It cannot be disputed that AFI has always redefined themselves with every new release. With that in mind, we want to know what you are hoping to find in AFI's next album. Feel free to be a realist or a dreamer. This discussion extends to any area of the creative process, from lyrics to music to atmosphere to art style and more. We look forward to seeing your ideas, and which ones turn into reality!
Friday, July 29, 2011
Weekend Discussion: What Do You Want From AFI's Next Album?
We've been in the depths of AFI dormancy for some months now, but we're not so far away from the first whispers of a new AFI album. As early as 2010, Jade had begun to write some music for the ninth studio album. There are recent rumors that the band has now begun the formal songwriting process, although we have not gotten any official updates.
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Music I can relate to.
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Mysterious fairytale Sing The Sorrow and DU type albums. I loved how with DU people started writing stories that went with the album.
i want another album with passion, i think Crash Love was great, but if it had more speed in the tempo i would have loved it even more, I love music with passion and a style that gets me hyped up. something afi has always done. im pretty much down for anything simelar to SYMAOYE or even AOD. but anything would be great.
ReplyDeleteJust more AFI being AFI-y.
ReplyDeleteI'll be honest. I love all of AFI's music, style, lyrics etc....but for the 9th studio album I think it would be pretty interesting to have some hyped up music with Davey's Screamo voice! :) Crash Love's album was pretty sweet & I love every single song in that album. I know I say my most favorite songs are "It was mine" and "Darling I want to destroy You" but the one I listen to the most is "Medicate" It's fast & almost relates to the older stuff! Also, in Cexcells the one song I think is very Interesting & would what in the 9th album is something similar to "Between Breaths" cause Davey's voice is more rough in that song which is why I listen to it so much! One of my favs. by the way ;) so ---> (FAST, SCREAMO, ROUGH) but since I'm a HUGE fan & I LOVE Davey's voice, I'll settle for anything! :D I can't wait and I'm so looking forward to it!!! XD
ReplyDeleteone more thing I didn't post is for "Davey Havok" to give us more of his "Oh's" ahhhh :) we gotta have his "Oh's" their so SEXY! ;)
ReplyDeletei think that the next album should be more sing the sorrow like. i loved that album and it's still my favorite:) though all their stuff is really AWESOME!!!
ReplyDeleteI'd like to hear something not so pop/rock. I don't mean punk or heavy rock. I'd like to see them going into atmospheric direction. I always catch them being very unique, but they cover it with typical AFI sound. I'd like to hear even more mature album than Crash Love. I think Interscope don't give them enough freedom. Best songs from CL was B-Sides. I really wish to see them in smaller record company, sounding more natural, not so huge, not kind of arena rock. Now I only wish them good look in creative process.
ReplyDeleteI just want Davey to scream (just a little would be great) with dark lyric as DU or STS ever had.
ReplyDeleteI love the song that has lyric and instrumental like 'It's was mine' and 'Okay I feel better now', 'beautiful thieve' also.
and the last... I don't want pop-rock music
something aggressive!!
ReplyDeletethat would be fantastic!!
something atmospheric like the joshua tree by U2. I think they might be headed that way, because if you listen to what has been released from BA these days, there is a stron sense of atmosphere. Now being off of Interscope...we may get a true follow-up to STS (not identical, but atmospheric).
ReplyDeleteThe arena rock works for AFI and they can do it very well, give them some atmosphere and the place will come alive more so than a rock concert. But keep in mind with regards to CL, the album was meant to be a straight guitar rock album, tey were trying something new for them.
Either way, we know that they will put out some quality work
i want something geniusly from them. i know they can do this, can surprise us. cause i tired of millions of bands that doing the same music.
ReplyDeleteagree with much that EdwinFaroe said. Interscope seems to be controlling them, lose some of the pop-rock sound and I'd also like to se a bit more straight forward songs. CL was kinda plane in my opinion, but still good (as always with AFI). I'd love to hear lyrics like the ones in STS and mix em with the sound from DU (and loads of new creative sounds)
ReplyDeleteI think I'd love however the album would sound, cuz you can't other than love AFI, but i'd be psyched about more melancholic lyrics.
