A.F.I. - Sing the Sorrow
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Free Music Notes for Sing the Sorrow
Free Music Review: One of my top 5 cds ever
Hit: 5 Stars
My AFI knowledge before this cd was limited to a few songs such as Days Of The Phoenix, Total Immortal, Wester, and Dream Of Waking which are all great songs. But this album blew me away because it was so unique and every song kicks my a**. Every track is done masterfully from the lyrics and Davies voice, the ravaging guitar riffs, and the pounding drums. Through and through a solid cd no song sounds the same and each brings its own knockout punch. Easily one of my favorite cds, and one of few I can listen to start to finish without skipping a song.
Miseria Cantare (The Beginning) 8/10 Powerfull opening track sets the mood, builds and climaxes to all out chanting.
The Leaving Song Pt. 2 10/10 Davey's yelling and Jades guitar rules on this song especially during the chorus and the bridge.
Bleed Black 10/10 My second favorite track, stunning song all the way through.
Silver and Cold 10/10 Builds slowly at the beginning to a melodic and amazing chorus, one of the more widely recognized songs from the cd.
Dancing Through Sunday 9/10 Reminiscent of the AFI of old, a solid hi tempto song with a ripping guitar solo from Jade.
Girl's Not Grey 10/10 Their first single from the album easily distinguishable as a radio song with catchy lyrics and guitar riffs.
Death of Season 9/10 Fast paced loud in your face track, with a very soft melodic ending.
The Great Disappointment 10/10 A slow but great intro until about 1.5 minutes in then it kicks it up a notch. Lyrically amazing, (While I waited I was wasting away) one of the most overlooked songs on the cd.
Paper Airplanes (Makeshift Wings) 10/10 Easily another stand out song which transitions in flow so well. A fast paced a**-kicker.
The Celluloid Dream 10/10 In my opinion the best song on the album, the intense guitar riffs make the song exceptionally elite.
The Leaving Song 10/10 Who knew there would be a ballad! And that it would be so good, davey and the gang shows depth musically by pulling this off, emotionally a great softer song.
...But Home Is Nowhere 10/10 An amazing way to finish before the bonus tracks they end it on a high note, chanting and ripping on the guitar, definitely AFI at its best.
This Time Imperfect 9/10 Meaningfull and emotional track.
Synesthesia 10/10 Vintage AFI, unmistable quick paced pounding drums, vocals, and guitar.
My first impression of Decemberunderground is that it falls short compared Sing The Sorrow, not because DU is bad, but rather that STS is that good. Many longtime fans appear to immediately dismiss this album and go as far to say they sold out with a major record label, but it is clearly a sign of evolution and a step in the right direction.
Free Music Review: AFI's Most Mature work to date
Hit: 5 Stars
AFI always has been one of the most sophisticated, if not THE most sophisticated band on the punk/hard core scene. One of the most exciting things about the band is the fact that every album is extremely different from the last. I think of Black Sails as seeing things from in the distance, "and in the distance there's a gathering, that no longer seems so far away". In this CLASSIC album, the band hasnt quite succomed to darkness yet. In the equally wonderful Art of Drowning, the band is IN the darkness. The imagery of the lyrics are exquisite and haunting, and theyre melodic lines got more complex. Obviously before Black Sails, AFI was incredibly different. I personally do not like their Pre-A Fire Inside e.p. stuff at all. In conclusion, the band obviously progresses much....NOW we are in Davey's nightmare. Sing the Sorrow does more than tell of the groups' existance in darkness, it tells of the personal struggle, and of the emotion related to it. The lyrics have only gotten more beautiful, as they are now some of the best I have ever hear (an enormous reason why AFI is my favorite band on the planet) Also, the musical aspect has gotten significantly better. Davey has begun to really explore the beauty of his voice. He screams, as he does wonderfully, yet not as much as before. This is more personal. You can hear Davey's heart being poured into every word he utters. His voice is GORGEOUS. He is just talented, as is Jade (who has his moment to shine in a guitar solo in "dancing through sunday") and Adam, and Hunter. Being as this group is so much more talented than any other group of musicians you're likely to see nowadays, it is difficult to believe that when they began, they could not play instruments at all. Incredible band. A Fire Inside will ALWAYS have a special place in my cd collection, and in my life.
