From the get go, AFI‘s new album Burials is everything it should be. It’s dark, it’s melody filled and Davey Havok just has a way with words. Havok claims the album is “of betrayal, cruelty, weakness, anxiety, panic, (…) despair, injury and loss”. It’s clear to see what he means when listening to this album, the lyrics are, as usual with Havok, poetically inclined, but the meaning is plain to see.
AFI still write an album with the intention of it being a collection of songs, despite this being the era of iTunes on shuffle. The album begins with an opening track titled The Sinking Night. This leads into the first single from the album I Hope You Suffer, which has the typical AFI catchy chorus and glorious big backing sound. Whilst the lyrics aren’t the richest on the album, Havok’s emotional vocal performance pulls the song into it’s own.
The album has a massive production and it’s easy to understand why this track and 17 Crimes were picked as early singles, not only are they’re catchy but they’re classic AFI. Track Wild on the other hand seems to channel Havok and Paget’s other side project, Blaqk Audio. It’s not full on electro, but it’s certainly got a Blaqk Audio feel with the driving drums and synths.
This album is a host of great track after great track all with a unique dash of AFI and that wonderfully dark poetically themed lyric by Havok, accompanied by the driving drums and riffs galore to make this yet another spectacular AFI record.
8/10
