AFI (band)


AFI is an American rock band from Ukiah, California, formed in 1991. Since 1998, it consists of lead vocalist Davey Havok, drummer and backing vocalist Adam Carson, bassist, backing vocalist and keyboardist Hunter Burgan, and guitarist, backing vocalist and keyboardist Jade Puget. Havok and Carson are the sole remaining original members. Originally a hardcore punk band, they have since delved into many genres, starting with horror punk and following through post-hardcore and emo into alternative rock and gothic rock.
AFI has released twelve studio albums, ten EPs, one live album and one DVD. The band first reached substantial commercial success with their fifth album, The Art of Drowning, which peaked at number 174 on the Billboard 200. They then broke into the mainstream with their sixth, Sing the Sorrow, which peaked at number five on the Billboard 200 and remained on the chart for 51 weeks. The album was supported by popular singles "Girl's Not Grey" and "Silver and Cold", both of which peaked at number seven on America's Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart in 2003. "The Leaving Song Pt. II" was also released as a single, reaching number 16 on the chart. Sing the Sorrow was certified Platinum by the RIAA in 2006 and is AFI's best-selling release, having sold over 1.26 million copies as of 2009.
AFI's seventh album, Decemberunderground, debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and featured the hit single "Miss Murder", which topped the Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart, reached number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100 and appeared in the video game Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. The album was certified Platinum by the RIAA in 2013. Their next three albums, Crash Love, Burials and AFI, were also successful, peaking at increasing positions on the Billboard 200. An EP, The Missing Man, followed in December 2018. The band released their eleventh album, Bodies, on June 11, 2021. Their twelfth, Silver Bleeds the Black Sun..., was released on October 3, 2025.

History

Early years (1991–1994)

While still in high school in Ukiah, California, lead vocalist Davey Havok formed a band called AFI in November 1991 with Mark Stopholese and Vic Chalker. At the time, the band did not know how to play any instruments. Stopholese suggested that his friend, drummer Adam Carson, join the band. Stopholese learned guitar and Chalker learned bass, but Chalker was soon replaced by Geoff Kresge. By the end of October 1992, the band had played their first three shows, generally as an opener for a few other punk bands, including Influence 13, which featured future AFI guitarist Jade Puget and frequent collaborator Nick 13. AFI recorded their first EP, Dork, with the now defunct band Loose Change, which also featured Puget.
The band briefly broke up in 1993, when the members left Ukiah to attend different colleges. They decided to commit to AFI full-time after an extremely positive experience and enthusiastic crowd response at a reunion show they played at The Phoenix Theater over Christmas break.
AFI relocated to Berkeley, California and lived in a squat that was a decommissioned fraternity house. Between 1993 and 1995, the band independently released vinyl EPs such as Behind the Times, Eddie Picnic's All Wet and Fly in the Ointment, as well as the compilation EPs This Is Berkeley, Not West Bay, AFI/Heckle, and Bombing the Bay.

First three albums (1995–1998)

AFI's first full-length album, Answer That and Stay Fashionable was released July 4, 1995, on Wingnut Records. It was by Doug Sangalang and Rancid's Tim Armstrong and Brett Reed. The album featured fast and upbeat hardcore songs, with humorous lyrical themes, which are vocalized in songs such as "Nyquil", "Cereal Wars", and "I Wanna Get a Mohawk ". Around this time, they coined the term 'East Bay hardcore' to describe their genre.
AFI signed on to Nitro Records, a record label started by The Offspring's Dexter Holland and Greg K. AFI would remain with the label until the release of the 336 EP. In 1996, they released their second album, Very Proud of Ya. Two songs from their previous album, "Yurf Rendenmein" and "Two of A Kind", were re-recorded for this album. After several tours in support of the album, bringing AFI for the first time to Pacific Northwest. Kresge decided to leave the group. His spot was filled by current AFI bassist Hunter Burgan for the remaining album tour dates with the bands first appearance in Idaho and Montana. With opening acts, Toxic Narcotic from Boston, and Potbelly from Washington State.
Burgan went on to help AFI record Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes and was invited to become their full-time bassist. Jade Puget, a former member of Influence 13 and Havok's close friend, also provided background vocals on the album, making it the first to feature the band's four current members. It is also the first album to be copyrighted to the band's official moniker, A Fire Inside. Subsequently, A Fire Inside EP was released, straying into some death rock territory and featuring a cover of the Cure and of the Misfits. It was Stopholese's last outing with the band.

