AFI Talk

If You're Still Here

2010-02-13T08:53:00.000-08:00

I sort of let this blog die, if you have not noticed. I just got caught up with too many other things that it became overshadowed. I don't know if I will ever continue AFI Talk, but as of now it will remain stagnant until another AFI album comes upon us. In the meantime though, if you want to see what else I'm working on, head over to BrightBlackHeaven.com. It's pretty much the best Blaqk Audio fansite on the web (and one of the only), I'm not going to lie. We are news blog, a forum, a knowledge database, and more. I'll be seeing you over on the blaqk side of things!

AFI at KROQ's ACX

2009-11-18T18:13:00.000-08:00

AFI will be performing at KROQ's Almost Acoustic Christmas on Dec. 12 2009

AFI will perform on Day 1 along with:
Rise Against
Alice In Chains
Thirty Seconds to Mars
Three Days Grace
Anberlin
Dead By Sunrise

Day 2:
Muse
311
Slightly Stoopid
Phoenix
The Bravery
Metric
Vampire Weekend
Cage the Elephant
White Rabbits

For more info go HERE

2 More Songs Await for Us

2009-11-13T15:22:00.000-08:00

http://www.exploremusic.com/interview/2009-11-13/ExploreMusic-Interviews-AFI

"The View From Here" is the only unreleased song from the Decemberunderground sessions
"Dark Morning Conspirators" actually indeed does have a vocal track, despite Hunter's claim that the song was incomplete. Maybe it will get released on that fancy boxset set to be released soon (we hope)?

This means that since there are no other completed songs from the DU sessions "Suicide Romantic" and "Chair Kicking" were indeed changed song titles or possibly from the StS sessions (although this is unlikely). How do you think we will receive this songs, if we do at all? Do you also think there are still more unreleased songs we have yet to hear?

Status Report

2009-11-10T22:03:00.000-08:00

I know I am lacking with the updates, and I'm sorry. Been quite busy with my real life lately. But I just want you all to know for the time being, AFI Talk will have fewer new posts, but each one will be of higher quality as well (from me, at least). Thanks for all your support!

Likewise, the new part of my network Blaqk News will continue to be updated very readily, so have no worries there.

Blaqk News

2009-11-03T22:08:00.000-08:00

Jason of our affiliate AFI News HQ and I are ready to launch a new blog dedicated to providing you with up to date Blaqk Audio news as we await their new album. Feel free to check it out, I hope you like it :)

BlaqkNews.blogspot.com

Conclusion: Decemberunderground vs. Crash Love

2009-11-02T16:14:00.000-08:00

Back in August, I published a special report analyzing the future success of Crash Love and comparing it to that of Decemberunderground (read it here). You guys overwhelmingly thought Crash Love would far exceed it's predecessor, as seen in one of my old polls to the right. The actual result?

Sales
Decemberunderground pushed 182,000 albums in it's first week, Crash Love only 52,000. Decemberunderground sold more than 3 times Crash Love on opening, and even Sing The Sorrow exceeded the new album in sales.

Critical Reception
Crash Love scored at 75 while Decemberunderground came close with a 72. These scores are based on Metacritic, which takes the average score based on multiple reviews. While Crash Love scored slightly higher, the negative reviews were much more critical and harsh compared to those of Decemberunderground (see: RollingStone, Spin, Drowned In Sound).

Fan Reception
Taken from this thread on the OMB, fan reception for Crash Love has been generally more positive than it was from Decemberunderground. Complaints from their past album mainly focused on the overuse of electronic elements (something which I think adds so much to music), and the overall "emo" sound. Likewise, complaints from Crash Love focus on the poppy sound of the album and lack of traditional AFI elements (screaming, a solid opener and hidden song, etc). Most people enjoy the progression Crash Love brings, though.

Conclusion
While sporting a much more positive response from AFI's fanbase, Crash Love failed to live up to their past effort in sales and overall popularity; and that could be blamed from Interscope's lack of promotion for the album.

Your Opinion
How do you view Crash Love compared to their previous albums? Is it a step in the right direction, or are they taking a path you don't like? Will the weak sales hurt the band in the future, or will they not have much relevance? If so, should AFI move away from Interscope, which seems to be the main cause of their problems lately (lack of promotion, no video for Stiff Kittens/The Missing Frame, EP cancelled, etc)? What do you want to see AFI do in the future with their next release, and likewise what do you think will happen?

Vote Etch Love NOW!

2009-10-30T18:11:00.001-07:00

The ETCHLOVE winners etchs are now up on AFI's official website comment and rate that is how you vote.

MINE IS ON THERE!

Bright Black Heaven!!!

2009-10-29T13:15:00.000-07:00

Is to be the title of the new Blaqk Audio album, which Jade said in this interview is done!!!

I know it's not AFI technically but WOOT!
What do you think of the title? And about when do you think it'll come out? I know it'll be after tour, but how long do you guys think after?

Contest to win one of the Medicate Vinyls!!!

2009-10-26T23:05:00.000-07:00

On AFIVids there is a contest to win one of the Medicate 7"!!!! It ends on November 15 and it's open to US residents only. Check it out!!!!
Thanks Mark!

Best Opening Track?

2009-10-24T12:54:00.000-07:00

Throughout the last 5 albums, AFI has left one of their trademarks by starting each record with a short, haunting, and epic opening song. Let us know which one is your favorite by voting in the new poll. (Torch song isn't entirely a solid opening track, but it is included anyways)

Personally, this is so hard for me to choose between "Miseria Cantare", "Prelude 12/21", and "Strength Through Wounding", but I had to go with the track that begins Black Sails In The Sunset. Featuring probably the most famous AFI lyric of all time "through our bleeding we are one", "Strength Through Wounding" wins this one for me.

Previous poll results:
Favorite Crash Love Song: End Transmission
Least Favorite Crash Love Song: Too Shy to Scream (not final, you can still vote on the right)

AFITalk.com

2009-10-21T17:37:00.000-07:00

We've moved to a new, and much better .com domain, AFITalk.com.
AFITalk.blogspot.com will always redirect there - but I recommend you update your bookmarks to avoid having to wait the redirect time.

Thanks - And I just want to commend all those who have spent some of your time reading this blog over the last few months. You have allowed us to grow and expand, and I can't thank you enough for that :)

Dark Morning Conspirators: Confirmed B-Side, Partially Recorded

2009-10-20T20:28:00.000-07:00

Hunter answered my question from the video chat interview that took place at 7PM today, and finally confirmed that Dark Morning Conspirators is indeed an outtake from the Crash Love sessions. Although, he tells us it only was partially recorded, and is missing a vocal track. Do you still think we will receive this song in some fashion? I would hope so.... even without vocals I bet it is great.

But the mystery remains, why is this title etched into the Crash Love album artwork and why is it prominently placed above the band on the vinyl? Is there still some hidden significance to the title that we don't know, or is it nothing beyond a b-side? Let us know what you think.

Other unexplained things: Hidden words/phrases found on the iTunes LP - "Fascination", "Degradation", "Elation", "The Big Big Glamour".

Next AFI Music Video

2009-10-20T18:12:00.000-07:00

I don't know if this has already been noticed, but on Deadbolt's interview with Jade he says that they're choosing the song for their next music video from Crash Love.

"The Deadbolt: What are you guys planning on doing for the next video?

Puget: I don't know. We're in the process of deciding what the next song will

be, so..."

I read this review here. I got the link on AFI News Headquarters.

What song do you think they will choose? (I'm hoping it's End Transmission.)

If You Still Care: My Interview with one of the Hoax Mystery Creators

2009-10-17T23:05:00.000-07:00

This person, who contacted me and wanted to remain anonymous, is apparently best friends with those who started the infamous late AFI "Dark Morning Conspirators" mystery (read about it here). Below is my text message conversation I had with him.

Who were the creators? Why did they do it? Will they continue it or tell us what it was about?

"Honestly? The only reason they did it was out of boredom. We have a history of doing outrageous things for our own entertainment."

Were any of them Despair Faction members? I don't need names.

"No they aren't. We all knew the best way for this to spread was via the DF. You don't understand how well we researched this beforehand."

My other question - will you continue it or at least tell us what is was about or what you had planned?

"There is no intention of continuing now that it has been found a hoax. I do however believe it would have continued via on the spot ideas."

Lots of people really enjoyed it though and want some closure. It was fun while it lasted.
Are you guys even AFI fans?

(In response to my 2nd question) "Yes, very much so."

You should at least say something to all those who got IDs.

"What is the question? Sorry I'm drinking at the moment you got to be more specific."

Will you continue the mystery or at least say something to all those who go IDs? We all want you to.

"I will arrange something. We will figure something out. Keep on the look out ok?"

Ok thanks. Mind if I make a blog post about this?

"Of course, go for it. Keep my contact info quiet."

So there you have it. Thoughts? This "mystery" will go on.

AFI Contests

2009-10-16T14:45:00.000-07:00

So lately, there have been plenty of AFI contests giving you chances to win things from signed albums, tour tickets, shopping money, and meets and greets. In the newest contest, "Etch Love", you are supposed to make the best artwork possible using the Etch Love portion of the iTunes Crash Love LP.

(more details here)

But my question is, have you ever won an AFI related contest? What was the contest for? How did you feel when you won? If not, which is the most memorable contest you've entered?

Also, on a broader note, have any of you met the band themselves (for most of us it only happens in dreams)? What was the first thing you said to them, and how did it feel being in their presence? Honestly, if I ever get that opportunity, I would probably just lose the ability to speak and blurt out nonsense.

The closest time I've come to meeting them was at my only concert in Tucson, AZ. My cousin got stepped on badly from some idiot in the mosh, and her ankle was badly twisted. So, the guards took her backstage, where she got to ice her ankle, and me and everyone else in our group were allowed to follow. And what did you know, we all got to meet and chat with the members of the next opening at, The Dear and Departed. But I honestly didn't care, because fucking AFI was like 20 feet from me! I didn't get to say anything to them (although I kept looking at Davey and I think I scared him a bit haha), but that night is one of my best memories.

AFI "Mystery" Confirmed a Hoax

2009-10-15T18:12:00.000-07:00

This comes from the Despair Faction administrator Gavin, who finally put this supposed mystery to rest.

"Nothing in this thread has been done at the behest of the band, the DF, band management, or record label"

So there you have it. Quite a disappointing end to this long planned mystery. But we still have questions.

Why would someone go to great lengths to do this? I honestly don't understand the mindset of people.
Did you ever believe it was real? I know I did.

For those who have no idea what I'm talking about, read up here.

UPDATE: Shasa has posted a very nice video documenting the entire day. I really recommend you give it a watch.

Download AFI's Cover of "Ziggy Stardust"

2009-10-15T16:45:00.000-07:00

This was DF Exclusive for about 2 hours, then it was posted on AFI's facebook and twitter page.

Listen here:
afireinside.net/ziggy.mp3

To download, right click the link & select "Save Target As" or "Download Linked File"

What do you think of the song? How does it rank with the other covers AFI has put out?

