AFI
Sing The Sorrow

THE REVIEW

I've read in various reviews how this album is even considered a masterpiece of punk, I don't see anything transcendent, but let's analyze the situation.

Let's start by saying that artistically the group is made up of Davey Havok on vocals, Jade Puget on guitar, Hunter Burgan on bass, and Adam Carson on drums.

A.F.I. (A Fire Inside) is an unusual band in the modern punk-hardcore scene as they take little from California punk bands like NOFX, Rancid, and No Use For A Name, etc. Rather, they fuse the furious rhythms typical of hardcore with gothic and dark atmospheres, all enhanced by the vocal performance of the singer who alternates clean vocals with screamo, creating a sound all their own. The sound in part may remind one of the Misfits, of whom they have also covered a famous song "Halloween".

The quartet has evolved their style over the years, starting with a very fast and direct sound in the beginning, and in recent years moved closer to gothic atmospheres. The following disc released in 2003 also marks the transition of the group from the independent label Nitro (managed by Mr. Dexter Holland of Offspring) to the major Universal. The production is entrusted to Jerry Finn (Blink-182) and Butch Vig (famous producer of Nirvana's success "Nevermind").

Listening to "Sing The Sorrow" (the group's seventh studio album, successor to "The Art of Drowning") you hear something special that changes from song to song. The album consists of 12 tracks including an initial intro with a decadent atmosphere alternating with screams. Here punk, rock, hardcore, dark, and gothic merge, creating something different that stands out just enough from other groups, although the final result will be a mix of highs and lows. In detail, it's a varied album, although it has flaws that need to be considered.

In my opinion, among the best we find the hardcore power of "Dancing through Sunday" (great central solo) and the melodic hardcore of "Paper Airplane". Also noteworthy are "Leaving Song pt1", an acoustic song of great impact, and the ballad "Silver and Cold". The single "Girls Not Grey" is a typical classic punk rock song enriched by choirs that stands out within the album for the sunny atmosphere typical of the Californian sound, which contrasts with the dark and gloomy atmospheres of the rest of the album, but ends up being bland and predictable.

Similar discourse for "Death of Season", which while powerful, is a mix that ends up being tasteless with the singer screaming to excess, and even violins come in towards the end. "The Great Disappointment" is one of the various slow rock songs, perhaps a bit penalized by its excessive length but still manages to relax. "Leaving Song pt2" continues the theme of the first part but here guitars and drums come into play.

Instead, applause goes to the bonus tracks present, namely the new school hardcore of "Sinesthesia" which is truly excellent; I honestly don't understand why it wasn't included in the tracklist with the others instead of being released as a B-side since it's perhaps the best episode of the disc, and the decent gothic-flavored rock of "This Time Imperfect". The lyrics, in line with the gothic tradition, are dark and unsettling, filled with hidden meanings that convey a sense of misery and suffering. It's a shame the CD loses itself a bit with songs that are too slow and have little punk, leaning too much towards rock.

Despite some songs, the rating generally represents a CD that definitely isn't to be discarded but should have been developed and curated from the perspective of power and dynamism and instead comes off as too confusing a record where the band gets lost among too many influences often poorly concealed. Sure, there are outbursts, but in my opinion, the screamo-style singing often seems out of place, and the same goes for the middle parts of the various songs basked in excess and often rhythmically too static. In my opinion, given the content, it may satisfy fans of gothic rock more than those of punk hc in general.

In conclusion, if you're looking for a band different from the usual standards within the genre and appreciate the Misfits, you might like them; if you love the classic hc sound of bands like Pennywise and Bad Religion, forget about this album.