Silver Bleeds the Black Sun...

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Silver Bleeds the Black Sun...
Studio album by
AFI
ReleasedOctober 3, 2025 (2025-10-03)
Genre
Length33:57
LabelRun for Cover
ProducerJade Puget
AFI chronology
Bodies
(2021) 		Silver Bleeds the Black Sun...
(2025)
Singles from Silver Bleeds the Black Sun...
  1. "Behind the Clock"
    Released: August 5, 2025

Silver Bleeds the Black Sun... is the twelfth studio album by American rock band AFI. It was released on October 3, 2025, via Run for Cover in LP, CD and digital formats.[3]

Consisting of ten songs with a total runtime of approximately thirty-four minutes, Silver Bleeds the Black Sun... was preceded by the band's 2021 full-length release, Bodies. "Behind the Clock" was released as the lead single on August 5, 2025,[4] alongside a music video directed by Gilbert Trejo.[5]

Reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic81/100[6]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStarStar[7]
Clash8/10[8]
Classic RockStarStarStarHalf star[9]
Kerrang4/5[10]
LouderStarStarStarStarHalf star[11]
musicOMHStarStarStarStar[12]
Sputnikmusic3.5/5[1]

In a four-star review for AllMusic, Neil Z. Yeung noted the style as "leaning into the adult goth-rock and post-punk", referring to the production as "lush", "layered" and "the real standout".[7]

Giving it a rating of eight, Clash's Paulina Subia noted, the album "beautifully captures the continuous draw towards the Gothic: a sheer elation at the exorcism of one's inner demons."[8] James Hickie of Kerrang! remarked, "What makes Silver Bleeds the Black Sun… work is the confidence with which AFI have gone all in, slipping the bonds of expectation once and for all and cutting loose," giving it a rating of four.[10]

In a review for Louder, Stephen Hill referred to it as "their finest album in over a decade. Even by AFI's standards, this is none more goth."[11] Sowing of Sputnikmusic assigned it a rating of 3.5, stating "The blackened, angry-at-the-world post-punk delivered through a theatrical, 80s-tinged lens aesthetic is absolutely perfect for them at this stage of their careers."[1]

Track listing

[edit]

All tracks are written by Hunter Burgan, Adam Carson, Davey Havok, and Jade Puget.

Silver Bleeds the Black Sun... track listing
No.TitleLength
1."The Bird of Prey"3:08
2."Behind the Clock"3:57
3."Holy Visions"3:30
4."Blasphemy & Excess"3:04
5."Spear of Truth"4:11
6."Ash Speck in a Green Eye"3:18
7."Voidward, I Bend Back"2:28
8."Marguerite"3:04
9."A World Unmade"4:01
10."Nooneunderground"3:16
Total length:33:57

Personnel

[edit]

Credits adapted from Tidal.[13]

AFI

[edit]

Additional contributors

[edit]
  • Tony Hoffer – mixing
  • Vlado Meller – mastering
  • Cameron Lister – drum engineering
  • Mike Fasano – drum technician
  • Jeremy Lubser – mastering assistance
  • Don Phury – design, illustrations

Charts

[edit]
Chart performance for Silver Bleeds the Black Sun...
Chart (2025) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[14] 57
Scottish Albums (OCC)[15] 67
UK Album Downloads (OCC)[16] 23
UK Albums Sales (OCC)[17] 39
UK Independent Albums (OCC)[18] 14
US Billboard 200[19] 110
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[20] 15
US Top Rock & Alternative Albums (Billboard)[21] 27

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Sowing (September 29, 2025). "Review: AFI – Silver Bleeds the Black Sun". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  2. ^ Hill, Stephen. "AFI Silver Bleeds the Black Sun... review: Davey Havok and his crue have gone full goth, and it's resulted in their best album in over a decade". Metal Hammer. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  3. ^ "AFI Announces New Album 'Silver Bleeds The Black Sun…', Shares Lead Single 'Behind The Clock'". Blabbermouth. August 5, 2025. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  4. ^ Sacher, Andrew (August 5, 2025). "AFI go goth on new album 'Silver Bleeds the Black Sun' (hear a track)". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  5. ^ Breihan, Tom (August 5, 2025). "AFI Announce New Album 'Silver Bleeds The Black Sun...': Hear "Behind The Clock"". Stereogum. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  6. ^ "Reviews for Silver Bleeds The Black Sun... by AFI". Metacritic. Retrieved October 18, 2025.
  7. ^ a b Yeung, Neil (October 3, 2025). "Silver Bleeds the Black Sun... Review". AllMusic. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  8. ^ a b Subia, Paulina (October 2, 2025). "AFI — Silver Bleeds The Black Sun…". Clash. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  9. ^ The best 1983 album released in 2025. [Nov 2025, p.78]
  10. ^ a b Hickie, James (October 3, 2025). "Album review: AFI – Silver Bleeds the Black Sun…". Kerrang!. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  11. ^ a b Hill, Stephen (October 3, 2025). "AFI Silver Bleeds the Black Sun... review". Louder. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  12. ^ Horton, Ross (October 15, 2025). "AFI – Silver Bleeds The Black Sun…". musicOMH. Retrieved October 18, 2025.
  13. ^ "Silver Bleeds the Black Sun... / AFI / Credits". Tidal. Retrieved October 4, 2025.
  14. ^ "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 13 October 2025". The ARIA Report. No. 1858. Australian Recording Industry Association. October 13, 2025. p. 6.
  15. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 11, 2025.
  16. ^ "Official Album Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 12, 2025.
  17. ^ "Official Albums Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 11, 2025.
  18. ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 11, 2025.
  19. ^ "Billboard 200: Week of October 18, 2025". Billboard. Retrieved October 14, 2025.
  20. ^ "Independent Albums: Week of October 18, 2025". Billboard. Retrieved October 14, 2025.
  21. ^ "Top Rock & Alternative Albums: Week of October 18, 2025". Billboard. Retrieved October 14, 2025.