AFI Talk Official Twitter Account

2009-10-15T12:01:00.000-07:00

Our Twitter account is now back up and running, and better than ever!

Unlike this main blog, we will be using the new account to post only news.
The account will be shared by all of our writers, in order to ensure a competitive source for your AFI related news updates.

Just follow AFITalk and get news instantly wherever you go!
You can also view all recent news tweets here on the widget to the right.

Pink Headbands? (Live Post)

2009-10-14T13:08:00.000-07:00

Today, at 4PM EST (now), a possible AFI mystery is telling us to meet them in a Starbucks in Rhode Island wearing pink headbands so they could join the "Conspirators". To read up on the mystery, head over to our affiliate's website here. This post will continually be updated as we learn more.

4:14: JillyQ on the OMB says that she met Veronica and was given instructions to meet Charles. We are awaiting more confirmation of this.

4:38: Shasa said that they have received codes, likely for this page. She is heading over to an Apple Store to input the code.

5:00: From Shasa:
"This is what has happened:
we went to starbucks, veronica was there. She told us to go to macys where charles was buying a tie. We went to macys and chrales was there. He gave us codes and when we plugged them in (yes, in the apple store) we were given a id card to print out. Some of us have printed it and now we're trying to figure out what's next. I'm taking mine to the concert. We also bugged charles but he literally will not say anything."

5:04: Veronica posted this on her Facebook: "Good work :) See you at the show. Bring your ID". This confirms Shasa's story. The IDs are for a meet-up after the show this evening.

10:16: Chilling Silence on the OMB posted a great summary of what actually went down today. Click here to read it.

10:26: The ID features the person's picture, as well as a Sing The Sorrow AFI logo, and "#xxx Dark Morning Conspirator". Chilling Silence, the person who posted this, for example is #003. We are still awaiting a picture of this ID.

11:28: Dani says that she and a couple others with IDs went to go and look for Veronica after the show, and weren't able to find her. They asked Adam, Smith, and Fritch about the IDs and the situation but none of them seemed to have known anything. I hope this doesn't mean this is fake afterall...

3:31: Mark posted this on the OMB, which is an even more detailed summary of the day. We also finally have a picture of the ID:

(face and name blocked for privacy)

FREE MEDICATE MUSIC VIDEO ON iTunes

2009-10-12T20:39:00.000-07:00

Ok so I went to my iTunes account and notice that I had 2.01$ money and I had found out that they refunded my money for the Medicate music video it has now become free go download it on itunes now.!Click HERE to download it now.

Taking a Trip

2009-10-11T09:55:00.000-07:00

I'll be away from 10/10 - 10/13, with limited internet access.
If you would like to contact me, just email me, but I'm putting Mike in charge for the time being.
Thanks.

BTW, you may not believe me, but my hotel room is #3337. I like almost screamed when I found out haha.

Too Shy To Scream live

2009-10-10T21:57:00.000-07:00

This is the first video I have seen of AFI playing Too Shy To Scream live at Clifton Park, NY the quality is bad but just watching it is amazing click HERE to watch.

VeronicaSawyer.com Updated

2009-10-09T21:03:00.000-07:00

Just recently the Veronica Sawyer Website uploaded the Medicate music video to their widget.

Least Favorite Crash Love Song?

2009-10-09T19:55:00.000-07:00

My past poll showed that the vast majority of you thought End Transmission is the best song on the album. But which song(s), if any, do you not like on Crash Love?

Personally, I always skip over Medicate, Cold Hands, and Darling, I Want to Destroy You.

Let your voice be heard in my new poll to the left, and let us know which song you dislike the most and why in the comments.

AFI Loves Beyonce

2009-10-07T18:07:00.001-07:00

Isn't it strange how perfectly this fits?
:P

Crash Love Debuts at #12 on the Charts

2009-10-06T19:02:00.000-07:00

AFI's latest effort only placed them at #12 on the charts, compared to Decemberunderground which debuted at #1. Paramore took top spot this time. It should be noted that DU had a lot of competition as well - it beat out numerous big artists including Beyonce. There seems to have been a huge lack in promotion for Crash Love, the first single only came out a month before it's release, and the video just was released days ago; and isn't even being shown on TV.

In one of my old polls (as you can see on the right), you guys thought Crash Love would be more successful than Decemberunderground; and there doesn't appear to be much hope for that to happen yet.

Do you still think Crash Love will be more successful than their past effort? Or will it continue to show lackluster sales?

Medicate Video Edit

2009-10-06T16:46:00.000-07:00

This was posted on AFI's official Youtube channel. The video does not have many differences, besides the gold accents being much brighter and more visible, and the higher quality of the video. Whatever they did, the video just looks 10 times as great now!

Click to download. I fixed some problems with the video in the download - I removed the first few seconds which just showed those weird squares, removed the black part at the end, and turned up the volume as it was really soft in the Youtube version. Enjoy!

The video was ripped by Mike

AFI Mystery? You Decide. (Live Post)

2009-10-04T20:54:00.000-07:00

I made a post about this earlier, which led me to believe this was all fake. Here is everything we know about this "mystery" so far, which will continue to be updated. Many thanks to TheVitalRed on the DF for the nice summary.

It all started with a fake VeronicaSawyer facebook. It was not the facebook page linked to VeronicaSawyer.com. On the page, it gave us a link: the-reapers.com

On that website, all we got was a picture:

The picture has words written backwards on it:
"Fear the reapers"
"Medicate"
"Scream"
"8/26/09 Took some medicine now I feel better"
and "charlesatlas@the-reapers.com"

Many people tried emailing the address, and no one got a response. Charles Atlas is the name to an old song off of Very Proud of Ya, and he is also a professional bodybuilder in real life who invented some new workout method.

2 new pages were found on the website, one which showed a list of movies, the other a personal forum (they are now taken down). This led many people to believe, including me, that this was fake - as it appeared someone was using their personal website to host a fake mystery.

A Charles Atlas facebook account was soon found, and he gave us this AIM name: catlas1221
Looking in the AIM account profile, we found this link: http://sourceforge.net/projects/phptoclib, which shows no significance yet.

IM'ing his AIM name will make him respond with this: "stove burns on my hands". These are lyrics to the Crystal Castles song - "Dating Engagement". Sending that info back to Charles will make him respond with this new link: http://www.the-reapers.com/maxwelledison/

Looking at the source code for that new page will make you find the name to the image - "abesttcerinoiw". Taking out the word ASCII, gives you just "betternow". This tells us to translate the numbers found in the source code using ASCII. Doing this gives you: 1|cold_as_a_razorblade|16, which is not a new part to the site. "Cold As A Razorblade" was a song by Pink Floyd, and when you IM Charles this, he replies with "You are on the right track, but the wrong time. Don't you remember when everything was hunky dory?"

The 1 and 16 from the translated message above refer to the time for a song, 1:16. At this time on the "Cold As A Razorblade" song, the words "you have grown colder" are sung. With this, we found the-reapers.com/youhavegrowncolder. On this new part of the site, we get an AIM conversation:

catlas1221: hey
catlas1221: are you there, veronica?
catlas1221: hello?
catlas1221: are you frightened?
veronicasawyerx3 is typing a message...

With this, we learn a new screenname, veronicasawyerx3. When you message Veronica "are you frightened?", she replies with this new link:
http://www.the-reapers.com/remember_/, which gives us another new AIM conversation.

veronicasawyerx3: the pink headband brigade is unstoppable! lmao
catlas1221: haha, breaking those things out again?
veronicasawyerx3: you know it.
veronicasawyerx3: =P
catlas1221: do you guys really have to wear those to EVERY show?
veronicasawyerx3: yes. it's what sets the Conspirators apart from those who don't know.
catlas1221: alright, lol, if you say so.
veronicasawyerx3: anyway, i'm meeting the new ones at the coffee place this time -- if we have any new ones, that is.
veronicasawyerx3: frappuccino before the show as usual?
catlas1221: sounds great =)
catlas1221: where?
veronicasawyerx3: our favorite.
catlas1221: oh, right, lol. next to City Burger?
veronicasawyerx3: yepp.
veronicasawyerx3: around 4. meet up after that?
catlas1221: of course
veronicasawyerx3: see you on the 14th. can't wait! =)

From this we learn that the "Conspirators" are some kind of group (even though Dark Morning Conspirators is now likely found out to be a song title). Veronica and Charles will be wearing pink headbands to AFI shows. They will be meeting for coffee at the Starbucks next to City Burger at around 4PM on the 14th, the day of AFI's show. In the past, with the Clandestine mystery, there were times where you had to meet people in real life, but with an unconfirmed possibly a hoax mystery, I'd advise you don't do that. Stranger danger!

Discuss what you think about this possible mystery so far, and whether or not you think it is real. This post will continually be updated as we learn more.

Download Medicate Music Video HQ

2009-10-03T10:25:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Mike, we now have a high quality download of AFI's latest music video, Medicate.

Click here to download

(File is over 50MB and is a .mp4 file which may require Quicktime to play)

Wake up, America, it's time to Medicate

2009-10-03T04:47:00.000-07:00

(Sorry about the title, I'm just glad to be half a day ahead of you.)

WATCH THE MUSIC VIDEO FOR "MEDICATE" HERE:
new.music.yahoo.com/videos/AFI--218592123

It may seem like an ordinary performance video at first, black and white (and gold) or not, but of course it gets a little more dramatic than that by the end.

Is your mind still unblown or was Theory right?

"Medicate" Video Likely To Release Soon

2009-10-02T16:02:00.000-07:00

Theory, AFI's webmaster, posted the following tweet:

"Good to hear I'm not alone. Just watched the new @AFI video, prepare to get your mind(s) blown."
about 3 hours ago from web
We can infer from this that we will too get to see the video soon. Theory most likely saw it because he is working on putting it up on AFI's website, as well as making any promotional graphics/art.Also, early today we learned a few things from Davey about the video.

“There’s no plotline, but there are concepts. Conceptually it’s going to be based on a lot of screens being in the studio with us, and we’ll be performing. Some of us will be on screens, some of us will be on different screens, and different symbolic images will appear on different screens, but I’m really looking forward to the visual look of it, which should be very stark and very clean.”

How do you feel about the first AFI video in a very long time to not feature a plot? Do you think the video will fall short of their past ones or be a refreshing change?

An AFI Mystery May Be Upon Us (Live Post)

2009-09-30T20:37:00.000-07:00

It all began with "Dark Morning Conspirators" which appeared on the Crash Love cover, as well as on the vinyl (click for pics). And now on the OMB, people are starting to find many possible leads, unknown websites, and strange emails that suggest we do indeed have another classic AFI mystery upon us.

Wednesday, 8:25 PM:
Here is a summary of everything we know so far. "Dark Morning Conspirators" is NOT the lyrics to any song on the album or any b-side. Googling the term brings up the classic poem "Julius Caesar". In the poem, a bunch of men conspire in the dark night/early morning on a plan to kill the tyrant Julius Caesar. Possibly in Crash Love, people are conspiring to kill someone ("I'll bring the gun").

