"December Underground," AFI's long awaited follow-up to 2003's "Sing the Sorrow" congers visions of bleak, concrete walls, bare trees and the banshee like wails of a demented crow as it waits for your soul to depart. This album is reminisent of a mix of mid 80's to early 90's Punk and Goth sounds. Old time AFI fans will recognize tunes like "Affliction, Love Like Winter and Endlessly, She Said," as banner carriers for the bands signature sound. My personal favorite track on the disk is "The Interview." The melodies and lyrics flow together like a perfect wine, very refreshing. The song spawns the title of the album and made me feel like I had been on a long late night drive only to arrive at my destination as the sun came up, one of my favorite times of day. I failed to pick up on the "Prelude 12/21" hook and couldn't understand its inclusion on the album. Maybe someone requested a lullaby from Lead Singer Davey Havok.

"December Underground" gave me the chills as the despair and the bleak tone led me down a cemetarial (ok, so it's a made up word...it fits) side trip and made me wonder whether Davey was reaching out for help in a subconscious way or making it clear that this is the world emotion that we live in now. As the lyrics and composition grew on me, the album found a very comfortable resting place in my ears. While I found the guitar to be missing something in its lack of detail, the harmony and rhythm were dead on. The driving bass and drums kept me into the fold long after the tunes ended and that's what makes it a keeper in my book. If it elicits any kind of memories, it will always take the listener somewhere. Now, whether that place is a good place or ....one can only hope.

"December Underground," produced by Jerry Finn for Interscope records is the bands 7th studio collection and includes some driving bass beats from Hunter (Burgan,The Force) and strong lyrical vocals of Davey Havok. Together with the enegetic drumming of Adam Carson and guitar of Jade Puget (Loose Change), these Ukiah, California musicians manage to carry their sounds in all directions. At one point the band even manages to incorporate the chants of their legend of fans called "The Despair Faction." AFI continues to draw comparisons to Green Day, Nirvana, and Lincoln Park (without the rap hooks) in their sound and my first impression left me wondering if they didn't have a British cousin somewhere in their midst (dark, gloomy and waiting for the end of times). The Goth fans will love this album and there are enough good points throughout the album to make it a worthwhile purchase for even the pop groupies.