AFI is not the band that you remember from their hardcore punk days. If “Bodies” is your first introduction to their current body of work, you’ll be sour fast. This record is nothing like the fast paced, frenetic punk rockers that broke the mold previously. What you are left with now is a more brooding, The Cure meets Adam Ant meets Misfits with a little polish. The themes are ever there, loss, life, love, death, and the likes, but you’ll find the music to be a little less hardcore than previous releases.

That is not to say that “Bodies” is a bad record. On the contrary, it’s an eclectic record that mixes rock, and much more. This is especially heard on tracks with heavy synth elements to them, like “Escape From Los Angeles”, and bass lines that come through nicely like that of “Dulceria”, and “Begging For Trouble”. There’s not a lot of screaming, there’s not a lot of gusto on this record, but it’s not bad by any means.

AFI manages to bring about a record that totally bridges the gap between their previous recordings, and gives them an interesting mix of sounds. It’s not hardcore, it’s not too heavy, it’s as though the Cure had a brother that got into keyboards. That’s about as best as I can describe the music. It’s not quite punk, it’s not quite alternative, it’s not goth, it’s just AFI. It has some great notes, catchy rhythms, and well, it works. “Bodies” works on a level that I didn’t think it would, and has me hooked. It’ll catch you off guard, and will no doubt be a record you spin many times over.

A Note on The “Bodies” Tour

I was fortunate enough to catch the band on their “Bodies” tour, and they really put on a show. They started with “Girl’s Not Grey”, and played a bunch of tracks from this record, as well as their previous offerings, and even an encore performance of “Total Immortal”. This is an emotional record with a focus on rock, and even a little opera thrown in for good measure. The guys in AFI really put on a show with “Bodies” on tour, and throughout this record, which features some stand out tracks and a nice send up to darker bands overall.

Overall Thoughts

AFI shines through this record. It has a mix of emotions, catharsis, and musical endeavor. I like the mix, it’s solid, and features the best of modern AFI music. “Bodies” may not appeal to old school fans of the band, but noting the “Bodies” tour, that doesn’t seem to be a problem, as their fan base is really big overall.

Buy “Bodies” by AFI

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