On VeronicaSawyer.com, there is this strange link posted: www.the-reapers.com
The page shows this picture of Davey: http://www.the-reapers.com/better.png

This email address was found on the website: http://charlesatlas@the-reapers.com, along with "Fear the reapers"
Many people are emailing it, no response yet.

Charles Atlas is a song on Very Proud of Ya, and he is a bodybuilder and inventor of some new kind of workout method.

Lyrics to Charles Atlas:
"You revel in rebellious ways, rebellion that the media made.
When you change your channel, we'll smash your t.v.
Can't you even try to see the strength with which we've built ourselves to be."

These were also found on that mentioned picture:
"8/26/09 Took Medicine now I Feel better"
"Scream"
"Medicate"

9:35 PM:
A new part of the website was found: http://www.the-reapers.com/3
The site leads you to a forum, which is all private and requires registration and approval of your account to view the forum; nothing looks significant so far. Many people are starting to believe this is now fake, as it seems like the picture is posted on someone's personal site, and the link to the site was posted on a fake Veronica Sawyer facebook.

This has also now been found: http://www.the-reapers.com/v/
It contains videos and songs that aren't AFI related
At this point I am going to go ahead and call it fake. But those who remain hopeful, I wish you luck in finding anything legitimate!

Watch iTunes LP Exclusive Band Videos

2009-09-29T19:44:00.000-07:00

For those who can't afford to purchase the iTunes LP, thanks to Mike you can now watch all of the interviews on Youtube. Below is a link to each video.

Adam's Interview
Jade's Video
Davey's Interview
Davey's Video
Hunter's Interview
Hunter's Video

Nothing entirely new is revealed, but we learn a lot about AFI's past and about their early punk roots. And Hunter tries quite hard to be humorous :P

Discuss what you think about these videos. If I am missing something feel free to let me know in the comments.

Crash Love Release

2009-09-28T22:11:00.000-07:00

It is now 9/29 in half the country, and most of the world, so happy Crash Love day! The album is also now available for purchase through iTunes (I was the first to review it :P).

What are your plans for today? What editions of the album are you buying?

I'll be hitting up Best Buy after school, and hopefully they'll have deluxe editions. Also, feel free to share your opinions on the album if this is your first listen - I want to know what you think!

On an unrelated note, I'll be taking down most of the "Listen To Crash Love" section, but the b-side clips will always be there.

It's been a long wait, yet it seems like it has gone by so fast. I hope you enjoy AFI's 8th studio album as much as I have!

Your Theory: "Dark Morning Conspirators"

2009-09-28T16:29:00.000-07:00

AFI is known to send their fans into a world of mystery, and it seems like there is a new puzzle to solve with every album release.

A simple line is known to appear at least 2 times on/in the Crash Love CD/vinyl.
"Dark Morning Conspirators".

(Unknown what this picture is of, likely from the lyric booklet)

(Image of vinyl removed because of ownership issues)

We have no idea what it means. So far, everything scratched into the cover/artwork is just lyrics from certain songs - and "Dark Morning Conspirators" is not part of any of the Crash Love lyrics or from the lyrics of the 4 deluxe edition b-sides. It is possible that it could be from lyrics to "Breathing Towers To Heaven", or "Too Late For Gods", but seems unlikely as those b-sides are only obtainable from iTunes and not part of the main album. The phrase is even posted in a picture above the band, giving it even more significance beyond just a lyric excerpt.

What do you think it means? Is it just a lyric or something beyond that? Will it have some significance later on?

UPDATE: It has been confirmed to NOT be apart of the "Breathing Towers To Heaven" or "Too Late For Gods" lyrics.

Favorite Crash Love Song?

2009-09-27T16:53:00.000-07:00

Crash Love has sunk deep into most of our minds by now, so let's reflect on it.
Out of 12 great songs, it might be hard to come up with a favorite.

Let your voice be heard in my new poll to the left.
What song is your favorite and why? Which is your least favorite?

Picture of Crash Love Booklet

2009-09-24T17:26:00.000-07:00

"Dark Morning Conspirators"

Note: This is not part of any of the Crash Love lyrics or the lyrics for the b-sides in which we know of.

Complete Crash Love Lyrics

2009-09-24T07:44:00.000-07:00

We have the complete & official lyrics to every song of Crash Love. Hope you like :)

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD
(Click for HTML version)

Clips of 3 Outtakes

2009-09-23T19:53:00.000-07:00

I have received 3 new previews of "Where We Used To Play", "We've Got The Knife", and "100 Words".
I am not sure if these are the same previews we got from Amazon, as Amazon has taken down all the clips.
Regardless, enjoy!

Listen to: "We've Got The Knife"
Listen to: "Where We Used To Play"
Listen to: "100 Words"

Like them? Favorite and least favorite based off of these clips?

AFI Talk Reviews Crash Love

2009-09-22T20:56:00.000-07:00

AFI's 8th studio album is easily their most anticipated yet. Going without new AFI for 3 years was hard for many, and the early information given about their next album, Crash Love, excited fans even more. The entire album will be streamed for the next 2 days on Myspace, and has been received with very mixed reviews. Here is our exclusive track by track review of Crash Love. Note: this review contains some lyric excerpts, spoiler beware.

Torch Song ★★★★
Torch Song is easily the darkest track on the record next to "It Was Mine". The song starts off with an erie beat that replicates what "Miseria Cantare" did, but only until Jade comes in with a memorable guitar riff. The verses showcase the best part of the song on Davey's part as he makes great use of his range. Although, the song is followed by generic choruses with awkward backing vocals, which lessens it's appeal slightly. Overall, Torch Song is haunting - yet still a great rock song, and makes for a perfect opener for the album.

Beautiful Thieves ★★★¾
Beautiful Thieves is one of the most unique songs on the album, and definitely shows the direction AFI is heading towards. It starts off with a pleasant guitar part, and leads into slower vocals. The highlight of the song is the buildup of the slower verses into the chorus, in which the choir ladies will come loud and clear into the song. The song's bridge is also quite nice, and features vocals that are scratched into the Crash Love cover - "Who would run from us?". Overall though, Beautiful Thieves seems too generic, resembling Medicate with the simplistic lyrics and lack of tone in the song. It would surely make a great single though.

End Transmission ★★★★★
This song is easily one of best on the album. It's one of those songs you either love or hate - because it's just so different for AFI. An obvious 80's like vibe is present through the entire song, and should keep you interested right from the beginning. The song features my favorite verses on the entire album. The softer vocals blend so well with the build-up to the final "We will never truly know who we are" which will lead into the chorus. The chorus clearly isn't the best part of the song - but everything else will make up for it. End Transmission is definitely worth your listen (and makes for amazing driving music by the way).

Too Shy To Scream ★★★★½
This Manson-like song is another one of those you will only really love or hate. The chorus is probably the poppiest for any AFI song to date, and yet it just seems so natural. Despite the upbeat nature of this song, the lyrics will tell a much different darker tale; which is typical for AFI. The clapping sets this song vastly apart from the rest, and adds great variety to the album. Too Shy To Scream demands repeated listens and is sure to become a single eventually.

Veronica Sawyer Smokes ★★★★
Veronica Sawyer Smokes is probably my favorite title on the album, and the song lives up to it's name (mostly). Davey wrote this song about his crush on Winona Ryder, and literally being crushed when he figured out she smoked (being straightedge). Although that sounds a little silly, and it is, you can't deny this song has it's bright spots. The chorus is one of the only on the record that aren't completely forgettable, and has already gotten stuck in my head. This interesting song will remind you of the Cure while at the same time let you know the band you have always loved is changing.

Okay, I Feel Better Now ★★★★
This song will really take you by surprise at some parts. The slower, generic verses will at first make you think differently about the song. The chorus is powerful and only builds up to the best part of the song, the bridge. Likely my favorite bridge on the album, it features some great lyrics that we received in the tweet campaign "Show your wounds I'm bored with mine", and excellent backing vocals. Despite the song's great parts, it does seem slightly forgettable, which is why it got 4 stars.

Medicate ★★¾
Honestly, first singles are never good, but Medicate is probably their worst one yet. There just isn't much going on in the song. Easily the worst lyrics on the album, almost the entire song is sung through Davey's monotone voice with little variety. There is one thing that holds this song up, and that's the bridge. Completely taking you by surprise, Medicate's bridge is - oddly enough - one of the best on the album, and reiterates why the album doesn't need screaming. The guitar solo at the end feels forced, as if they tried to make this song as epic as possible, but it only ended in something extremely generic that sticks out like a sore thumb on the album.

I Am Trying Very Hard To Be Here ★★★★½
Good thing an amazing song follows one of the worst. Being the song that the Begin Transmission winners sang on, you always knew it would be good. From the Youtube preview we knew this song had a powerful chorus, but it does seem toned down in the song; which is a disappointment. Still though, the chorus showcases one of Crash Love's many treasures. The verses aren't half bad either, and make for wonderful transitions. Such a catchy song is likely to appear on the radio some day, and I would love if as many people heard IATVHTBH as possible. This song will also be amazing live!

Sacrilege ★★★★¾
It's hard to not be biased to a song in which you relate and agree so much with it's message, but I'll try. Sacrilege does a lot for AFI fans - first we get fantastic lyrics, vocals which will bring you back to the pre-Art of Drowning days, a killer bridge, and even a guitar solo. What more can this song deliver? My personal favorite part is nearing the end of the verse when Davey changes his tone for "In the name of love". You just can't deny the great work done by all 4 members of the band in Sacrilege.

Darling, I Want To Destroy You ★★★½
The slowest song on the album doesn't live up to it's ballad predecessors. The slower verses will leave you unprepared for the repetitive choruses that make you sick of hearing the song title in the song. The song isn't all bad though. The bridge is very straightforward and will leave you vulnerable as Davey conveys his message. If you don't like it at first, it will get better with repeated listens.

Cold Hands ★★★¼
Cold Hands fails to stand out among the other tracks on the album. It features guitar that feels like it belongs on a metal album, and a very forgettable chorus; in which it's cliche lyric can kind of get annoying - "cut the love song". The verses aren't all bad though, just different; they will change from a higher tone to a lower one with the guitar backing it up, making for a unique sound. The rest of the song is followed by an average bridge then back to the boring chorus. Overall, Cold Hands just seems like a filler to me.

It Was Mine ★★★★
The closer track resembles it's opener, in which a song with much potential tends to fail at some parts. With Blaqk Audio tinged vocals, It Was Mine makes the celebrity culture message clear, "they've been recording all we say". I personally think this song has a great chorus, and the backing vocals actually helped it out. The most interesting part of the song is it's bridge, which shows much potential until the cheesy choir ladies come in. Unlike Beautiful Thieves, they just seem out of place here, and unnecessary - leaving the listener in kind of an awkward position upon first listen. The song repeats it's title often in the song, but it feels natural and not forced like "Darling,...". It Was Mine is a beautiful song, but failed to reach it's complete potential (I would of preferred End Transmission as a closer). The song deserves more than one listen.