This is one of the few albums in my expansive collection of which I listen to EVERY BLESSED SONG. I love them all. Most albums have highlights, then fillers. Not this one. Theyre all fantastic (with the possible exception of Girl's Not Grey, which gets annoying after constant overplaying)
My ranking of each of the songs on the album, from greatest to least, is below:
1. Death of Seasons
2. ...but home is nowhere
3. Miseria Cantare
4. this time imperfect
5. This Celluloid Dream
6. Silver and Cold
7. Miseria Cantare
8. The Leaving Song
9. The Leaving Song, Pt. II
10. The Great Disappointment
11. Dancing through Sunday
12. Girl's Not Grey
13. Paper Airplanes (makeshift wings)
Now that list means little....ALL of the tracks are fantastic.
Buy this album. be amazed, then go out and buy other AFI albums.
They are, no doubt, some of the best, if not THE best musicians you're ever likely to hear.
Free Music Review: Easily one of their best
Hit: 5 Stars
It's funny reading so called AFI fans saying oh they sold out and what not. A million dollars says that if this album was on Nitro records you all would love it or if Answer that was on a major you would hate it. Since when does being on a major label mean your a sell-out? I guess all you knowledgeable people would know that every Sex Pistols, Clash, Ramones, X, Stooges album was on a major label as well as many other influental punk bands. Yes the sound is different on this album but every AFI album except for the first two sounds different from the previous. People are saying, oh Davey is fake and pretending to be goth and what not now. Their last few records were very dark records especially The Art Of Drowning, which is hailed as their best. Davey's lyrics have always been poetic and dark. Davey grew up listening to goth music like Sisters Of Mercy and Bahaus and it's not like his dark image or the bands dark image is new. They've had it for years. Is thw album overproduced? No because Nitro doesn't have as much money as their major label does to make it sound as crisp and clear. If you were a fan of this band before and ditched them once they got big that makes you the sell-out, not them. They never elected to be all over mtv. It wasn't like they set out to do so. They had the blessing from Nitro to leave. Nitro records is owned by millionaire REAL sellout Dexter Holland of the Offspring who DID stab his label in the back so in reality they were working for a millionaire corporate .... anyways. Yes they are on MTV and yes kids are showing up to their shows that won't be devoted to them when something new comes along but it's nothing new. A true fan doesn't ditch their bands. AFI still plays small clubs for their fans and still are very down to earth guys and helping out the smaller bands. How on Earth does that make them a sellout? Sing The Sorrow hands down is one of 2003's best albums. It's a much much more mature album compaired to the childish almost pop punk sound and nature on their first two albums. Changing your sound isn't a form of selling out. Making the same record over and over and over is a form of selling out. AFI easily could've made the same record again as the last one but why would you want something you already own. There are already bands like SugarRay and The Offspring making the same songs over and over because that's what keeps their career alive. I'm willing to be the next AFI record will sound different from this one which might lead some tools who loved Sorrow to dub them sellouts. For all you little close minded elitists why not follow AFI's motto and Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes. This is an amazing record and if you dislike it NOFX keeps making the same exact record over and over again so you can go buy that.
Free Music Review: A Musical Masterpiece
Hit: 5 Stars
The first I ever heard of AFI was on the Madden 2004 (who would have "thunk" it) playlist, my initial thought was, "What the hell is this high-pitch yelping crap?". But soon I let the song (The Leaving Song pt.2) grow on me, and I was curious as to what the rest of the album had to offer; upon the first listening of the cd, I was hooked. The guitar arrangments, the use of rhythmic bass lines, the pounding of the drums, the vocal acrobatics of the lead singers voice with accompanied back-up vocals from the band, all contribute to an awesome album. Each song is masterfully recorded and the instruments morph from one set of chords and rhythms, to another, and then back. Some songs ('Dancing Through Sunday', "The Leaving Song Pt.2') contain high levels of energy that makes the casual laid-back fan of rock music want to get up and join a out-of-control mosh pit, others sample some techno-raver beats ('Death of Seasons'), while others ('The Great Disappointment', '..But Home is Nowhere', 'Miseria Cantare') have a melodic, brooding undertone.
