I'm going to be that guy and say that it turns 11 today. I'm pretty sure DU and Gold Record both came out on 6/06/2006.
Crazy how time flies. Not sure about other folks but some of the summer records of '06 and '07 get mixed up for me all the time. I think you also had UO's Define the Great Line around that time as well.
DU is my favorite too. I was 16 when it came out and at the time I only really liked the singles. It took me a few more years until I appreciated the record as a whole, and now I still love the whole thing front to back. STS is a close second. Both albums represent a really good time in the band's career.
I am firmly on the side that thinks the band's best output was Black Sails, All Hallows, Drowning, and STS. When I want AFI music those are the ones I return to the most. DU and Burials are good records though. I definitely like them. CL is not my thing and the Blood album is hit and miss for me. I return to the early material more so than CL or Blood. I think AFI is at it's best when they have their brand of punk rock as the foundation and the other influences mixed in throughout. I think they have flipped the formula and have the punk rock elements mixed in around the other sounds and influences.
Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes is the best album. Just sayin. Albums only SYMOYE STS TAOD BSITS DU Blood Burials VPOY ATASF CL
I agree with you on Crash Love. AFI are at their best when they write dark, brooding songs, and that record was a huge misstep for them I feel.
I hardly listen to anything pre-Art of Drowning. For some reason I have never formed a connection with them since DU was the first time I listened to them. The only way I hear the songs is if I'm at their show. STS, Burials, DU, and TAOD are what I return to most. I prefer the more electronic goth influnced sound sound they moved into than the hardcore punk influenced albums. But hey, I was two when they released their first album. STS Burials DU TAOD BSITS Blood CL SYMOYE ATASF VPOY
Yeah, you could probably convince me to include Shut Your Mouth in that initial group. It's not my favorite record of theirs, but I do really like it. Gun to my head, I would probably just pick either Drowning or STS as my favorite.
I've had moments this year where I still want it to be 2016 haha. Something about this year has made me do that more than others.
I came on to them when I watched the live DVD they put out touring DU and saw how amazing they were. Back tracked to STS but the sound they had before that just wasn't for me. I feel like I missed that place in time. I also think CL is a perfect album, so most AFI fans would tell me I'm crazy anyway.
I love Crash Love. However, you need to backtrack all the way back to Black Sails. You're missing two crucial records for when they truly became what they've become today.
that album in my mind has 2 parts, the hits/huge sounding songs, and the subdued mysterious brooding ones. Both are heavenly, I adore that album so much.