Silver Bleeds the Black Sun…
AFI have moved the furniture around again. Silver Bleeds the Black Sun… puts their goth and post-punk influences directly in front, with Davey Havok using a deeper, more theatrical voice over ringing guitars and firm, danceable rhythms. The band sound comfortable in this setting. They also sound fairly determined to stay there.
The Bird of Prey establishes the mood through acoustic guitar and a large, echoing vocal. It is an unusual way into an AFI record if you are mainly familiar with their faster songs, but the atmosphere is convincing. Havok can make the smallest phrase sound like part of a much larger drama.
Behind the Clock is the strongest example of the new approach. Jade Puget's guitar gives it a firm shape, while the drums keep the tension moving. The song has enough physical weight to support the vocal performance. It doesn't rely on atmosphere alone.
Holy Visions brings a more obvious dance rhythm and a memorable guitar part. That combination suits the band, giving the darkness a little movement rather than making every song feel heavy in the same way. Blasphemy & Excess also uses its quieter spaces well. The acoustic detail matters, and the music feels more interesting when it leaves something open around the voice.
The main limitation is how often similar ideas return. Some of the rhythmic patterns and guitar progressions are close enough that individual songs lose their outlines. Ash Speck in a Green Eye and Voidward, I Bend Back have appealing moments, but don't separate themselves as clearly as Behind the Clock does.
Still, Havok gives the record a strong centre, and Puget is very good at finding a guitar sound that supports him. The closing NOONEUNDERGROUND adds a welcome flash of the band's more urgent side without undoing the mood built before it.
This is a convincing direction for AFI, even if the songs don't all make equally good use of it. The best moments have real character. A little more difference between the tracks would turn an interesting album into a stronger complete one.