The biggest thing I want for their 9th album is for it to exist! I am so excited to hear what they come up with next. The way that they push themselves to continually grow as artists is very inspiring to me, so I am always eager to see them reveal the next steps in that process.
ReplyDeleteIt would be nice to hear some new energy back in the music. I grew up with AFI being a band all about energy, but a lot of that is gone on the last two albums. Not that they're bad album, Crash Love was great. But a song like Beautiful Thieves which sounds great on the album falls flat in a live situation. Obviously, I'd love to hear speedier stuff like Death of Seasons or anything from Art of Drowning, but that seems like a pipe dream at this point.
ReplyDeleteI remember when they were doing one of the last tours for Decemberunderground and they started putting in stuff like Triple Zero, No Poetic Device and I think Despair Faction a few times. This got my hopes up that they were going to write a few new energetic / fast songs for the next album because they missed playing that stuff live, but I was mistaken (though Sacrelige is that way though the only Crash Love song never played live :( ).
A more realistic hope might be to hear some songs with the type of song structure that is in Despair Faction, Death of Seasons and Now the World. The structure were the first half is sort of the poppier, upbeat, fast stuff, but then it goes into an epic gang-vocally second half with perhaps a sweet solo.
A new band-centric intro would be nice to, like STW or MC. Maybe a concept album. That fake DU tracklist that leaked way back when always sounded so promising.
can i get less whiney vocals, please?!?!
ReplyDeleteseriously i would not listen to blaqk audio or crash love in the car or anywhere with my friends b/c it's too whiney and too feminine for our taste of rock... i wish the new album would be more black sails AFI but that will never be the case... my only wish for next album is 'less feminine'
I've stopped listening to AFI for the past year after being a huge for fan for several years.. it just got too whiney and feminine (no offence at all)... just not my liking... its kind of annoying to hear davey's voice going up or inflexing at the end of each lyrical phrase... I just got sick and tired of it and really concluded that it just reflects musical ignorance on AFI's part... I don't think that I'm the only one that feels this way, i'm just being brutally honest... I'm just going to wait for the next album (given up on Blaqk Audio) and hope that it's Black Sails or even STS type AFI, but i highly doubt it...
ReplyDeleteSomething a little less radio-rock. Crash Love is good but I'd still prefer something like STS. I wish they would do something a little dark and mysterious again like that.
ReplyDeleteOh, and most important: Let's make sure it's not mastered by Vlado Meller
ReplyDeleteI really loved Crash Love, especially the B-Sides or Bonus tracks. Looking at some of the demo's I can say that it needs to be better produced and mastered. The final version sounded too clean which contradicted the theme in many of the songs, at least in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteOther than that, I can't really think of anything. I was able to connect with the music, and I'm really excited for the new Blaqk Audio. Someone suggested that Davey should do Screamo, Davey has said he wants to get away from that because it's bad for his voice. I would however like to hear him do some yells or growls reminiscent of his older style, but more mature. From looking at his American Idiot performance and some light instances in Crash Love, I know he is capable of some awesome "growls" ( I don't know what else to call it). If anything though, I want to see songs that call for more powerful or energetic vocals. The lyrics were fantastic in Crash Love, and the music was great. Jade has really matured as an artist in the last 10 or so years, and the whole band has done well working together. Adam and Hunter really know how to take what Jade and Davey have done and give it that extra kick that exemplifies the theme or feeling behind it.
Matty P., no offence but Davey has always sounded like that to some degree. At least for the past four albums. I think you've just been listening long enough to notice all of those mannerisms. I've actually felt the same way when I get stuck following his pronunciations. It's more present in this last album for sure. He just sings that way, and it's very influenced by some old glam rock like David Bowie and Marc Bolan, and then there's Robert Smith (The Cure). There's an interview in 1996 when Davey actually described they're music as Hardcore Glam, so the influence isn't new by any means.
"its kind of annoying to hear davey's voice going up or inflexing at the end of each lyrical phrase..."
ReplyDeleteYes!! I'm so glad to hear someone else mention this. I don't know what this is technically called, but I find it incredibly annoying, and it's definitely a recent developement (since Crash Love, maybe Cex Cells). What really bothers me is when he does this with older songs when singing them live now. Totally ruins the songs for me.
