AFI (The Blood Album)

The record illustrates that the members of AFI are deeply committed to forward motion, and remain as fired up now as they were 25 years ago.

There's certainly enough here to prove that post-Nitro AFI are a better and stronger group, unafraid to continue pushing their sound with each release.

Epic-sounding and true to that signature AFI sound, AFI (The Blood Album) will be a record that stands out for hardcore fans, while picking up some new ones along the way. The fire is definitely still inside AFI.

It still occupies dark territory but this time excellent songs like Hidden Knives are defined by urgency, as well as venom.

While AFI (The Blood Album) may not have the mainstream crossover potential that the band enjoyed a decade ago with Sing the Sorrow and DECEMBERUNDERGROUND, it is still a highly enjoyable album that both diehard fans and anyone looking for massive rock hooks alike should enjoy, despite faltering a bit toward the end.

AFI has little in the way of stumbles and no real clunkers to speak of, but a sense of familiarity and repetition creep in before the finish. It’s not enough to tarnish the gems but a greater commitment to ruthlessness would have been welcome. Still, this is a strong rebirth from an outfit that, perhaps appropriately, doesn’t quite know how to wither away.

Fortunately, it’s pretty much business as usual on ‘The Blood Album’.

The punk energy remains, frontman Davy Havok’s vocal delivery dripping with drama and passion, but with a glorious, gilded production job from guitarist Jade Puget, AFI (The Blood Album) luxuriates in a velvety richness that makes it a sumptuous listen.

The Blood Album ... It's hard to shake off singer Davey Havok's sterile lyrics, especially when many of the choruses lean heavily on his bold, operatic delivery yet are somewhat squandered on half-cocked one-liners. For a 14-track record, there are some questionable inclusions, too.

In the three years since their last release, Burials, AFI had to choose between staying the course of recent history or reverting to their hardcore roots. In this case, they chose the shelter of mainstream acceptance, a predictable – if disappointing – decision.

Perhaps it’s all worth it if The Blood Album spurs a rejuvenated interest in Sing the Sorrow and Black Sails on the Sunset, but the triumphant return of AFI is still ready when they are.