AFI Showcase Their ‘Lovesong’ to Post-Punk with Goth-Rocker ‘Behind The Clock’

California’s A Fire Inside have a mission of continual sound progression and artistic revolution. From their early raw brash hardcore roots found on Answer That And Stay Fashionable (1995) and Very Proud Of Ya (1996). To their darker and romantic sounds explored in the chaos of their hardcore DNA with Black Sails In The Sunset (1999), and then gothic and death rock flirtations with 2000’s The Art Of Drowning.

2003 marked the fire inciting attention with LP Sing The Sorrow. The album was met with critical acclaim and commercial success charting in Australia, Canada, the UK and the US and achieving Gold, Platinum and Silver statuses in record sales respectably. AFI had embraced a theatrical emotional alternative punk rock formula that radiated throughout the twelve anthems. Their evolution though, was set to erupt immensely.

‍DecemberUnderground released in 2006 sensationally seized the aura of emo and post-hardcore in cinematic fury. Experimentations with EDM and new wave soundscapes were delightfully demonstrated in a scream-pop extravaganza. The goth rockers had reached the stadium-filling status; however, their artistic inquisitiveness was to guide them to other wavelengths brilliantly again.

‍Crash Love (2009) dived into pop-rock grandeur with a charming jangly indie attitude. Burials (2013) essentially expanded on what its predecessor etched out, with an infectious shadowy atmosphere. The self-titled effort of 2017 broadcasted a glamorous take on the new wave genre with hints of horror punk. Then, the quartet’s eleventh full-length Bodies (2021) incorporated moments of Davey Havok and guitarist Jade Puget’s side project Blaqk Audio, with more rock’n’roll attitude.

2025 has brought upon Chapter 12 of the AFI journey, and this could arguably be the most electrAFIying yet. On August 5^th, Davey, Jade, bassist Hunter Burgan and drummer Adam Carson unleashed their latest gothic post-punk belter ‘Behind The Clock’. Within those almost four-minutes, that clock had practically stopped; more fittingly, it magically rewound time remarkably – this is a thrilling throwback to the compelling “dark and beautiful” of a different era and it is astounding.

‍Joy Division’s ‘Atrocity Exhibition’, The Crow film and soundtrack, David Bowie, David Lynch, and most tremendously (and gratefully), The Cure, are all marvellously melted into this mesmerising composition, but with so many more dimensions. Moments of New Order, the industrial wanderings of Nine Inch Nails, and the dark wave ambiences of Cold Cave, emanate in an amazing archetype of post-punk perfection that distorts and delights in heart-rendering euphoria.

The imagery of Havok’s poetry in expressing “In Glitter Hell” is a faultless description of the single’s extraordinary essence. Driven by gloom, yet glowing in its darkness.

The accompanying film clip captures the compelling undertone flawlessly. Directed by Gilbert Trejo (Machete), he describes the video as feeling: “… like you’re seeing something you shouldn’t. In effect you are, because that’s how Davey writes lyrics. He’s expressing himself so openly, that you’re let behind this curtain. It’s a world that most artists don’t cut to, marrow deep.”

‍Sharing the experience working with Trejo, vocalist Davey Havok expresses that: “Gilbert’s video has sublimated the essence of ‘Behind the Clock’. His vision and expertise is inspiring. Working with him was a privilege and utter joy. He is an artist of the purest form.”

‍AFI will release their new album Silver Bleeds the Black Sun… on October 3rd via Run For Cover Records/Civilians. Pre-order here.

‍The compelling darkness is coming…

Words by Will Oakeshott @teenwolfwill