Sing the Sorrow

 Sing the Sorrow was released in 2003

Track Listing:

1. Miseria Cantare – The Beginning

2. The Leaving Song Pt. II

3. Bleed Black

4. Silver and Cold

5. Dancing Through Sunday

6. Girl's Not Grey

7. Death of Seasons

8. The Great Disappointment

9. Paper Airplanes (Makeshift Wings)

10. This Celluloid Dream

11. The Leaving Song

12. ...But Home Is Nowhere

Genre: Post-Hardcore

I'm actually a little sad this is my first AFI album.  The previous two are vastly superior (Black Sails and Art of Drowning).  They had more aggression and a harsher vocal style that I felt like fit well with what AFI was doing.  But, I first heard AFI with Sing the Sorrow so that's where I started.

I can't remember where I bought this CD but I listens to it a lot early in high-school.  It didnt hold up great but it still has some quality songs on it.  Unfortunately, this is also the start of AFIs decline.  DECEMBERUNDERGROUND is okay (full review tomorrow) but they lost something between Art of Drowning and Sing the Sorrow.

Miserable Cantare is absolutely a great intro to the album.  It shows that they're ditching a lot of their punk roots and getting more melodic.  It sets the tone well for the album.

The Leaving Song Pt. II - oh cool, we're starting off with part 2.  I hate that honestly.  The song it self has some great guitar work and the new vocal style is working well here.  

Bleed Black - I'm a sucker dissonant chords and arpeggios, so the intro is great to this.  The vocals are actually pretty reminiscent Art/Black Sails, just more toned down.  Overall the song doesn't really go anywhere and I think it suffers from that

Silver and Cold - This is definitely a turn from everything they've done prior.  I like the ambiance, the build up to the chorus is great.  (I'd prefer a vocal approach more like Prayer Position, but I dont think they're going back there)

Dancing Through Sunday - This is a fun one. Quick pace, heavier verses than most of the rest of the album and good guitar work.  The mid-song breakdown kinda sucks, but its a fun solo (if a little out of place).

Girl's Not Grey - Leadoff single, big chords, big chorus.  Overall a good song.  And, I guess if anything can be said about Sing the Sorrow it's that Davey Havok is proving he can sing. Lots of vocal diversity on this album.  BUT, why does EVERY song need a mid song tempo change?

Death of Seasons - This one is a bit of a mess.  The electronic elements feel out of place, the jump from heavy screams to vocal chorus feels out of place.  And then, look at that, mid song tempo change.  Right one cue

The Great Disappointment - This is a slow burner in a good way.  Song slowly gets more louder, more distortion shows up.  Overall great song.  (But somehow they still managed to give a mid song tempo change feel by reverting to the opening pace)

Paper Airplanes - Eh.  Feels like a lot of the rest of the album (with a mid song tempo change of course)  Nothing special here.

This Celluloid Dream - Another decent song.  Nice guitar work here.  Feels a lot like Girl's not Grey and Leaving Song pt II

The Leaving Song - Hey! Part 1!  This song doesnt do much.  Just like an acoustic version of part 2.  Nothing interesting at all here

...but Home Is Nowhere - The end of the album (I'm ignoring hidden tracks).  I like this one.  Another Prayer Position style chorus, I like the quiet / heavy mix, I think its pretty well done here.

6 green and 2 red, overall a good album.  The midsong tempo change shit they do on every song is dumb, kinda loses it impact when its done literally every time.  I wish the vocals were hasher but overall I think they nailed it with this one

4/5