FINAL VERDICT: ★★★★
Crash Love might possibly be AFI's largest progression to date. It will certainly divide it's fans just like with every release AFI puts out. The thing I love about AFI is that they seem to like putting out a test for it's fanbase with every album - in which only their true fans will continue to follow, and those who expect AFI to grow with them rather than grow with AFI, will complain and whine. Crash Love has more of an upbeat tone, but don't let that you dismiss it's darker message. I feel half of the album is amazing, and the other half is just average - where the amazing songs this album delivers are so good, that it holds the album up. If I had to compare AFI's last 3 albums, Crash Love would be tied right with Decemeberunderground, both following Sing The Sorrow. Like Decemberunderground, Crash Love is an album that demands repeated listens, and for you to adapt to it's change to truly appreciate it's hidden beauty. In the end, don't base your opinion on change, rather listen to each song individually and try to understand what a potential work of art sounds like.

Crash Love Premier on Myspace

2009-09-21T20:52:00.000-07:00

A little earlier than expected, AFI has put their whole new album up for stream on Myspace.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

I hope you enjoy it :)
A full review of the album will be up once I get a chance to listen. Full lyrics will be posted soon.
But for now, what do you think of Crash Love? Did it exceed or fail to meet your expectations? What is your favorite and least favorite song?

For those looking for a download, head over to Leak Spot. I'll have it up tonight.

Reminder: Crash Love Premier Tomorrow

2009-09-21T16:14:00.000-07:00

Crash Love will premier tomorrow, 9/22, on AFI's Myspace page and will remain up for 2 days only. The album will also be released in Japan around this time. You can expect full coverage from us as well as reviews tomorrow. Leaks can be found on Leak Spot (read the disclaimer).

Exclusive: New Clips of Every Song

2009-09-19T21:25:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Tomas, who was able to hack into the VeronicaSawyer widget, we have more new clips of every song. 4 of these clips are to be put up on the widget on the 21st, and the other 4 will be put up on the 28th. Below are links to every song clip:

TO BE RELEASED ON MONDAY SEPTEMBER 21
Beautiful Thieves
Okay I Feel Better Now
Sacrilege
Cold Hands

TO BE RELEASED ON MONDAY SEPTEMBER 28
End Transmission
Darling I Want To Destroy You
Veronica Sawyer Smokes
I Am Trying Very Hard To Be Here

Wow, these are great! "OK, I Feel Better Now" has great verses - "Sacrilege" could of came straight off of The Art of Drowning - "Cold Hands" sounds like it belongs on a metal album - "Veronica Sawyer Smokes" is now is my new favorite song - "I Am Trying Very Hard To Be Here" just keeps getting more amazing.

What do you think of these new clips?

New Previews and Clips of Outtakes

2009-09-18T17:53:00.000-07:00

Hear "We've Got the Knife", "Where We Used to Play", and "100 Words" on Amazon - here. (taken down - you can listen to previews of these songs in my "Listen to Crash Love" section)

Hear "We've Got the Knife", "Where We Used to Play", "100 Words", "Too Late for Gods", and "Breathing Towers to Heaven" on iTunes UK - To access iTunes UK, go to the iTunes Store, find the flag symbol on the bottom right, and change it to UK. Then just search Crash Love and listen to the previews.

Hear 1-minute long, high quality clips of every song on the basic album - here. The rest you can currently find on VeronicaSawyer's widget - here.

What do you think of these new clips and previews of the b-sides?

AFI Talk Content Poll

2009-09-17T22:22:00.000-07:00

I would greatly appreciate it if I could get as many people as possible to answer these questions. I am thinking about making a lot of major decisions regarding the blog, so your input will decide whether or not I go through with my plans.

The Layout

Does the layout work for you? See this post. (If it doesn't work, please tell me what browser and operating system you are using)
Do you prefer this layout or the old one? (Click here to see what the old layout looked like)
Do you like the banner? If not, why not? Do you have any suggestions for a new banner?

The Content

What type of posts do you enjoy the most? Which ones don't you like (if any)?
The "Listen to Crash Love" section - do the clips work normally for you (Ex- they don't start playing randomly, and a little player shows up below each title)?
Have you ever read any of the posts in The Mini Blog?

Other Questions

How did you find AFI Talk? (Ex- Google, a friend, saw a link somewhere)
Please post your opinions on my other blog, Leak Spot. (I am asking because I am thinking of taking it down; please read the disclaimer on that blog)
Do you have any other suggestions or complaints for the blog?

Also, you can email me your answers if you like (my address is at the top of the page).

Thanks for your participation - I really appreciate it and I hope I can make AFI Talk the best it can be!

A (Partial?) Leak

2009-09-17T19:12:00.000-07:00

It seems that three of the songs from the sampler sent to various people have been leaked onto YouTube. I'm not linking them, you can find them on your own. The person who posted them said there'd be more later, so whether it's a full leak or not is debatable. I want to know what you guys think of it. Personally, I'm kinda mad that it leaked.We almost made it to release day without a leak, and now it's coming out. Almost. And then it's posted on YouTube by someone on the OMB. (The post was deleted. Completely. And the person who posted the links banned.) So what are your thoughts? Have you listened to them?
(I did. I couldn't help it. Bah on me.)

Review: "Beautiful Thieves" & "Darling, I Want To Destroy You"

2009-09-17T16:50:00.000-07:00

Disclaimer: I am not a professional reviewer, so I am not so great at analyzing songs like one would be. These reviews were done differently to answer all questions you guys asked, and hit on points that weren't said in other reviews. Wherever you see a white blank, it indicates lyrics (I hid them for spoilers). Highlight the blank to see the lyrics.

"Beautiful Thieves"
I stupidly forgot that the song was going to be released today when I do this review, so instead of giving info about it, I will post the full lyrics and my personal thoughts and rating. If you haven't heard the song yet, you can hear it here.

Full Lyrics (Updated - We now have the official lyrics thanks to AFI News HQ):
My dear there is no danger
Can't you see they turn blind eyes
To we swift and spot lit strangers?
Oh before the rush is over
We will be revered again
While the victims still recover
Oh!
If we run this light
Take a little life
No one will care at all
Oh!
We can burn it and leave
For we are the beautiful Thieves
No one suspects at all
No one suspects
Ah
Oh,
Are we running towards death?
I have met him times before
He adores like the rest
Oh even if we're discovered
Just be sure to wear your best
We will surely make the covers
Oh!
If we run this light
Take a little life
No one will care at all
Oh!
We can burn it and leave
For we are the beautiful thieves
No one suspects at all
No one suspects
Who would run for cover?
Who would run from us?
Who would run for cover?
Who would run from us?
Oh!
If we run this light
Take a little life
No one will care at all
Oh!
We can burn it and leave
For we are the beautiful thieves
No one suspects at all
No one suspects at all
If we run this light
Take a little life
No one will care at all
Oh!
We can burn it and leave
For we are the beautiful thieves
No one suspects at all
No one suspects

Overall rating: 9.5/10
The clip we first heard just doesn't do the song justice. At first I thought the backing vocals sounded "churchy", but listening to the whole song makes me just love them; as they flow as greatly with the song. The song marks a different direction for AFI, and it seems like perfect single material. "Who would run from us?"

"Darling, I Want To Destroy You"
My notes:
The song beings with a softer guitar rift and a drum beat going on in the background, then about 25 seconds into the song it will really start to slow down.
The first verse will shortly start: Were you dying to go, you just look so exposed
dim you through the dark, dancing lights
I glided by
I can't deny that the shadows betrayed you and I on that night.

Davey's voice seems electronically tuned in some way during most of the song. It is hard to describe. Although this song is slower, it is not nearly as slow as their past efforts "The Interview" and "The Leaving Song". It is only slower in the verses. Like another reviewer said, it's too upbeat for slow dances.
The chorus, in my opinion, makes up for the somewhat boring verses. The song is also pretty repetitive. "As you reached for my hand
did you then understand it was I who would lead you that night?"
The bridge is my favorite part. Davey expresses the lyrics very straight forward; he is really trying to convey a message to someone. There are clean backing vocals that go along with Davey's good use of his range. "So here's the final scene when I finally come clean
I’ve watched you for years, years
and here's my favorite part where you may find my heart
and I disappear"
The song ends with 2 final verses, the 2nd one being slightly harsher than the first. Davey puts strong emphasis on the final "I want to destroy you".

Hey a question about Darling for your review.. lol another guitar thing.. Is the guitar part after the chorus in the clip we heard going on in the verses while Davey's singing?

No, that guitar part will drag on for about another 10 seconds, then it will be replaced with a much softer guitar part and slow drum beat. The verses are the slow parts of the song, and it picks up every chorus and for the bridge.

Overall rating: 7.5/10
This is my least favorite song out of the 4 I received, but I do still enjoy listening to it every now and then. What bothers me the most is the song can't really find an identity for itself - it's not quite a slow song yet it's not upbeat enough to be considered normal. I would be disappointed if it was the slowest song on the album, I was hoping for something more along the lines of "The Interview". But I really do love the bridge of the song, sometimes I listen to the song just to hear that part. Overall though, not a bad song by any means, just not too great.

"Beautiful Thieves" Released

2009-09-17T07:46:00.000-07:00

I'm going to make this post short and sweet - because I have to run to school.
Beautiful Thieves was released in a Guitar Hero 5 trackpack today - I hope you love it, because I do :)

Review: "Torch Song" & "End Transmission"

2009-09-16T23:31:00.000-07:00

Torch Song could of been pulled straight from StS
The song starts off very erie sounding, with a hint of electronics, the guitar slowly fading in. Davey kicks if off with his trademark "Oh!" and a stronger guitar riff begins.
The first verse begins: "I saw you, angels came to light your path
I heard you keep their wings pressed under glass
now am I, so enthralled that I might die
I saw you sweetly smile say you'll try to try"
After the chorus you hear in the sample, the bridge shortly begins, with backing vocals shouting "Leave me!" Leave me to prey that nothing's lost, nothing's lost.
Ending the final chorus, the song ends with a drum beat and a slowly fading guitar, and sounds slightly reminiscent to "Miseria Cantare" for just a few seconds.

"Everyone keeps saying that torch song sounds comparable to sts, what makes it sound like sts, and what song on sts would you say it's stylisticly similar to?"

The the intro and outro (for a few brief moments) of the song remind me of "Miseria Cantare", but others who have heard the song will probably disagree with me. But it's hard to make comparisons to songs, as Torch Song is so unique on it's own. It just seems it would fit perfectly on the album, if that makes any sense. If I had to make a comparison, the verses are similar to "Bleed Black", but imagine it with a darker, and grander tone. Davey uses his range quite well in the song.

Overall rating: 8.5/10

I am trying to be as un-biased as possible, so I listened to all these songs many many times before assessing a rating. Torch Song, if you compare it to the past 2 openers, falls in between "Miseria Cantare" and "Prelude 12/21" in my opinion. Out of all the songs I heard, Torch Song definitely carries the most emotion, but the chorus is kind of forgettable. The rest of the song does make up for it though.