Davey Havoc's voice, the lead singer, may take a song or two to get used to, especially if you're a person like me who listens to bands with more "harder voiced" lead singers (ie. Mudvayne, Godsmack, Disturbed, etc), but you seem to gain more appreciation song by song for his vocal talent because he's not afraid to take his vocal ability to it's limits. His voice is definitely punk, but not high and annoying like the crappy new-wave of poppy-punk bands (ie. New Found Glory, Starting Line), it seems to have a more menacing growl to it.
The lyrics are the most welcoming part of the album. Davey is clearly a masterful lyricist, and his words are on more of a matured, knowledgable level yet seem to wrapped in inegmatic meanings.
My only beef with the album, is that songs such as 'This Time Imperfect', 'Synthesia', 'Reiver's Music', and 'Now The World' are on either seperate re-releases or B-sides, thus forcing you to either hunt them down on MP3 sites (shame on me) or re-purchasing the album just for two new songs.
This CD is a must have for any music lover. The production value, the voice, the lyrics, the beautiful blend of instruments, all help to create, dare I say, a masterpiece. Older hardcore fans of AFI may be disappointed with this release, claiming they've sold-out. But the same argument could be said for a band like Metallica with the Black Album, which was at first ridiculed but then, upon it's release, became it's greatest album. This album clearly shows no signs of selling out, it shows the band is ready to take the step from 'in-garage' punk cover-band to a world-class phenomenon.
Free Music Review: Beautiful and Full of Sorrow
Hit: 5 Stars
I think this is A.F.I's best album yet from the previous I've heard. Their lyrics were always great, but the music didn't fit as it was more punk. In Sing the Sorrow, however, everything is perfect and darker than ever. Very different from previous works. This is my favorite album out of all the other artists I like. It is so dark, melancholy, brooding, and sorrowful I don't know it is just amazing, really amazing. You may think I'm exaggerating, but this is really how I feel since it really pulls on my emotion strings.
First you need to listen to the album as a whole a few times and then replay to listen to the background touches that will really wash beauty over you, then replay listening to the whole part and the little touches altogether.
It is amazing to hear the music that isn't payed attention to, but makes the song as great as it is and as cryptic as the lyrics.
Everything was perfectly combined in the songs. Sing the Sorrow really is a perfect title... everything was perfect. Perfect, perfect, perfect. I don't know how else to say it, really.
Favorite Tracks:
Miseria Cantare- The Beginning
This is such a primal kind of song. Dark and the title fits. To Sing Misery or the Misery Song.
The Leaving Song, Part 2
Awsome song with power and pain. An untouchable feeling.
Dancing Through Sunday
Less dark and depressing than the other songs. I suppose that is due to the guitar and the singing. It is wild in a way. It still maintains misery within the song with the help of the lyrics.
Girl's Not Grey
The song that started it all, the first single. A song of loss of faith and sorrow is what I get from this. And a cry for mercy sort of.
Death of Seasons
Awsome song. A feeling of pitch blackness and loathing. I love the little electronic bit in the middle of the song. It was a great touch.
The Great Disapointment
Just what it says, a disappointment. Not the song, but the feeling it gives. Like a loss of hope with loneliness and eternity.
The Leaving Song
Pity and darkness. A feel of being misunderstood which is obvious why with the lyrics. I love this song.
...But Home Is Nowhere
With the story inbetween the two song parts, it is just so tragic and beautiful. Apocalyptic too. I just absolutely love it and have to blast the speaking part. Very beautiful with sorrow.
I recommend this to anyone who needs something dark yet beautiful. This is a must have.