Before our very eyes, AFI continues to put out releases that will merit the term “classic” ten years down the road. After unleashing the incredible ground breaking album “Black Sails in the Sunset,” in the spring of 1999, AFI transformed themselves from being merely a punk band, into one of the most dynamic and intriguing outfits to emerge from the East Bay scene in California. By taking on the most virtuous element of the Misfits demeanor, and crafting an intricate metal / hardcore edge, AFI topped it off with their signature vocal melodies and thus – one of the best albums in the past five years was spawned. What if I told you “The Art of Drowning” was better than “Black Sails in the Sunset?” Would you believe me? Could you believe me? To merely state that the new cd is better than the landmark prior one is no small feat. To be honest, I didn’t think AFI had it in them to recreate and improve upon the magic – but they did. And they did with a vengence. This is one serious fucker of an album. Few bands seem to feel comfortable with a certain style release after release. H20 is one, as is NOFX, and AFI should now join the ranks. Like “Black Sails…” the new album starts off with an instrumental divergence, culminating in a chaotic spasm of music, and then it’s straight AFI from there. The melody, the passion, the dark lyrics, the sing along choruses, and the thumping of a lifetime. Andy Ernst, knob turner extroadinaire really lets the bass and drums leap out at ya, creating a dizzying boom effect, continuously pounding away at your aural core. The vocals sound a little less Axl Rose this time around, and definitely more Davey Havoc. AFI has definitely gotten to the point where upon hearing them, they are instantly identifiable, which is a necessity if you want to make it in the music world. Adding to the novelty of AFI is the artwork, which is again finds itself to be an eerie, haunting drawing of tombs, similiar to the “All Hallows Eve” ep released in the fall of 1999. Although the artwork comes off a tad silly in my opinion, its a reminder that AFI wants to stand on its own feet in everything they do. After the whirlwind of fury seeps in, track 6 throws you a curve ball with a chorus that crawls into your mouth and tickles your uvula. “Of Greetings and Goodbyes,” is the first true warning sign that what you are listening to is something special. “The Days of the Phoenix,” and “Wester,” do the same thing, but ten times harder, and by the end of “Wester,” that thing in your mouth has ripped your uvula out. Yes, that song rocks that hard. On “Wester,” you are treated to multi-vocalists, a wicked breakdown, and a chorus that will no doubt have you screaming “Tonight!” as the song goes along – on the first listen no less. By the time the cd winds down to its close, you are left exhausted and used – as if the spirit of AFI took over your body and mind and slammed it against the side of a building a few times. As the promo cd puts it, a single from the album should “impact radio,” in September. We’ll i’m not quite sure what this means, and how heavy the radio promotion might be, but to be honest, i’m not ready to give this band to the mainstream world. Selfish? Hell yes. Too many bands have gone through the grinder and have been ruined for the simple reason that their audience grew beyond their means. I want this to remain in the underground, I want AFI to still play clubs, (even if they hold 1000 + people), and I most certainly don’t want boneheads corrupting something so pure and unrestrained. I want everyone to own this album, as there is no good reason why one should not obtain this pummelling piece of plastic, but I want the purchasers to “get it,” and I want this album to mean something to them. Some people attend religious ceremonies to restore their faith in whatever they wish. I put on “The Art of Drowning” to restore my faith in the power of punk and hardcore music. Outdoing what I thought couldn’t be outdone.

Nitro

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