"End Transmission"

My notes:

Starts off with drums, then the guitar will kick in; and all of a sudden this 80's like vibe will begin - keeping you completely interested in the song.
A long "Woah" by Davey will start the song. Then begins the first verse: Pull the top down, use your knees to drive
I’ll make it worth your while, just let me taste the sky
you pressed your mouth on mine and fed me a star
and you said, "we never can truly know who we are."
Know who we are…
Immediately the song will sort of paint a picture in your head. It is very evident the song is describing a nightly drive. I honestly don't think I have ever heard an AFI song that used imagery so effectively.
The bridge isn't all that amazing. You just hear Davey's voice and not much instrumental stuff going on in the background. There is a faint electronic beat. "You said, stay strong, everybody knowing what we'd invited still remains when we're gone"
The song ends with Davey saying "I'll bring the gun" one final time, and ending off with a lower pitched "Oh" and a drum beat in the background - sort of like how the song started.

"Hey drew does the little guitar part at the end of the clip of end transmission follow into the verse or is it just like a thing jade does after every chorus? Or does the chorus in the preview like lead into the bridge instead of a verse or something?"

That guitar part will end every chorus, and begin some of the verses (like the first one). The chorus you are hearing leads to another verse. That particular guitar part is what makes me love the song so much, and it really adds a new vibe to the song that is unlike any other AFI song. End Transmission also reminds me of a Blaqk Audio song in some parts.

Overall rating: 9/10

I don't think there is a way you can possibly not like this song. It's unique vibe sets it apart from anything AFI has done in the past. Without Davey's vocals, you probably wouldn't recognize the song as AFI at all - and those who like the band's progression will really enjoy it. I can also see this becoming a single at some point.

Leave your questions for "Beautiful Thieves" and "Darling, I Want to Destroy You" in this post. Also, feel free to ask any additional questions you have about these songs.

AFI Talk Receives the 4 Track Sampler

2009-09-16T19:40:00.000-07:00

I have received the same sampler AFI News HQ got - "Torch Song", "Beautiful Thieves", "Darling, I Want to Destroy You", and "End Transmission".

Let me make this clear: I received this directly from what likes like a representative of Interscope, and I will not share them with you in respect of who sent them to me. Do not email me about it, I will just ignore you.

Here at AFI Talk we are very excited to get to hear a preview of what can possibly be AFI's best album yet, and we want you guys to learn all about the songs.

So, instead of reviews, you the readers will ask whatever questions you like about the songs. So you get to make the review for me! Just leave all your questions in these comments. I will try to answer all of them to the best of my ability. I am doing this to avoid repeating what has already been said about the songs. I will also post lyric excerpts for every song.

I will post the reviews when I feel enough questions have been asked.
My writers: email me if you want the songs.

I am excited to teach you all about these songs! Now, off to go listen to them...

Initial Impressions:
These songs are not "poppy" by any means. Get that thought out of your head right now. Every song I heard is better than Decemeberunderground as a whole. "Torch Song" could of been pulled straight from StS. The chorus in "Beautiful Thieves" does not sound churchy in any way when you listen to it in it's entirety. The song is my favorite out of the 4 so far.

NOTE: I am perfectly allowed to send it to writers. The sampler was sent to me for review purposes, and my writers are part of my blog too.

Watch It: Heathers

2009-09-16T19:21:00.000-07:00

AFI decided to name one of their song titles after a character from the cult hit movie, Heathers. But why? Those who have not seen the movie, like me, were probably confused. So, if you have some extra time, you should watch the movie, here.

Discuss your thoughts on the movie and your opinion on the character Veronica Sawyer. What do you think her importance is to the AFI song?

Also, let's try and transcribe the lyrics from the 30 second clip in this post as well. You can listen to the clip on my "Listen to Crash Love" section.

Short Review of Crash Love

2009-09-16T18:16:00.000-07:00

Today I saw the short review of Crash Love on AFI News Headquarters. It startled me because I thought that Crash Love would be AFI's great comeback. I have to admit, this review has left me more than worried.

Please discuss your thoughts on this review and what it could mean for Crash Love. Thank you.

Small Update: Improved "Listen to Crash Love" Section

2009-09-15T19:17:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Jase, I was able to put separate versions of all the samples on the "Listen to Crash Love" section. We are one of the only places on the web where you can listen to all the samples in one place (the mp3twit won't last forever). We also have "Ok, I Feel Better Now" which the mp3twit link is missing. Thanks to Jase, Kera, and Jamekae for your help!

The Winner of the Crash Love Title Tournament

2009-09-15T17:28:00.000-07:00

It was over a month ago when I started a tournament, where you guys would pick out the best Crash Love song title. In the finals, "Too Shy to Scream" went head to head with "Darling, I Want to Destroy You" - in a competition that would last about a week.

"Darling, I Want to Destroy You" ended up winning with just a mere 5 votes ahead.

Is this your favorite song title on the album? Why or why not? What makes you like or dislike it so much? Does the new information learned about the song change your opinion on the title?

Song Clips of Every Crash Love Song Found

2009-09-15T16:38:00.000-07:00

By changing the url in which we got the "Torch Song" preview, someone on the OMB found out that the website had actually uploaded clips to every song on their website. They removed all the clips now, but you can surely find them all over the internet, including here.

You can listen to every song clip (excluding "Ok, I Feel Better Now") on mp3twit here. Or, you can listen to them under my new revised "Listen To Crash Love" section on the bottom - but the quality isn't as great. My player does include "Ok, I Feel Better Now" though. Songs play in the order of the album.

Also, I found what appears to be a legit Crash Love leak. I am not sure if it is real yet (look what happened last time), but it very well could be. It still has a while until it finishes downloading, so check back here later.

What do you think of the new clips?

"Torch Song" Preview Posted

2009-09-14T23:45:00.000-07:00

These previews just seem to be rolling out! Fangoria.com has posted this 30 second preview of "Torch Song" for us. Click here for the original article and to listen to it. The song has also been added to my "Listen to Crash Love" section of the blog.

What do you think of this clip? Davey's vocals are certainty different from anything he has ever done in the past, do you like it or not?

Be Our Friend

2009-09-14T18:20:00.000-07:00

AFI Talk is looking for anyone who has an AFI related blog/website that wants to become affiliates with us. We will link back to you at a new "Affiliates" section that will be added to my Link Section. Affiliates aren't there to just link to each other - as affiliates we will share any exclusive content and provide help for each other.

If you would like to be an affiliate, please leave your blog or website URL in the comments, as well as your email. Likewise, you can just use the email address at the top of this blog to email me your information. Thanks and we look forward to having some great partners!

New Reviews: "End Transmission" and "Darling, I Want to Destroy You" from Crash Love

2009-09-14T17:07:00.000-07:00

AFI News Headquarters has reviewed End Transmission and Darling, I Want to Destroy You. Click here to read them.

What do these reviews make you think about these songs so far? Do they sound like a good sign for Crash Love?

"Beautiful Thieves" Song Clip Surfaced

2009-09-14T16:24:00.000-07:00

AP Magazine has published a review of Crash Love, giving it 4.5/5 stars. Some highlights of the review...

"Veronica Sawyer Smokes" features 'John Marr-like guitar'
"OK, I Feel Better Now" is said to fit perfectly on a Cure album
"Darling, I Want to Destroy You" is a slower song, but 'too animated for slow dances'
"It Was Mine" recommended out of all other songs on the album

Besides the review, they posted a small clip of "Beautiful Thieves".

The clip we got is taken directly from the chorus, and includes a singing gospel-like choir in the background of Davey's vocals. Click here for the full review and to listen to the song clip (in the gray box on the bottom).

You can also listen to the new clip in the "Listen to Crash Love" section of the blog (no download, sorry). We will get to hear the full song on Thursday.

What do you think of what we learned from this new review? What about the new clip?

Reviews for "Torch Song" and "Beautiful Thieves" from Crash Love

2009-09-13T18:01:00.000-07:00

Jason (DarkFlame337), from AFI News Headquarters, has published his reviews of "Torch Song" and "Beautiful Thieves" on his blog. Just in case you don't want to see some of the lyrics to the songs, I'll provide a link to his post instead of copying and pasting.

Read the reviews here

How do these reviews make you feel about the upcoming album? Please discuss in the comments below.

Fainting Spells Chorus Contest

2009-09-13T14:15:00.001-07:00

On Jade's blog he's starting a contest about the lyrics to the chorus of Fainting Spells. There are no prizes, but go check it out. It sounds like fun. I am assuming we post our guesses in the comments section of the post, but if something different comes up I'll update this post.

The Crash Love Prediction Game

2009-09-13T10:37:00.001-07:00

UPDATE: The game has been cancelled due to severe lack of participants (as you can see). Sorry! I had a good prize in mind too.

Heads Up: Song Reviews Coming Soon

2009-09-12T22:18:00.000-07:00

My good friend Jason has received a 4 track Crash Love sampler containing "Torch Song", "Beautiful Thieves", "Darling, I Want to Destroy You" and "End Transmission". He will be posting full length, detailed reviews on each song Sunday and Monday night.

Click here for his blog, AFI NEWS HQ.

The reviews will be posted here those nights as well.

Note: Please refrain from bugging anyone affiliated with that blog for the songs, as you will not get them. And I don't have them either so don't even try.

DF Board Changes

2009-09-10T20:54:00.000-07:00

There is a new layout on the OMB: gold and black. The new layout also has new rules as well: The 10th Circle and Music For The Masses are now DF-only forums. For better or for worse, it seems nothing will change Gavin's mind. In response to this, Tanya and many others have made a new board here.

What do you think about it?? Either the new DF rules or the new board?

I personally think that Gavin made a crappy decision. However, I'm biased because I'm one of those boardies who have to join the DF to do anything now. Bah.

"Fainting Spells" Released

2009-09-10T15:54:00.000-07:00

Our friend Veronica Sawyer has put "Fainting Spells" (a DU b-side supposed to be on the never-going-to-happen EP) up for free download on her website. You can receive your free download by entering your email here. AFI Talk will soon provide a stream on the "Listen To Crash Love" section for those who don't wish or can't download it.

Personally, this is one of my new favorite AFI songs. It has everything I love - screaming, acoustics, deep powerful lyrics, and a kickass bridge. Like a million times better than Medicate. I'm just in awe.

What do you think of Fainting Spells? Does it make you wish Crash Love had screaming? How do you like it compared to Medicate?

New AFI Interview

2009-09-08T19:08:00.000-07:00

Thanks to AshleyXNicole on the OMB for posting this.

In the interview, we don't really get any new information, but it is still good to watch. We learn about Davey's first tatoo, and the straightedge lifestyle of the band (you can tell Adam felt awkward haha), as well as their thoughts on performing in festivals.

Discuss the interview here.

