AFI Is Still on Fire With ‘The Blood Album’

Sandy Lo

AFI released their new record, “The Blood Album,” last month and it immediately hit the Top 10 on the Billboard Charts. They will be playing at The Wiltern in Los Angeles on Feb. 24 – 25.  AFI’s bassist, Hunter Burgan recently told Entertainment Voice how surreal the longevity of the band has been. “So many of my favorite bands growing up never even lasted 10 years and here we are at nearly 26 years! It’s remarkable,” said Burgan.

“Musically, we have matured a lot since the early days. Even when we go back and play some of our earliest songs, they sound better than they ever did. I think we are more aware of our strengths and weaknesses. We have a better sense of what it is that makes our sound uniquely ours. The wide stylistic range that our catalog comprises evolved slowly over the years because we always look to express new ideas and not repeat things we’ve already done,” said Burgan.

“The Blood Album” was co-produced by the band’s guitarist, Jade Puget and The Deftones’ Matt Hyde.  They recorded over 60 songs for the album and narrowed it down to 14 solid tracks that are pure gold.  “Aurelia” is the latest single off the album, following the ultra-melodic “Snow Cats” and “White Offerings,” which features fantastic guitar licks.  

“Aurelia is one of my favorite songs to play from the new album,” said Hunter. “It’s a post-punk, new wave feeling that I really get into. Much of my bass line is played up around the 12th fret, chords mostly, which is quite enjoyable for me as a musician. Don’t get me wrong, I love banging out heavy low notes, but this song has a delicate nature that I really connect with.”

AFI is currently on tour with dates listed through the summer. “The tour has been great so far,” said Burgan. “We’ve been trying new set lists every night, often including new songs, deep cuts. Songs we’ve only played once in 10 years, once ever or never played at all. We’re having a lot of fun with it and the audiences seem to love it too!”

When asked if there was a specific city AFI looks forward to most, Hunter said that he finds something to explore in every city. “I love that each city has its own style. Whenever I can find time on tour, I like to explore. Whether it’s in search of a new coffee shop or vegan restaurant or just interesting architecture to photograph, I love finding something unique about a city. Since we are lucky enough to play for amazing fans all over the world, I get to travel and see a lot of great cities,” said Burgan.

As for pre-show rituals, Hunter is all about keeping things healthy. “I’ve always stressed the importance of stretching before a performance. I like to leap and bound all over the stage, but I’m not 20 anymore, so I have to spend longer stretching every night. I even bring a yoga mat with me,” said Burgan.

2017 began with the new album release and is continuing on strong with The Blood Tour.  According to Hunter, there will be plenty of dates to catch them live this year. “We plan on touring for much of 2017. It’s a big world after all, and we are only just getting started,” said Burgan. Sounds like the fire inside is still very much alive.  

“The Blood Album,” is available Jan. 20 on Apple Music. For a list of AFI’s shows, check out afireinside.net.