Darker sound and wider reach (1999–2001)

Puget became the band's lead guitarist for its next album, Black Sails in the Sunset. The release maintains a punk rock or hardcore sound, exploring bleak themes with traces of Romanticism. In 2003, The New York Times reflected on it as showcasing Havok's "develop into a singer and songwriter of substance". The influence of gothic rock is also apparent and Dexter Holland provides backing vocals on two tracks.
The All Hallow's E.P. explored the horror punk genre with autumnal themes, including a cover of the Misfits song "Halloween". The song "The Boy Who Destroyed the World" was featured in the video game Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3, and the single "Totalimmortal" was later covered by The Offspring.
On September 19, 2000, AFI released The Art of Drowning, which debuted on the Billboard Charts at number 174, and peaked at number 9 on the Heatseekers chart. It continued to touch base with the horror punk genre, but expanded into styles that were a departure from previous works. The album featured slower, more melodic songs that were more reminiscent of alternative rock, such as "Ever and a Day" and "6 to 8". Hardcore influences were present, more overtly on some tracks. The album sold over 100,000 copies. "The Days of the Phoenix" was released as a single and video and had some moderate mainstream success, garnering the band more TV and radio airplay. The song reached the UK Singles Chart with its titular EP in 2001, peaking at number 152. The success of The Art of Drowning helped to encourage the band to pursue higher mainstream notoriety.

Mainstream labels and popularity (2002–2007)

In 2002, AFI left Nitro Records. DreamWorks Records artists and repertoire executive Luke Wood signed them to the label following intense interest. Their first album for the label, Sing the Sorrow, was released in 2003. The album opened in Billboards top ten and scored enthusiastic lead reviews in major music magazines. The songs "Girl's Not Grey", "The Leaving Song Pt. II", and "Silver and Cold" had some Billboard chart success and exposed the band to even larger audiences. They were nominated in the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards for the MTV2 award category for the "Girl's Not Grey" video, which came to be their first VMA.
In June 2006, AFI's seventh studio album, Decemberunderground, was released on Interscope Records. The album's first single, "Miss Murder", reached No. 1 on the Billboard Modern Rock Charts. The release reflects the continually changing and growing fan base of the band, and the album debuted as No. 1 on the Billboard charts. The album has been certified Gold by the RIAA for sales of over 500,000 copies of the album. The album's second single, "Love Like Winter", was successful on MTV's Total Request Live and was retired after 40 days on the countdown.
On December 12, 2006, AFI released their first DVD, I Heard a Voice – Live from Long Beach Arena, featuring a live performance shot in Long Beach, California. The performance was later released on December 13, 2007, as a live album, and charted at number 133 on the Billboard 200, and number 16 on the Hard Rock Albums chart. The album was well-received, with punknews.org giving it a four-star rating and commenting that when hearing or seeing the performance "you begin to realize AFI are truly a great live band," and that at some points "Pantera would say turn the noise down."
File:AFI at Live Earth.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|AFI performing on the American leg of Live Earth in 2007
On July 7, 2007, AFI performed on the American leg of Live Earth. They performed "The Missing Frame", "Love Like Winter", "Miss Murder", and a cover of David Bowie's "Ziggy Stardust".

''Crash Love'', ''Burials'' and ''The Blood Album'' (2008–2017)

In July 2009, Havok announced that after two years of writing and recording, a new album titled Crash Love would be released on September 29, 2009. It was recorded with producer David Bottrill. The first single from the album, "Medicate", was released on August 25, 2009, and reached number 7 on the Billboard Alternative Songs Chart. Another single, "Beautiful Thieves", followed later in the year. Havok called Crash Love "the album by which we'll be remembered". It was the band's first release to make a significantly smaller impact than their previous effort, but peaked at number 12 on the Billboard 200.
From April to June 2013, several teaser videos were released on AFI's website.
The band was announced to play Riot Fest 2013, as well as being signed to Republic Records. A single titled "I Hope You Suffer" was released on July 23, and the title of the album, Burials, was announced. Another single, "17 Crimes", was released on August 6. The third single from the album, titled "The Conductor", was released on September 9. The album was released on October 22, produced by Gil Norton. It peaked at number 9 on the Billboard 200.
In a June 2016 interview with Aggressive Tendencies, Puget confirmed that AFI had begun working on new material for their tenth studio album. On October 27, the band released two new songs via Spotify, "Snow Cats" and "White Offerings".
The band's tenth album, AFI, was released on January 20, 2017. Puget served as the main producer. The album peaked at number 5 on the Billboard 200. Other singles were released, including "Aurelia" and "Hidden Knives".