So yeah, that's what I want in the next album - no more of that.
It would be awesome to hear them be more hard, bleeding heart, anguish ridden with a major dose of angst and a large glass torment to wash it down. You know!!?? Like Hot Topic pre new owners and Beiber. If they go back to Nitro and Dexter Holland they could get back to their roots and old sound. I love all that they've put out since leaving Nitro, I just think they'd be aloud more freedoms to explore how they want to rather than being told to "GET WITH THE PROGRAM" and "conform to the label or else."
ReplyDeleteOh one more thing. I couldnt agree more with everyone on the BA talk, but keep in mind that BA is an entirely different band. BA is electronica and AFI is a punk/rock band. For example: I love Stone Sour but I cant stand Slipknot. Why is this? THEY ARE TWO TOTALLY DIFFERENT BANDS!!!! Just because you like one does not mean you have to like the other. Just saying.
ReplyDeleteI think a more "raw" album would be awesome. Crash Love was a great mature album, but very polished. And I loved it...but when talking about what I hope they will do would be more reminiscent of The Art of Drowning and Sing the Sorrow. All albums are great but those are my top hopes to be slightly recreated. Davey's voice is perfectly fine the way it is, I find it more...dramatic. That's just me though. Cheers! <3
ReplyDelete"raw" is good... but what makes crash any more "mature" than previous albums? i would just say that Crash had a true epic feel but the whiney and feminine vocals really turned me off and obviously turned other fans off b/c the album sales and stuff didnt do very well... I hope AFI steers clear from Crash... I do not think that Davey's vocal style is going to change back to STS type or AOD or Black Sails type like a lot of us want... he's getting into the electronica scene which has a huge influence on his style and AFI's music as well.. my prediction is that future AFI works are just as if not more whiney and feminine as Crash or Blaqk(not my liking)... prove me wrong please AFI
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about it sounding whiney. I think it was just over emphasized by how the record was mastered. The demo's and the live versions feel so much more real, and the "whiney" parts, or how Davey emphasizes things sounds better. It's like they dulled down the vocals. It seems they tried to blend all of the parts together equally and it just toned down those elements that should have stood out. I remember them describing the album as very raw, just four guys playing together in a room. They kind of lost some of that quality somewhere in the post-production.
ReplyDeleteI don't really mind Davey sounding "feminine" though. I think he's always kind of sounded like that, and it's great when it's done right of course.
I've said it a million times that I'd love for AFI to experiment with challenging song structures, they've been boxed into a very formulaic way of song development and it'd be nice to see some artistic nuance going into arranging brilliant song seeds instead of falling into the trap of "okay, we did the verse, now let's do a arena, sing-a-long chorus!". Also, I'd like to see the band have some time to breathe and flex their musical prowess! Everything on Crash Love seemed hyper-condensed and there wasn't a moment where the guitar could take a slow break and offer some atmosphere to the song.
ReplyDeleteAlso, if they really want to grow as artists it's pretty hard to do anything too technical with a three-piece + a vocalist. It'd be pretty cool if Davey either learnt the keyboard or the guitar. Yes, it'd restrict him on the stage a bit, but honestly, it's about the music, not how many spins and feigned-falls to one knee Davey can fit in one performance (as much as I love him as a frontman, I'd rather the band tread some more difficult places musically!)
I feel AFI has come a long way. They always surprise us with all the hard work they have put into what they do best! The different music, the vocals, the lyrics, the style. Gee! even Davey's appearance! Change is always good for everyone (my opinion). I admire Davey for dedicating his whole life making music for us :) this is the perfect gift I have longed for a very long time. And now that I have them in my life, I wont let them go. It's really nice to look forward to something different coming from AFI :) XOXOXO *muuuahhh*
ReplyDeleteKeep in mind, Davey isn't the only member of the band. Adam was part of the original lineup and Hunter and Jade completely transformed AFI's sound when they joined. They all continue to evolve and change as a cohesive group.
