since 2013. โ€œAureliaโ€ marks the third advance single.

Itโ€™s hard to believe that AFI has been around since the 1990s.ย  Alas, itโ€™s true. The Cali band returns after a four-year hiatus with AFI (The Blood Album).ย  The band has experienced minor success over the years, earning two platinum-certified albums. Four singles were released ahead of The Blood Album. ย โ€œAureliaโ€ was the third pre-release single from The Blood Album.

On โ€œAurelia,โ€ AFI does a superb job of establishing darkness.ย  Featuring a superb groove, โ€œAureliaโ€ makes the listener nod their head from the start.ย  Itโ€™s infectious, regardless of its musical hellishness. The best lyric recurs throughout the song, iterated three times: โ€œTheyโ€™re barking in the wrong key.โ€ There is extraordinary power Love the power behind the signature lyric. An excellent drum run is distinctive upon the end of the second verse. โ€œAnd you sing along,โ€ lyrically represents that high-flying moment. The bridge builds off the soaring momentum of the second verse.ย  Itโ€™s a ball of energy:

โ€œCan you see at night?
We can see at night
And weโ€™re barking in the wrong key
And you sing along.โ€

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, โ€œAureliaโ€ is effective because it embraces the goth-driven sound of the band. Even at 41, Havok has still got the edge and vigor to nail a record like this one convincingly.

4 out of 5 stars


AFI โ€ข AFI (The Blood Album) โ€ข Concord โ€ข Release: 1.20.17ย 
Photo Credit: Concord

 

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the musical hype

the musical hype aka Brent Faulkner has earned Bachelor and Masters degrees in music (music Education, music theory/composition respectively). A multi-instrumentalist, he plays piano, trombone, and organ among numerous other instruments. He's a certified music educator, composer, and a freelance music journalist. Faulkner cites music and writing as two of the most important parts of his life. Notably, he's blessed with a great ear, possessing perfect pitch.

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