Review Summary: Black Sails marks a big step in these musician's careers. It shows the darker side of punk.
All I hear people talk about when they talk about BSITS, they are saying how amazing the album is. I am doing this review in support of this album, and what it did for the group. This album I believe affected AFI's music more than any album. After years of hardcore punk, AFI descends into a more dark realm than anytime before.
Track 1 : Strength Through Wounding
Rating 4/5
This is a classic of AFI fans. You can hear them crying the lyrics to this short intro before every AFI concert.
Track 2 : Porphyria Cutanea Tarda
Rating 4/5
I don't know what the title means, but it sounds good. So does the song itself. Mixing Punk and the Darkness they add implented into the music, this is when I fell in love with the band truly.
Track 3 : Exsanguination
Rating 4/5
This starts off a slow bass line, and eventually grows into another dark song, with a definitive chorus.
Track 4 : Malleus Maleficarum
Rating 5/5
Jade's first song written as a member of AFI. And it was a **** good one too. With one of the most touching AFI lyrics I have heard in the beginning. It all starts with the drums hitting on the cymbals, with Jade's held out riff. The chorus hooks one almost immediately. One of the best songs on the CD definetely.
Track 5 : Narrative of Soul Against Soul
Rating 5/5
Fast Paced, Hard Headed, Gothic, and Awesome. Just a few things that describe what I just call "SoulSoul".
Track 6 : Clove Smoke Catharsis
Rating 3.5/5
Unlike most songs, this starts slow and does so even into the chorus. This is probably the darkest tune on Black Sails, but it showed for the first time, they can write slow songs too. They proved that with a few songs on the CD.
Track 7 : The Prayer Position
Rating 4/5
This song is a lot like songs from their first three albums, except the chorus. Jade has a guitar that sounds like he wants to shoot someone. In a good way.
Track 8 : No Poetic Device
Rating 4/5
Another older sounding song, but again it still is different...bass solo leading to the final chorus was amazing. The vocals in the chorus are also really catchy and refined.
Track 9 : Weathered Tome
Rating 3.5/5
I like the chorus in this song. It's just a moderately sped battle cry, and then it gets fast again. Unfortunately, the song lacks more than just a few riffs.
Track 10 : The Last Kiss
Rating 4/5
Makes you want to jump into a mosh pit. Period. Best chorus on the CD. Fast paced.
Track 11 : At A Glance
Rating 3.5/5
Fast, but it lacks an AFI touch that makes songs so very special. If you like fast, you will like it. And then it gets slow for a while, which makes getting back into the fast mode a bit more fun. But...there is no fast part after that. kind of a letdown.
Track 12 : God Called in Sick Today
Rating 5/5
Best song on the CD. Best song name on the CD. AFI still plays this as one of their last songs at their live shows. That should tell you how good it is. It is quite slow, but it is a classic and is greatly appreciated as a top 5 AFI song of all time.
Another 12 minute song...that means extra track!
Track 12 1/2 : Midnight Sun
Rating 4/5
Not a bad extra hidden track, has a hooking chorus, with some cool guitars. The verses are spoken, which makes it a tad boring, but despite that, it's a cool extra melody for the fans.
AFI's first three albums were punk/hardcore. The fans were surprised to see the direction AFI chose to go in. Some jumped ship, while some heroically braved the “storm“. Most of us still stand tall and proud as AFI fans.
"Through Our Bleeding, We Are One."
Cheers
