Crashing further into the mainstream

Goth punk legends AFI have gone progressively more mainstream in their last two albums, dropping some of the grit from earlier releases while adding more hooks and pop sensibilities. And by the time their newest effort “Crash Love” ends, it’s clear AFI is now a well-oiled pop-rock machine.

The key-powered industrial sounds of 2006’s “Decemberunderground” are gone, but crisp, melodic guitar work that resembles 2003’s “Sing the Sorrow” helps create hook-heavy efforts like “Beautiful Thieves” and “Medicate.”

Though many of the songs follow the same slow-building, verse-to-explosive-chorus structure, the clap-happy “Too Shy To Scream” and New Order-esque “Veronica Sawyer Smokes” keep the ears guessing in the middle of “Crash Love.”

Despite the major success of their previous two albums, AFI has never quite been thought of as a high-quality rock band due to their eyeliner-infused history.
If there’s any justice in the world, that should change with “Crash Love.”