"Crash Love", the lost era?

I agree. I also think that there are other factors responsible for this, too - like simply the way the music industry has changed and the way music is consumed, not to mention how AFI seemed to consciously try to make CL almost the complete opposite of what DU was.

This happens to just about every band, though. Sooner or later, they all follow a similar trajectory, which is sad, but it’s just the way things are. In all honesty, I don’t see how pre-DU (or even DU-era) AFI could realistically exist in this day and age in the same way they did back then. Music does not have the same importance or occupy the same place in people’s lives as it used to. Their earlier albums required a real, active engagement with the music and lyrics on the part of the listener, which is something most people nowadays couldn’t even be bothered with because it would involve more than a 15-second attention span hahaha.

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It took me a long time to like CL. i would say years. When the album came out i almost felt offended, personally lol. It is very poppy, generic almost radio music. I had the same reaction to Burials, again…took me YEARS, until i liked the album. I like to think that i needed time to appreciate all music lol

There are certainly albums I’ve given a chance which turned out to be enjoyable, mostly albums from metal bands I was unfamiliar with which needed several listens to understand. In each of those cases there was always something in the music which held my interest and kept drawing me back. But when an album causes the same level of annoyance to me as nails on a blackboard or a baby screaming incessantly, it does not deserve any more of my time. Which is exactly the reaction I’ve always had when trying to listen to CL. And frankly, the Blood album and most of Burials as well.

I was disappointed with the blood album. I would hate to say that their music has been at consistent decline since CL

I feel the same way about CL. I just can’t. Burials is an album I haven’t given a chance but Blood has grown on me a bit.

The same thing happened to me with DU then I realized I like all the songs that don’t have screaming. I just don’t like that style.

I’ve always been on the fence about DU and I still can’t decide if I like that album as a whole or not. There are certainly things about that album which I find enjoyable, and then there are things (like Davey’s new-school screaming) which grate on my nerves. In general, it’s very much a mixed bag, and in my personal belief, Interscope had its fingerprints all over DU and more or less wrested creative control from the band. I mean they said they wrote like over 100 songs for the album and all of it was crap except what made the final cut? I don’t buy that. Maybe the label thought it was crap, but there’s no way anyone could ever convince me these guys became completely incompetent songwriters after what they managed to do with Sing the Sorrow.

I don’t know how it works with record labels and such…but i get what you’re saying. it probably has to do much with the label company having such control over what is put on a record. it seriously sucks and it’s crazy to me that that is how things work. i LOVE DU, i think it’s a good album. I just have a personal grudge against it, only because when I mention AFI, people think miss murder. and I honestly hate that song, it’s a song that’s on the radio and i hate that it’s a song that people think of when they hear afi. i hate it when it’s on their setlist lol. it just doesn’t represent them at all

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Completely agree on Miss Murder! I just want to yell no they’re way better than that!

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Lol same, but I find comfort in knowing that davey also hates miss murder and tried hard to get it off the album :joy: and that the lyrics “miss murder” were just throw away lyrics he made up on the spot, which were supposed to be replaced with real lyrics

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I can surely relate here, when I first heard it I was like
“WTH WHY IS THIS SO POP-Y?!” This was when I was newer to AFI (around middle 2017) and had basically only heard STS and DU, I still haven’t given it my full attention, but I’ve given it chances I’m still trying to put time aside to listen and actually see if I like it.

I did not know this! Things could have been so different :sob:

Yeah davey wanted “the view from here” on the album instead! Pretty crazy to think about. Here’s the interview where they talk about it:

And even though the first afi song I heard was “the boy who destroyed the world” on tony hawk, I didn’t really become a fan until the DU era so I gotta thank miss murder for that

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I love The View From Here. :black_heart:

“I know this is what you wanted. I’ll go…just go away. I know your heart is not haunted. This ghost will fade away…”

Honestly in my opinion some of the most beautiful lyrics he wrote (presumably) during the DU sessions. And instrumentally it’s so soothing to listen to…

I did not know this! Things could have been so different :sob:

Damnit, Jade! :joy:

I remember old interviews from before DU came out that stated they wanted to go in an even darker, Nine Inch Nails-influenced direction. That clearly did not happen when the album actually came out. I wouldn’t be surprised if there was some executive meddling from the label involved. I think DU still has plenty of strong tracks (like “Kiss and Control”), but…yeah.