AFI Decemberunderground
www.afireinside.net www.interscope.com

AFI have been through several musical changes to the untrained ear. This is not a rehash of any of the past 4 releases. Yes, there remains the dark, somber, and beautifully haunting undertone of the past, but this time it is the most refined sound yet to come from the Ukiah CA natives.

Even with the poppy single Miss Murder, do not let that alter your opinion of the ENTIRE record. If you took equal parts early Nine Inch Nails, older AFI (Black Sails to Sing the Sorrow era), throw in some VNV Nation, a dash of New Order, and a good pinch of The Cure, you may have a better idea of what is going on in this release.

The melodic hardcore roots are there, the gothic feel of the record is also there, but the use of subtle and even not so subtle electronic additions help flush out the instrumentation, while the vocals of front man Davey Havok resonate all through out.

Trying to sum up this record in one particular style simply does not do it justice, and it would be unfair to try to. If you want me to go on about one part or another, I wont, it isnt fair to the band, or the record itself. This record is simply beautiful in its own dark way, and holds back no punches. Melodically, this is the most mature record from AFI to date, and I absolutely cannot wait to see what else they have in store for us in the future. Do yourself a favor, ignore the hype, and see what this is all about.

9/10