Review Summary: Firstly, this is not another one of those extremely biased reviews of a hardcore fanatic. These guys really had produced a classic.
AFI, acronym for AFireInside, is going to be as mainstream as you can get. This album, considered THE transition to a more epic-sounding AFI, is brilliant. Despite the many negative remarks on moving to a major label, if you just listen, there is a great quality to these tracks.
truth be told, this album has led to the rise of many "emo" bands, as you would like to call it, & now the over-populated "emo" genre is ruled by the painfully ubiquitous MCR. which is not a bad thing, to many. If AFI hadn't left the scene, it would still be their limelight. Anyway, it is not what i'm gonna here. I'm here to celebrate an album that could possibly define the decade.
Miseria Cantare (latin, i think for sing the sorrow) kicks off the album. This track boasts a more grandeur feel compared to past intros with background chants lining the beats. Though im not a fan of this track, it is definitely quite an intro & fills you in with suspense awaiting the coming tracks. The Leaving Song Pt. 2 starts off with a guitar riff of some sort and then sends you into a facade of melodic & interesting verses. I might have overplayed it at some point because I'm not feeling this track that much.
Bleed Black imposes a very melodic sound and i believe has a huge magnetic hook to it. lead singer Davey Havok's lyrical talents are put to good use here as the words are not there only to rhyme with each other but extremely beautiful metaphors are used in this track. From Mr Havok's infamous 'Oh' in the beginning to the very last lines of this song, i enjoyed every bit of it. This track gets my 5 stars. Then, just when you think the great has come to pass, another masterpiece comes on. Davey's vocals are the best in Silver and Cold, in this album. His vocals impose an incredible matter of importance and just invites the listener to come along with him and to feel what he's feeling too. As he sings the chorus, it is just so beautiful. No words can describe it. "Dancing Through Sunday' kicks off really fast, and is a song that's most commonly referred to as a kick back to they're older legion of fans. Despite so, it is also enjoyed by the newer ones, as it has a hook to it that can compete with the villian in I Know what you did last summer. (That is totally intentional if you would understand.) and the whole 2 minutes of it are extremely anthem-ic & makes you thank God for their earlier influences.
AH, then comes the unmistakable first single. Girl's Not Grey should be hailed the single most undeniable track that would leave you wondering what you're singing to but you wouldnt care coz it's good. Many are left scratching their heads in wonder, as to what the song really means but the band refuses to tell its actual meaning. It has received a considerable amount of play both on air and in your heads. That's how great it is. People say it's so pop-ish while some dismiss it as a total pretentious track that WANTS to be goth. I say, why the mundane comments? G'sNG is a track I never get tired of. It's not a bad thing.
Death of Seasons is THE track that had me confused, as I thought that Davey had abandoned his throaty screams for a more elegant-sounding him. But this is a good song, i love how it's put together and Jade's undeniable choreograph is present here. Not really digging the ending, though. The Great Disappointment is more mellow and very under rated. The bass lines here are probably not as apparent in other tracks, but you get what i mean. More often than not, davey's girlish voice are perceived as annoying. I disagree, her voice fits into this next song perfectly. Paper Airplanes (Makeshift Wings) sees Davey alternating his girlish wails between the deeper part of his throat and of course the aforementioned 'Oh'. Everytime Davey uses his 'Oh', it sends good shivers down my spine.
Frankly, 'This Celluloid Dream' sounds like Paper Airplanes. Because they're put next to each other, I can't tell the difference between the two if you played the tracks at random. Probably, it's just me. 'The Leaving Song' is ultimately the most depressing in Sing the Sorrow. It has almost an acoustic sound to it, and the vocals are raw here.
I would say that Adam Carson's performance was highlighted in Girl's Not Grey but he gave a stellar performance too, in '...but home is nowhere'. The beats are given a back seat, if you would listen properly, but i would say it's energetic thanks to the drums. As always, i know. but i somehow felt the need to give it a lil credit. Nonetheless, it's a great song. but wait till you hear the hidden track.
This Time Imperfect is as moody as it sounds. & that's not a bad thing. I love the emotions in Davey's voice, at some point, sounding like he was on the verge of tears. With song titles like 'This time imperfect' you can't go wrong. It's so worth the wait coz the CD must first wind itself past an untitled spoken poem + piano keys or whatevr that was.
It is discussed in some forums that this album has a "circle effect" to it. Chronicling either the death of a man or dreams of suicide that one always has, i personally believe that this album supposedly starts with "Bleed Black", the third song in STS and then ends with track two. It tells a story, i guess, of a lifespan of a man. Thus, explains the breathing sounds first heard on Bleed Black AND how the leaving song pt. 2 is before the leaving song. It's a circle effect.