Small New Tidbits of Info

2009-09-08T13:20:00.000-07:00

I found this surfing AlternativePress.net

EDIT: My apologies, as this is actually a month old. Still interesting though :)

"According to the official press announcement, AFI's anxiously awaited seventh album is a launch pad for singer Davey Havok's ruminations and commentary on celebrity culture (personally, we're totally stoked by "Darling, I Want To Destroy You"). But for Crash Love, the band dialed down their atmospheric tendencies to concentrate on bringing the rock. From the anthemic "Medicate" to the best song Adam Ant never wrote ("Too Shy To Scream") to destined-to-be classics ("Beautiful Thieves," a distant cousin to Sing The Sorrow's "The Leaving Song Pt. II"), Crash Love is poised to sate their fans and make converts out of the rest."

The magazine puts strong emphasis on "Darling, I Want To Destroy You"; this song is a finalist in my song title competition as well.
"Too Shy To Scream" compared to an Adam Ant song. Adam Ant is an english musician who was the lead singer to a New Wave/Punk group. So expect this song is have heavy New Wave influences and be unique to the album.
"Beautiful Thieves" compared directly to "The Leaving Song Part 2", it is said to even convert people into AFI fans. This song is still my bet as the second single.

All in all, great news. Discuss :)

Awesome Crash Love Art Alterations

2009-09-07T16:17:00.000-07:00

I saw these recently and thought I would share them with you (click them to enlarge):

(All credit goes to TheArtOfPretension on Deviantart)

Which one is your favorite? What did you wish the Crash Love cover would look like?

I know I'll be using the 3rd one as a replacement for my iPod :P

Oh and, off topic, but I am pretty sick (I might have swine flu :S). So I won't be able to update the blog as much, sorry.

Hunter Burgan peta2 Interview Reveals Crash Love Recording Process

2009-09-05T14:20:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure when this interview took place, but I stumbled across it and thought you guys might like it:

http://www.peta2.com/outthere/o-hunter-burgan.asp?c=p2483g&gclid=COSoo9ew25wCFQTyDAodVWzgZg

What's next for you? Anything else going on in your world other than being the vegan ambassador?
That does take up a lot of my time, but also, AFI is in the studio right now recording an album. It's our eighth studio album. It's going to be out sometime in 2009. I don't know exactly when, because we're still in the studio at this point, but sometime in the next six months would be awesome.

Is the recording process going well, or is there anything you can tell us about how it might differ from your other albums?
Yes, it's going very well. This recording session differs in that instead of tracking an instrument on every song before moving on to the next instrument, we are actually building each song up individually. I'm used to sitting around for weeks and weeks, waiting to play my parts, and then playing them all within a couple of days. This time around, I go in almost every single day and have something to play. It sucks having to record after sitting around for a month. Playing with the rest of the band all the time keeps us fresh.

What AFI song means the most to you?

2009-09-04T18:33:00.000-07:00

Hi, everyone! As you know, I'm new to AFI Talk, and I'm honored to be here.

I'd like to kick off my post-writing by asking all of you which AFI song means the most to you! For me, it's probably This Time Imperfect, Morningstar, and On the Arrow -- mainly the emotional ones because they make me feel like no other music can.

So everyone leave a comment and tell me the AFI song that means most to you and why. I'm excited to see your responses!

2 New Writers Are Chosen

2009-09-04T16:06:00.000-07:00

Please give a warm welcome to our two new writers, Berrie and Kyle (bleedblaqk)!

They will help keep AFI Talk full of good content for you readers, so we can continue to expand.

I would like to thank all those who still sent me applications but didn't make the cut. Don't worry, I will be looking for more writers again possibly in the near future.

Layout Not Working on Some Browsers?

2009-09-04T07:39:00.000-07:00

It has come to my attention that my new layout seems to be having problems working on some browsers, mainly Firefox. I highly advise you to use Safari or Internet Explorer to read the blog until I get it working for everyone. Thanks!

Please let me know in the comments if you are not seeing a layout that looks similar to this, and what browser you are using:

EDIT: It appears the solution is to just UPDATE your browser. This solution has worked for everyone so far. Older versions of Internet Explorer and Firefox seem to be affected the most by this.

New Layout and Banner

2009-09-02T21:14:00.001-07:00

I am putting the final touches on my new black and gold themed layout.
Also, if you haven't noticed, I made a new flashy banner to fit the blog. (If you saw the blog when I had those 5 changing banners, I had to get rid of that feature because I had problems centering them, so I picked my favorite out of the 5).

Please feel free to vote in my new poll regarding the layout.
Thanks and I hope you like it!

On an unrelated note, "Darling, I Want To Destroy You" has beat out "Sacrilege" in the song title tournament. Vote in the last round of the semifinals!

Lots of Changes Coming Soon

2009-09-01T19:48:00.000-07:00

AFI Talk will see a number of new updates (hopefully) by the end of this week!

A new layout is currently being worked on. Expect a black and gold color scheme.
A new, more professional banner is being worked on.
2 new writers will be chosen, click here for more details.
A new weekly series, Analyze It, will begin on Friday. In the series, I will analyze anything AFI related, whether it be a song or album's meaning, or the mystery of 37. You get to choose what I analyze for the following week.
I might start work on a new forum, but don't expect it by the end of the week.
The Crash Love Song Title Tournament is wrapping up after weeks of running, the results might be in as early as Thursday.
I am thinking about purchasing a .com domain and moving the blog away from blogspot to something more professional, but don't expect this to happen in the near future.

I can't use my trusty Macbook until I buy a new charger, so I'm stuck using this crappy Windows desktop, which slows everything down for me. If you have any suggestions for the blog just let me know, and I'll do my best to make it happen.

Want to be a Writer?

2009-09-01T17:25:00.000-07:00

AFI Talk is currently looking for two more writers for the blog. Writers have the permission to make blog entries and more. If you wish to become a writer, please fill out the form below, and either email it to me, or post it in the comments.

Your age & your email
How often are you available in the day?
Why do you want to be a writer for this blog?
As a writer, what would you like to post about?
How did you become an AFI fan, and what keeps you attracted to them?
Anything else? (Not required)

Fake Crash Love Leak

2009-08-31T22:37:00.000-07:00

Crash Love has appeared on several torrent websites. To find it, just use google, I will not provide links here.

I am testing the download to make sure it is real and working first, then I will post indirect links on my new blog, Leak Spot. (crashloveleak.blogspot.com)

UPDATE: Do not download torrents titled "AFI - Crash Love - (2009)" as they are fake. Once completed, it wants you to pay for a program to achieve a password. Although the song files could possibly be decoded and actually contain audio, they do not play in any player. Please do not waste your time with these.

Decemberunderground vs. Crash Love: A Special Report

2009-08-31T16:13:00.001-07:00

This is a special report brought to you by AFI Talk. It is designed to get you thinking about particular controversial topics, as well as discuss them with our other readers.

Decemberunderground, love it or hate it, let's face it; it is the best thing that ever happened to AFI. Despite the negative criticism by AFI's existing fans, Decemberunderground accounts for almost all of AFI's mainstream success, and brought in an estimated 65% of their current fanbase that exists today. But why? Why was that one particular album such a hit? Let's analyze it.

Decemberunderground's first single, Miss Murder, is still their most popular and most purchased song to this date. Miss Murder had 2 main things going for it: it's extremely catchy chorus, and it's infamous music video. This catchy song kept many casual listeners interested in the video, and this video forever pegged the stereotype AFI falls under with the crowd today. Back in 2006, the "emo" trend was at it's height, you saw all your friends fall into the trend and many bands try to replicate it in their music. It was the cool thing back then. Miss Murder played right into this stereotype, with it's screaming vocals and Davey's long swept hair and slightly girlish looks. And people liked it. A lot. Miss Murder soared right to #1 on the rock charts, and all the way up to #24 on the Hot 100; amazing for a song of it's type. The success of Miss Murder without a doubt led to Decemberunderground's mainstream success.

Why do so many other AFI fans despise this song so much? I thought this one over clearly, because I do, always say how much I hate the song. But I can't help remember how I wouldn't even be a fan without it. It dragged so many people in, and I am one of them. Why did we like it so much then? The same reason every one else does - it is their most catchy song period. Go listen to it again. We only hate it now because of how popular it become, no one would go around saying "My favorite song is Miss Murder", how cliche is that? It is the same reason we hate pop music. Overplayed, but yet some songs are undeniably catchy. For instance, I'll never admit in public I find Lady Gaga enjoyable. Listening to Medicate, I always feel something is missing. It is so repetitive, and the lyrics are boring and simple. The song just doesn't stick out to me. The only thing I feel it has going for it is it's superb bridge. Going back and listening to Miss Murder, I actually enjoy it better.

Decemberunderground achieved platinum status fairly quickly, and topped the charts on it's release. Can AFI ever top this album? Like mentioned, a lot of Decemeberunderground's success came from the stereotype a lot of people bought into, and now that they seemed to have "cleaned up their act" for Crash Love, it will not have the same factors going for it as Decemberunderground did. What Crash Love has going for it so far is AFI's much larger fanbase, and the fact it's much more of a rock record that will please old fans and casuals alike.

But the big question remains, will Crash Love be successful as Decemberunderground? Vote in my new poll to the left, and let your voice be heard in the comments.

AFI To Film a Video Soon

2009-08-30T11:26:00.001-07:00

Really short post, but according to Jade's blog they're
"Going back to the States later this week to make a video." WOOT!

What song do you think it'll be? And how do you think it'll look like? Any ideas?

New Website Underway

2009-08-28T16:06:00.000-07:00

There's another site up for AFI. I don't know how to get to it from the main one, but I clicked on a banner on this site and it led me here. I don't know if anyone has seen it, but it's interesting. There's a little bit of info on the album, links to but the deluxe and standard versions on iTunes and Amazon as well as the versions at Smartpunk and Interpunk (and even Best Buy), a Medicate music player, some tour dates, and a spiffy blurb/bio thing.

afireinside.net/crashlove

So what do you think of this new mini site?

Rumor: AFI to be in New Twilight Movie?

2009-08-27T15:54:00.000-07:00

So, someone on the DF brought up AFI making an appearance in the next Twilight film, New Moon. To sum things up, everyone is freaking out. The only evidence of this unfortunate event happening is a tweet Hunter made over 2 weeks ago:

This signifies that Hunter was allowed to some special premier; but why would AFI out of all people be invited to something like this? Most people are jumping the gun - and saying their music will indeed be featured in the film. What does this mean? Well to me, having AFI labeled along with Paramore will be bad enough, but then we will get the influx of those rabid annoying Twifreaks which will probably invade the DF among other places. It will be bad.

But, there is 1 positive thing that could come out of this.

The promotion. The previous soundtrack soared to #1 on the charts, and if AFI had new material in the movie, it would be great promotion for Crash Love.

What do you think about the possibility of AFI being in Twilight? Like it or hate it?

New Begin Transmission Video; Includes New Song Clip

2009-08-26T07:49:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: You can now listen to the new "I Am Trying Very Hard To Be Here" clips, as well as download them, in my new player to the right. Only here at AFI Talk!

