Silver Bleeds the Black Sun sees AFI fully embracing their darkwave instincts with confidence and precision. This is one of their most cohesive, stylized, and vocally commanding albums in years. The record doesn’t rush, it doesn’t pander, and it rarely explodes — instead, it simmers and glows, letting atmosphere and Davey Havok’s presence carry the weight.

The album opens with The Bird of Prey, built on tribal drums and Spanish-flavored acoustic guitar. From the first note, it’s clear the focus here is on texture and mood rather than immediacy. Violins hover in the background, the vocals feel distant yet commanding, and the song swells patiently. While the climactic moments never fully erupt, the track establishes a ritualistic, atmospheric tone for the record.

Behind the Clock sharpens the focus, layering quirky synths over a dark, industrial-leaning bassline and hushed, ominous vocals. Drawing from ’90s alternative and early industrial rock, the track gradually builds to a restrained yet satisfying climax, highlighting AFI’s mastery of tension and release.

Confidence turns infectious on Holy Visions, a standout dance-driven track drenched in ’80s new wave energy. Deep synths, pulsing bass, and commanding backing vocals transform Davey into a hypnotic figure — divine, magnetic, and larger than life. AFI manage to be irresistibly catchy here without losing their signature darkness.

Blasphemy & Excess is one of the album’s most unusual and rewarding moments. Twangy, almost country-tinged guitars clash with moody bass and heavy drums, while Davey delivers one of his most unhinged vocal performances — manic, theatrical, and fearless. Its weirdness works because the band fully commits to the eccentricity.

Tracks like Spear of Truth and Ash Speck in a Green Eye continue the album’s slow-burn approach. Acoustic textures, whistling interludes, and deliberate, heavy drums create spacious compositions, while choruses harness grand ’80s rock energy, carried effortlessly by Davey’s emotionally resonant vocals.

The back half of the album arguably shines brightest. VOIDWARD, I BEND BACK thrives on thick basslines and haunting synths, featuring what may be Davey’s strongest modern-era vocal performance — sharp, fast, and unmistakably his own. Marguerite and A World Unmade solidify the album’s darkwave identity with echo-laden production, deep low-end, and vocals channeling an eerie ’80s pop charisma without feeling derivative.

The record closes with Noneunderground, finally introducing urgency. Alien synth loops and ringing guitars gradually erupt into a punk-infused finale, complete with faster drums and driving bass. It feels like AFI reinterpreting their punk roots through a darkwave lens — not nostalgic, but evolved.

Overall, Silver Bleeds the Black Sun is AFI at their most confident in years. Atmospheric, vocally stunning, and meticulously stylized, it’s a bold, strange, and unmistakably AFI record. Even when tracks prioritize mood over explosive payoff, the album’s commitment to 1980s darkwave, industrial textures, and theatrical restraint makes it one of their strongest modern works.