Afi

AFI, or A Fire Inside, began in November 1991 in Ukiah, California, with lead vocalist Davey Havok, guitarist Mark Stopholese, and bassist Vic Chalker. Adam Carson joined as drummer shortly thereafter. The band members, who initially had no musical experience, learned their instruments and played their first three shows by October 1992. After a brief hiatus in 1993, the band reformed and relocated to Berkeley, California, releasing independent EPs such as “Dork” (1993), “Behind the Times,” “Eddie Picnic’s All Wet,” and “Fly in the Ointment.” Their debut full-length album, “Answer That and Stay Fashionable,” was released in 1995 on Wingnut Records. This period established their early hardcore punk sound.

AFI signed with Nitro Records, releasing “Very Proud of Ya” in 1996. Following Kresge’s departure, Hunter Burgan joined as bassist in 1997, and Jade Puget became the lead guitarist in 1998, solidifying the current lineup. The band’s sound began to transition from punk rock to a darker style with “Black Sails in the Sunset” (1999) and “The Art of Drowning” (2000), which debuted at number 174 on the Billboard 200 and sold over 100,000 copies. The single “The Days of the Phoenix” gained moderate mainstream attention, reaching the UK Singles Chart in 2001.

The early 2000s marked AFI’s mainstream breakthrough. They signed with DreamWorks Records in 2002, releasing “Sing the Sorrow” in 2003, which peaked at number five on the Billboard 200 and was certified Platinum by the RIAA in 2006, selling over 1.26 million copies. Hit singles from this album included “Girl’s Not Grey,” “The Leaving Song Pt. II,” and “Silver and Cold.” Their seventh album, “Decemberunderground” (2006), debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and featured the chart-topping single “Miss Murder,” which was also included in “Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock.” The band continued to release successful albums such as “Crash Love” (2009), “Burials” (2013), and “AFI” (2017), which consistently charted high on the Billboard 200. In 2021, they released “Bodies,” and their twelfth album, “Silver Bleeds the Black Sun…”, is scheduled for release in October 2025.