AFI – ‘Love Like Winter’ (Interscope) Released 06/11/06

The second single to be taken from the band’s US number one album Decemberunderground, ‘Love Like Winter’ sees AFI aiming for chart success but falling flat on their faces when it comes to musical achievement. There’s nothing particularly awful about this record, but when a band tries to produce a stomping alternative rock anthem you expect something with balls and ambition, of which the song has neither. My Chemical Romance’s recent number one ‘Welcome to the Black Parade’ may sound like the tuneless wailings of a petulant teenager with a fascination for Queen guitar solos, but at least it made you sit up and take notice. Eyeliner, echo effects and eighties synths just aren’t enough to cut it I’m afraid.