I awoke to seeing "Torch Song" clickable like expected, and it led us to this video:

It was the only extra we got, but it is one hell of a video if you ask me. The video shows the Begin Transmission winners singing part of the chorus to "I Am Trying Very Hard To Be Here" and lots of behind the scenes footage which ties together everything we knew that happened that day. We even got to hear a small clip of IATVHTBH, and I will add that new clip to the end of the current one on my "Listen To Crash Love" section when I get back from school.

PlusPlusPlus, The Final TweetToReveal Begins (Live Post)

2009-08-24T21:21:00.000-07:00

The final part of the TweetToReveal campaign has finally begun, even though we already know the last song is "Torch Song"; but we will be getting 3 extras this time around. Expect these extras to be full of goodness, because Theory has told us he spent the whole time getting it together. Like the last few counters, we won't know when it will end. The background of the page has changed to the one Theory posted because Medicate is now in iTunes (Link). Click here and get tweetin!

9:20 PM: Counter is up, currently at 148.

9:48 PM: Currently at 309, averaging 5 tweets per minute. At this rate, it is predicted we will get to 2000 by 3:30 AM.

11:18 PM: Counter is up at 539, now averaging just a mere 2.5 tweets per minute. At this rate, we will reach 2000 around 9:00 AM (if it doesn't slow any further). Well, I'm going to hit the hay, as I have school tomorrow. Goodnight everyone!

7:43 AM: It took 10 hours and 23 minutes to get to 1000 by this time, so if it takes us about the same time to get to 2000, we will get there around 6:00 PM. I'm off to school and I'll keep you updated when I get back.

4:08 PM: Counter at 1616, that is up 616 from when I left seven hours and 25 minutes ago. That makes an average of 1.4 tweets per minute; so at that rate we will get to 2000 around 8:45. Keep tweeting!

11:08 PM: Just about 50 tweets until 2000! We will get Torch Song, but the extras won't likely be put in until the morning.

11:40 PM: The thing revealed at 2000 was "+++". Yep, we got NOTHING, not even Torch Song. I'm going to bed, hopefully this will all be fixed in the morning. This leads me to believe that one of the +'s will simply tell us it's Torch Song, while the other 2 contain lyrics and a studio video.

7:40 AM: New studio video. Click here for the full update.

Screaming @ Beginning of Medicate

2009-08-24T18:50:00.000-07:00

I just noticed this, when you listen to the full version of Medicate streaming here really loudly, you can hear someone screaming words in the very beginning (first 7 seconds).

What do you hear? Can you make out any words?

Here's just a guess (most definitely not right though): I will kill you. I will FUUUCKK.

UPDATE: Medicate is now in iTunes. Click here to get it!

Medicate Review/Details & Summary of Today

2009-08-24T15:51:00.000-07:00

Whew! A big day in the world of AFI today. I had a lot of great news to come home to. Let's start with a song called Medicate.

Medicate Review & Details

Medicate first premiered on KROQ at 7:00AM PST this morning. I woke up bright and early just to get a listen before I left for school. And, as you have probably heard, the song is amazing. It left me breathless. Such a good bridge, now I understand what that early reviewer meant that there was no need for screaming. The song is now playing on multiple radio stations, across the country and the world. My dad told me it was playing on our local station all day long (and he likes it). The song will officially be released for purchase on iTunes, Amazon, and Myspace among others tomorrow. If you are looking to download or listen to it now, head over to my new blog, Leak Spot. crashloveleak.blogspot.com. On that blog, it will be the only place I will provide *indirect* links to leaks/Medicate. Please read the disclaimer on that blog to get an idea of what it's about.

What did you think of Medicate? Did it exceed your expectations or fail to meet them? If you are choosing not to listen to it, why not?

Here are the lyrics, all of which I transcribed myself; so there might be mistakes. Please let me know in the comments if you find anything wrong!

Oh!

Could I, could I just find a way, I'd find you every day, and we can alter time.

But, I've come to find everyones gone away, so this may be the time for the perfect crime.

Yes this is perfect.

This is our medicine. This is our time to medicate.

You and me, now as we, lose ourselves in this and ignore that you don't even know my name. Medicate.

Come day, you'll say you cannot stay. Once more I'll feel the same, it happens every time. So I've come to find, everyone goes away. I'm destined to remain. You were never mine, so you were perfect.

This is our medicine. This is our time to medicate.

You and me, now as we, lose ourselves in this and ignore, that you don't even know my name. Medicate. You and me, now as we, lose ourselves in us and ignore that you don't even know my name.

Can you describe what it's like, I feel nothing. Can you feel this? Does it sting? I feel nothing at all. Can you tell me how it feels? I feel nothing at all. Can we pretend this is real? I feel nothing.

You and me, now as we, lose ourselves in this and ignore, that you don't even know my name. Medicate. You and me, now as we, lose ourselves in us and ignore that you don't even know my name.

You don't even know my name. Medicate.

Other News...

Besides all of this Medicate craziness, plenty of other things have gone on!

First of all, VeronicaSawyer.com has launched, a reference to one of the song titles obviously.

On the website, we get a stencil design of Crash Love, and links to Veronica Sawyer's Myspace, Facebook, Twitter, and Despair Faction account. I don't know about you, but this reminds me so much of the Clandestine mystery! Something huge is bound to happen. If you spray that design on a shirt and wear it to the AFI show at Readings Festival, the first 15 people to do so will get to say "hi" to AFI. Wish I could be there!

Davey was interviewed by KROQ and Radio Eins, and he let loose a lot of juicy new information.

Crash Love was recorded and written faster than Decemeberunderground took.
The meaning of Medicate is "the mutability of elation that's based in very powerful, fleeting moments... how something very powerful but brief can impact you."
Most of Crash Love was written in a hotel room in LA.
The second Blaqk Audio record is completely finished already, and they are just waiting for Crash Love to sink in before releasing it. With that and a EP (hopefully), the wait for the next record will be so easy!
"Special news" for fans who listen to KROQ in the next coming weeks.
Nick 13, Dan Under, Ben Grey, and some "nice ladies" sang backing vocals in the chorus of "Beautiful Thieves."
They will not play any songs from Crash Love tomorrow at the Lido show in Berlin.

And on top of all of that....

Get ready!

+++

Oh, and vote in the title tournament poll on the right if you haven't already. It's been tied for too damn long! :P

Medicate Monday

2009-08-23T20:10:00.000-07:00

If you haven't heard yet, Medicate will be premiering on KROQ Monday morning at about 7:00AM PST. If you are like me, 7:00 is way too early!

But I'll be doing the hard work for you guys, and getting up 30 minutes earlier than my usual routine. I'll try my best to record it and send it to you guys if you won't be able to listen.

For those that don't want to listen/download it yet, I will have a full descriptive review of the song up sometime tomorrow.

Leave your email here in the comments, and I'll try to get the recording to you as soon as possible. I can not guarantee you will get it as soon as it hit the airwaves, because I still have school to go to.

"This is our medicine. This is our time to medicate."

UPDATE: This post is outdated and useless. Go to crashloveleak.blogspot.com if you want Medicate, and read my latest post.

AFI Dream Album Project Results (Updated & Completed)

2009-08-21T11:25:00.000-07:00

Way back when, I started a project that would create your AFI Dream Album. After finally getting enough votes (although, more would have been nice, I just got tired of waiting), I am glad to post the results today.

Here are your top 15 favorite AFI songs which will make it onto our dream album:

Miseria Cantare
The Despair Factor
Kiss And Control
Days Of The Phoenix
The Lost Souls
Morningstar*
The Leaving Song, Pt. 2
No Poetic Device
The Interview
The Last Kiss
God Called in Sick Today
Now the World*
Endlessly, She Said
Synesthesia*
...But Home Is Nowhere
*Note: the following songs can not be purchased in the iTunes Store and therefore can not be included in the upcoming iMix I will make.

Also, please note these songs are not arranged by amount of votes, I arranged the songs to make the album flow better.

Here was the winning criteria for the artwork:

AFI Logo: Decemberunderground Style
Color Scheme: White & Dark Red
Theme: Black Sails In The Sunset

The winning album title, that you guys voted on, was...
Under The Tree.

Here is the art that would appear on the album cover:
Click to enlarge

Full version (for your desktops):
Click to enlarge

You can view the original image that I photoshopped here. I actually took this picture myself when on the cruise I took over the summer. I was very proud of it :P

iMix (click 'Under The Tree' to open it in iTunes):

Song booklet (Note: not all lyrics included, this is just to show you what it would look like):
Click to enlarge

Alternate version

I hope you like the artwork! I worked really long on all of it.

2 New Medicate Previews, Ringtones Available Now!

2009-08-20T18:04:00.000-07:00

"Medicate" is now appearing on multiple ringtones websites, so far 2 have been found on AT&T and Verizon's one respectively. You can download the Medicate ringtone NOW if you have Verizon (for $3)! If anyone wants to chip in and share the ringtone with us, please be our guest. The links for these previews are below:

AT&T:

http://mediamall.wireless.att.com/sf/storefront/endUserHTMLDesc.jsp?id=CF220477&pc=U&dc=

Verizon:

http://mediastore.verizonwireless.com/onlineContentStore/index.html#artistName=AFI&primary_ArtistName=AFI&viewAll=viewAll&albumName=Lovely&selectedItemID=18398464

(Scroll down for Medicate)

I am currently looking for more of these previews, so check back here later.

UPDATE: It has come to my understanding that you can actually purchase this ringtone on AT&T as well, and there are reports that Alltel among other service providers are providing it. I can't seem to get any of these preview links, so if you can help me find them, post it in the comments & thanks.

Get 2 Crash Love Outtakes On iTunes!

2009-08-20T16:20:00.000-07:00

People on the AFI Mailing list got an email today that said:

MEDICATE AND CRASH LOVE PRE-ORDER AVAILABLE ON ITUNES 8/25

"Medicate” will be made available for sale digitally on 8/25 and CRASH LOVE will also be available for pre-order on the same day at iTunes. Fans who pre-order the album from iTunes will immediately receive the track Medicate. The itunes version of CRASH LOVE will also feature bonus tracks “Breathing Towers to Heaven” an unreleased demo, “and Too Late for Gods” an unreleased studio track, both from the CRASH LOVE sessions.

Sweet!!

As soon as info is released on iTunes about it I'll update this post.

Is anyone going to preorder it? If so, from iTunes or just the hard copy?

If you aren't already on the mailing list the place to sign up is here: http://begintransmission.afireinside.net/join

EDIT: I forgot to say that the email also had some presale codes for US shows. Oops. :)

What Are You Most Excited About?

2009-08-20T16:17:00.000-07:00

Crash Love is merely a month away, and we'll have Medicate on Monday. Everything is finally starting to happen after all of this time waiting (since February!). We have learned a lot about the album itself, but I want to ask you what excites you the most, and maybe what doesn't have you so excited. Personally, I'm looking forward to AFI being back in the mainstream again, and listening to "Too Shy To Scream", because out of all the descriptions that song has me most interested.