ReplyDeleteI would really like to see AFI maybe write songs that may be more direct and spoken towards things they feel strongly about, for example like Sacrilege off of CL. I have enjoyed everything AFI has ever done and I think Davey is a very smart and talented artist. I liked how Crash love was written in a way that besides being what i feel is naturally AFI musically it had a message. I'd be happy with anything they do because they are all talented and are a real band. My favorite albums are STS and CL so somewhere between those two styles would be awesome I think. It would definitely be interesting to hear Davey voice some opinions through his music sacrilege style whatever his opinions may be. Cant wait to see what they come up with!!
ReplyDeleteI can't really think of anything I would want different in terms of their process and how they work off of each other. I expect them to come up with something different, and Jade and Davey are really the ones that direct that. Jade's guitar really sets the path or experience for us. He creates that central rhythm and makes variations that take us on a journey, he knows how to take us back and forth through the song and leave us satisfied at the end. Davey sings on top of that, and gives it greater meaning and depth. They really know how to read off of each other. Adam and Hunter then complement that; they drive us along, and keep us interested and locked into the flow and form of the guitar and vocal performance. They give the song heart and enhance our emotional experience. The fire that drives their process has never really left despite stylistic changes. Each album has it's own feel yet there are themes that run along all of them and tie them together. They're not afraid to try something new if it will help them better express those feelings and ideas. In my opinion, each album is just a new perspective of a much greater theme. The stylistic change is needed to create that new perspective, but the process, the underlining theme behind the whole band, will never change, because they have they're heart set in it.
ReplyDeletei would like hunter to have some lead vocals like he did in Transference
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Jason :) I say "All 4 guys Davey, Jade, Adam & Hunter complete the band" they wouldn't be AFI if it wasn't for all 4 of them ;)
ReplyDeleteIf you listen to all of their albums, you can hear the slow progression from Hardcore Punk to the Alternative Rock in Crash Love, but personally, I don't want them to keep evolving into a more mainstream band, but they should keep evolving. I'd like something emotional like Sing The Sorrow, but completely different to Sing The Sorrow. Something more Rock and less Post-Hardcore. But in terms of songs I'd like at least one raw emotional one (like This Time Imperfect for STS and Okay, I Feel Better Now for Crash Love), and a few of the End Transmission-type songs that made Crash Love great. I'd also like some more aggressive songs like Kill Caustic and Death of Seasons, and that was honestly the only thing Crash Love was lacking.
ReplyDeleteI'd like it to have a more of a Black Sails and Art of Drowning feel to it than anything else. Those albums we're just pure genius.
ReplyDeleteWould love anything AOD/STS era sounding. In all honesty, they should have changed the name of the band after STS. DU and CL are just way too different (even taking 'evolution' in to account) to be considered worthy of the name AFI. They would 'win me back' so to speak, if they would de-volve back to AOD/STS.
ReplyDeletewell b362 you must not have taken enough of the evolution in the individuals into account. think about it for a minute. how many bands do you know of that havent changed? its only right that we let them grow as men not just as a band. that would be unfair not only to them but to ourselves if we block our capabilities of growing as people. as much as i love those albums i also know they will never be those people again so why try and make them stay in that mindset? far be it for me to say that any ONE person should be any certain way. and im not picking on you im saying this in general. if you can "grow up" who to say they havent? just a little food for thought.
ReplyDeleteJanscutter, (this is 'b362' not sure why it shows up like that) I appreciate your respectful argument. I do agree to some extent that personal growth of the artist can and will influence that individuals output. However, I look at bands like GreenDay, Dropkick Murphys, Rancid that have evolved as both people and artists and their musical style has changed. Those bands though, to me, seem to be what I would call a 'natural evolution' in sound. Where as, the change for AFI from STS to DU to CL (most notably from STS to DU) seemed, to me, to not be growth, but rather a purposeful change to be more appealing to a more mainstream audience veiled as a 'natural' change. Now, I'm not saying that they don't have a right as a band to experiment and make money and be famous, etc., but to me as a consumer of that bands output - that 'change' was very offputting to me.
ReplyDeleteWhat the hell man, did AFI break up today?
ReplyDeleteNo they did not.
ReplyDeleteNew album, should be more Industrial Style Music, or just go back to the style of black sails / art of drowning / shut your mouth and open your eyes... Afi needs to have more aggression in there music again !!!! but what do I know I'm 30 years old and most of there fans are 15 years old... R.I.P. Afi
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