Customer Reviews

AFI: I Heard a Voice

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

AFI finally release a live DVD, and as a portrayal of the band as it stands now, it is very impressive. It does lack older, more hardcore punk tracks, but that is to be expected as the band grows and matures into the band it is now. Each album progresses towards more epic scales, and songs balance beauty with power. "I Heard a Voice" captures this on film, and the fan gets to witness AFI at their most grandiose. Watching vocalist Davey Havok sing "God Called in Sick Today" while being held up by the audience is amazing to watch and gives this reviewer chills everytime. The masterful command of theatrics from each member, especially Havok, creates a powerful feeling unable to fully describe but easy to appreciate. The setlist itself is perfectly put together, with the only gripe being the exclusion of "Kiss and Control." The rest of the songs display all facets of AFI, from the fast paced "Dancing Through Sunday",(which includes a nicely executed guitar solo by guitarist Jade Puget) "Kill Caustic", "Death of Seasons", "Totalimmortal" and "A Single Second", (the last of which features a guest appearance by Nick 13 of Tiger Army) to the slower paced "This Time Imperfect" and "Endlessly, She Said" as well as all of their recent singles, and a few more cuts from their latest releases "Decemberunderground" and "Sing the Sorrow". Extras are geared towards the fans, with Despair Faction interviews and the inclusion of videos from their massive scavenger hunt prior to the Decemberunderground release, as well as a poster.

Each band member has their moments to shine, and are all very capable and talented muscians. Bassist Hunter Burgan and drummer Adam Carson lay down a solid foundation as well as background vocals, as Puget layers his unique guitar sound and obvious mastery, in this genre, over the instrument. This is all built up to allow Havok to use his unique vocal approach to wander in between melodies and notes, mixing powerful singing with a fantastic screaming voice, to create beautiful atmospheres of sound that can crash down on you just as easily as it hypnotizes you.

The quality of the sound production as well as the video edits are fantastic. Unlike other live DVD's, where the concert is edited to the point of a music video, "I Heard a Voice" has just the right amount to not make you forget you are watching a live dvd, but also add to the overall effect of the performance. The sound is very clear, and the sound levels are perfectly set to allow each member to cut through the mix.

This is overall a very stellar production, and fans who have already embraced the new direction of the band, as well as new fans and casual fans, should find the dvd to be quite entertaining and a very worthwhile buy.

So yeah, it's that season again, the Christmas season, so it's time for record labels to slowly unleash a litany of items from bands who do not have a new studio record out. And for AFI it's a new live DVD entitled "I Heard a Voice".
"I Heard a Voice" features a live concert from the 2006 tour promoting the groups "decemberunderground", filmed at their largest headlining gig at the Long Beach Arena. It features songs primarily from the groups last two records, "Sing the Sorrow" and "decemberunderground", with a few older songs sprinkled in for good measure, including an excellent rendition of "A Single Second", featuring Tiger Amry's lead singer/ all around good guy Nick 13 singing vocals, a treat for those who like both AFI and Tiger Army.
So how is it? Although I would've liked some more bonus features, maybe the groups music videos thus far, some in studio footage, things of that sort as all you get are some interviews with the band and their fans and some hidden short video pieces, the overall quality of the DVD is excellent, although it does suffer from too many cuts coming far to quickly on top of one another, a sad development in the live DVD market. The performances are high energy and well played, and the DVD quality is excellent. The sound quality is top notch, availble in both 5:1 Surround and two channel stero.
For fans of AFI this is a welcome addition to their AFI collections. For those who maybe fairweather fans, or people who don't like AFI at all, this probably won't change their minds.

Well, if your thinking about buying this... buy it twice because its worth every penny. Obviously there are a few things to clear up because of the other reviews. I have seen AFI live twice they are amazing they even sound better live than they do on album. This dvd looks exactly like... almost exactly like the two shows I seen. Also, people like to talk trash about AFI because they change their sound, me personally I can't stand a band that sounds the same on every album. These people cannot appreciate good music or good live music. When I bought this dvd I watched it at least 5 times the day I got it. All of my friends watched it, my parents, my grandma, and I didnt get any bad comments from any of them. My dad would go around singing AFI because, I've been into this band for many years..he wasnt a big fan but he knew some songs. I took him to a concert with me and he enojyed the hell out of it. He came home with a brand new love for AFI. AFI keep their music fresh, they change it up. If any of you were in a band would you like to feel like your making the same album over and over again. It would be boring and not worth the time. A true AFI fan can really appreciate anything and everything AFI do. Yes, all this is coming from someone who has every AFI album. Someone who listens to the hardcore AFI such as Answer That And Stay Fashionable, Very Proud Of Ya just as much as Sing The Sorrow and December Underground ...I listen to it all. Davey Havok has such a beautiful voice, not to mention hes very attractive. This dvd would be worth it. Also, the reason why they dont play a bunch of old songs is because they have been a band for a long time they have played alot of shows..those songs have been played enough..not that it wouldnt be nice to hear some more old stuff..just saying you have to think about these things...this is not 1999...this is 2007. No one should ever forget the older AFI its a great part of AFI, but the band changes and creates new sound...why should they be looked down upon for it.

This DVD is great...
If you're an A.F.I fan you should buy it...
I love it a lot
the only thing that I didn't like that much was that they played all songs a little bit slower that in the original cd tracks.

LOVE AFI and everything surrounding them, good DVD to have if you can't see them live.

they're totally different than the band i got into with "art of drowning." i really enjoy when a band can change dramatically and still be really good and afi are definately that type of band. i don't even need to read reviews or nothing, when they release anything i buy it and enjoy it because everything they release is always great.

I Heard a Voice is superb...it really gives you a realistic feel of a live AFI show. Only downside? I think it would have been SLIGHTLY better with more interviews with the band.

AFI has one of the best live shows, over the years I have accumulated many bootlegs of their concerts and now finally they release a dvd! it still doesnt quite capture the feel of beeing there and the emphasis is on many new songs but the dvd is great and has some interviews of DF members which adds a lot of great perspective to what it is like to be an afi fanatic. GREAT BUY!

I think the quality of the dvd is very good, I wouldve like to see more older songs but overall the setlist is pretty cool. I did enjoy the bonus feature of the despair factor members and the band members discussing the songs.

great dvd, great purchase. AFI rocks and they have many of their hits on this dvd must have for AFI fans