What are you most excited about with Crash Love? Or not so excited about?

New Tweet To Reveal

2009-08-20T16:16:00.000-07:00

Theory tweeted this earlier today. So heads up! Things are going to be happening again soon!
What do you think of a new Tweet to Reveal? Will you do it? I know I will be. :) And what do you think the +++ will be?

Our Time To Medicate (And More)

2009-08-18T16:34:00.001-07:00

As I'm sure you all already know, a new 30 second clip of Medicate has surfaced today, on Amazon.com. This clip seems to have been taken from the direct middle of the song, and we really didn't get to hear any new part of the song besides a verse with different lyrics. But the quality is much much better!

You can listen and download the new clip, which I conveniently added to the end of the old leak, on my new player to the right.

Here is the most accepted transcription of the new lyrics we heard (Unofficial):

"Could I just find a way, I'd find you every day. And we can altar time.

But I've come to find everyone's gone away, so this might be the time for the perfect crime.

This is perfect. This is our medicine. This is (our time to medicate)..."

But there's more. Along with the new clip, Amazon posted a larger version of the single artwork for us:

There are words etched in the back, much like the (presumably) Crash Love cover art. Although, these words are much harder to make out.

"Can B..... Have ...... ....... B..... Y....." is all I got so far. I'll try photoshopping it later and let you guys know the results.

Also, if you haven't noticed yet, I changed the countdown at the top to countdown to the Medicate release on 8/25. I will change it back to the normal Crash Love countdown once we reach that time.

And on a slightly unrelated note, here is the Crash Love song title tournament stats & matchup bracket I have set up. Bold indicates that song has already beat out the other.

Medicate

Darling, I Want To Destroy You

Beautiful Thieves

I Am Trying Very Hard To Be Here

Veronica Sawyer Smokes

It Was Mine

Sacrilege

Ok, I Feel Better Now

Too Shy To Scream

Cold Hands

Torch Song

End Transmission

Breathing Towers To Heaven*

Too Late For Gods*

We've Got The Knife*

Where We Used To Play*

*These songs have been confirmed as titles, and will most likely appear on Crash Love in some form, possibly as a b-side. None of them have been reported to be on the actual album tracklist yet though.

Crash Love Review Discussion

2009-08-17T16:12:00.000-07:00

Bombshell magazine, the same website that posted the 5 track sampler review, has now posted a review including all 12 songs. Yes, I understand that this is old news, but I'm here to discuss the news with you; not bring it to you.

First of all, they posted a completely new and rearranged track list, but while also warning us it could very well not be the final tracklisting:

1. Torch Song
2. Beautiful Thieves
3. End Transmission
4. Too Shy To Scream
5. Veronica Sawyer Smokes
6. OK, I Feel Better Now
7. Medicate
8. I Am Trying Very Hard To Be Here
9. Sacrilege
10. Darling, I Want To Destroy You
11. Cold Hands
12. It Was Mine

Now, here is the full review of the CD:

Go here to see the original article.

Out of all these descriptions, which song sounds the most appealing to you?

I was going to make a poll for this, but that wouldn't provoke you to write why that song sounds the best to you. One thing I noticed from his descriptions, is that he doesn't mention screaming in any song. Personally, I love the songs with screaming, and I would be very disappointed if Crash Love had none of these. How would you feel if Crash Love had no screaming whatsoever?

Also, since they seem to be sending these samplers out to multiple people now, a leak is probably imminent. AFI Talk will provide you with an indirect download if a leak ever comes, while also providing a full in-depth review of the CD for those who don't wish to download it when it comes.

"Medicate" Uploaded on Myspace (Updated)

2009-08-15T23:47:00.000-07:00

Well well, it looks as if AFI is playing with us yet again and uploaded Medicate to their Myspace.

But there's one problem - you can't play the song yet.

http://music.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=music.artistalbums&artistid=6450882&ap=0&albumid=13354607

In the description, it says "Released: 8/25/09", meaning we won't likely hear the song on Myspace until August 25th; the same day it is released in iTunes. The song is 4 minutes and 22 seconds long, almost 4 times as long as the miniature clip we have already heard.

Also, we got to see the single artwork:

AFI Talk will keep you updated if a leak comes soon, while also probably being one of the only places providing a download if it does come.

UPDATE:

Song ID = 55054088

Album ID = 13354607

Artist ID = 6450882

Song Name = Medicate

Album Name = Medicate

Artist Name = a.f.i.

I found those codes in the source of the page. All we have to do is find a url for any song on Myspace, and replace the numbers in the url to those I posted, and we will get to hear Medicate. I have tried finding a direct url to a song but with no luck because of their new player. If anyone can help me out on this, that would be great.

UPDATE 2:

I found this, nothing really important but I think we are getting somewhere:

Click

UPDATE 3:

You can go to the following URL to add the song to your Myspace. Note that the song still won't play though. Thanks to Kylee for the tip. Replace "YOURPROFILEIDHERE" with your Myspace profile ID.

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=music.addsongtoprofile_fullpage&SongID=55054088&songName=Medicate&ownerID=YOURPROFILEIDHERE&artist=13354607

UPDATE 4:

I was able to edit the Myspace player code and upload it to one of my old freewebs sites. What I did was take the source code from a working song, and copied the different parts from the working one to the Medicate one. This resulted in a little play button appearing at the bottom. Even when pressing play, the song still does not play. This leads me to believe they have not even uploaded the song to Myspace yet. So don't waste your time and try to find hidden things or mess with the coding. You probably won't get anywhere.

To see the working demo of what I did, go here and scroll down:

afigame.webs.com

KROQ Today

2009-08-12T21:47:00.000-07:00

So I'm sure you've all heard the rumor of Medicate being played on KROQ today. Well, a lot of people called them (myself included) and they said that they have no idea when it will be played, but the man I talked to said he would be very surprised if KROQ didn't get to play it first.

He also said he had been getting calls from crazies all night. :D Well done, crazies. We did good.

The DJ who said they might, Nicole Alvarez, tweeted two times about this.

I was on and off throughout the afternoon. I think it was fun, overall. The chat on Darkflame's blog was pretty funny... ;D
So did you sit around and wait today? What do you think about it all?

"Torch Song" - Final Title Confirmed & Status of this Blog

2009-08-11T23:26:00.000-07:00

http://www.bombshellzine.com/focuson/crashlove.htm

From that magazine's website, we learned that the mysterious and final Crash Love song is "Torch Song". That link will also show you a review of the 5-song sampler that they got the pleasure to hear. It was also stated Crash Love will be out September 25th (in Australia), so at least we know we'll get a leak four days early if not earlier. By the way, "Torch Song" is likely the second song on the song board.

In other off-topic news, school started up for me a couple days ago, and I have been busy.

I am going to have to stop updating the blog regularly; not that many of you read it anyway :P

My two writers, Suki and Kera, you both are fully welcome to post as much as you want.

The majority of the posts I will write from now on will be on the weekends and focus on more general topics that aren't talking about just news.

I am doing a Crash Love song title tournament sort of thing in replace on the old poll on the right>>>. Please vote in all of them! Thanks :)

"Cold Hands" Now Officially Confirmed & Song Board Theories

2009-08-05T00:51:00.000-07:00

Click here for the Live Post which will keep you updated with everything going down on Afireinside.net. All major news like this will get it's own post.

"Cold Hands" came as a guess from the song board, and we were right all along. Davey had confirmed the "Cold" part of the title long ago, but now we can rest as it truly ends with Hands.

What do you think of the title itself? Personally, I think Cold Hands is referring to a dead person, since we know there is a car crash.

But one thing I've been noticing is how these new titles do NOT match up with the song board. Were titles changed? More on that issue will be in a special edition post I'm writing up once the song list is complete. Now, out of these remaining song guesses coming from the board, which do you think might appear as the last unknown title?

"My Dream" - first on the song board

"You Love and Hate" - last song on the board

click the picture to make it visible

"Too Shy to Scream" - New AFI Song Title Revealed

2009-08-03T23:53:00.000-07:00

Click here for the Live Post which will keep you updated with everything going down on Afireinside.net. All major news like this will get it's own post.

Sorry I'm late on this one. A new AFI title was revealed yet again through the mainsite, titled "Too Shy to Scream". This title is my favorite yet! It also sounds to me like it might be the slow song (either that or I'm Feeling Better Now). The new songs are now taking us 2000 tweets, and there are 3 remaining unknown songs to be revealed; and with End Transmission being likely the last song (the +++ one), every song from now will take us 2000 tweets. So in about 3 more days we will finally know the whole songlist. I am updating my poll on the right shortly to include this new song.

What do you think of this new title?

More AFI Lyrics Revealed

2009-08-03T10:55:00.000-07:00

Click here for the Live Post which will keep you updated with everything going down on Afireinside.net. All major news like this will get it's own post.

The "++" finally came true. On the mainsite, the words "Ok" and "I Feel Better Now" became 2 separate links, representing the two pluses. Clicking "Ok" shows you these lyrics:

"I died for the last lie, and the heartbreak for the first time, I could not take til I made you cry.   This is what you taught me. This is what you taught - and I learned well - to recognize that feeling easily can be dispelled. Show your wounds I'm bored with mine. Nothing is new."

Pretty amazing lyrics if you ask me. These lyrics are presumably from "Ok, I Feel Better Now". What do you think of the lyrics?

When you click "I Feel Better Now" on the site, you will get this picture of Davey:

Since the "++" gave us a two clause song with two links, the "+++" song will likely give us a three clause song with three links.

"Sacrilege" - New Song Title Confirmed

2009-08-02T02:29:00.000-07:00

Click here for the Live Post which will keep you updated with everything going down on Afireinside.net. All major news like this will get it's own post.

Finally, after all that confusion and frustration, the "always one away" counter ended at 2000. It revealed 1 new song title, Sacrilege. This means that from now on, we might have to get to 2000 for the remaining 3 unknown songs. I will update my poll on the right to include this new title.

What do you think of Sacrilege?

For people who don't know exactly what the word means, here you go:

Sacrilege

violation or misuse of what is regarded as sacred

This song title most likely comes from Davey's own atheist opinions. EDIT: Someone else has pointed out that sacrilege could be referring to the misuse of how we treat celebrities, since Crash Love seems to revolve around this celebrity theme.

Davey Singing "I Am Trying Very Hard To Be Here" Video Released

2009-07-31T00:48:00.000-07:00

(Accidently deleted this post, so I had to remake it)

Click here for the Live Post which will keep you updated with everything going down on Afireinside.net. All major news like this will get it's own post.

The "I Am Trying Very Hard To Be Here" title on the main website became clickable, and led to that video. The video features Davey along with the other band members singing the main chorus on IATVHTBH, the song which the Begin Transmission winners also sung on. Here is a transcription of the lyrics sung in the video (unofficial):

"Flash flash

Car crash

We're not fixtures

Quick now quick

Take our picture

Flash flash

Car crash

We're not fixtures - Woah!"

The bold parts are where the Begin Transmission winners sang, but they are not shown singing in this video.