Black Sails in the Sunset

Infobox Album | Name = Black Sails in the Sunset
Type = Album
Artist = AFI


Released = May 18, 1999
Recorded = 1998-1999
Genre = Horror punk, hardcore punk
Length = 46:13
Label = Nitro
Producer = AFI
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|3|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:be62mpph9ffo~T1 link] | Last album = "Black Sails EP"
(1999)
This album = "Black Sails in the Sunset"
(1999)
Next album = "All Hallow's EP"
(1999)

"Black Sails in the Sunset" is a 1999 punk rock album by AFI. This is the first full-length album with Jade Puget as a full time member of the band.

Track listing

The track listing for this album differs across the formats it is available in.

#"Strength Through Wounding" – 1:33
#"Porphyria Cutanea Tarda" – 2:07
#"Exsanguination" – 2:48
#"Malleus Maleficarum" – 4:01
#"Narrative Of Soul Against Soul" – 2:29
#"Clove Smoke Catharsis" – 4:38
#"The Prayer Position" – 3:27
#"No Poetic Device" – 2:16
#"Weathered Tome" – 2:12
#"The Last Kiss" – 3:02
#"At A Glance" – 4:00
#"God Called In Sick Today" – 3:21

Bonus tracks, B-sides, unreleased tracks, etc.

All tracks recorded during the "Black Sails" sessions unless otherwise noted.

* "Midnight Sun" is featured as a hidden track on the CD edition of the album
* "Lower It" is featured as track 7 of the vinyl edition of the album. It was later re-released on the "AFI" retrospective compilation.
* "Who Knew?" was first featured on the "Black Sails" EP. It can also be found in place of "Midnight Sun" as a hidden track on the Japanese edition of the album.
* "Transference" was released on the "No Time to Kill" compilation. This is the only known instance in AFI's catalogue when Hunter has had a lead vocal part during the chorus of a song.
* "The Chicken Song" is featured as a hidden track on the "No Time to Kill" compilation. This song features Hunter on piano and Davey and Jade sharing lead vocal duties. The band often jokingly denies the existence of this song.
* "Weight of Words" was recorded during the "Black Sails" sessions but has yet to be released.

Notes

* The CD case lists track 2 as "Porphyria," whilst the sleeve names it "Porphyria Cutanea Tarda." The song's title references the skin disease that results in an acute sensitivity to sunlight.
* Track titles 9 and 10 (tracks 10 and 11 on the list above) were switched on the CD face and on the back of the packaging. The correct order is listed here.
* "God Called in Sick Today" is featured regularly in AFI's setlist. It is generally used to conclude the show, although since the release of "Decemberunderground" it is usually followed by "Miss Murder." (See "I Heard a Voice")
* "Midnight Sun" is a hidden track on the CD edition of the album, found on the same track as "God Called in Sick Today," 10 minutes and 28 seconds into the track. It was influenced by poet Charles Baudelaire, who wrote the poem "De Profundis Clamavi." Havok can be heard whispering the poem during the bridge of the song.
* "Strength Through Wounding" contains the chant "Through our bleeding, we are one." Fans have been known to chant this before the band comes on stage or during pauses between songs.
* The song "Malleus Maleficarum" references the famous treatise on the prosecution of witches. In an interview for the "I Heard a Voice" DVD, guitarist Jade Puget states that "Malleus Maleficarum" was the first song he wrote as a part of AFI.
* The inner-edge of the CD case reveals a hidden message: "Beyond and To All Time I Stand". This is a lyric from "Midnight Sun". Such hidden messages are present on many of AFI's releases on Nitro Records. The phrase is also from the Inferno part of Dante Alighieri's The Divine Comedy, It is uttered by an unnamed demon.
* Dexter Holland, singer from The Offspring and owner of AFI's label (at the time), Nitro Records, made a guest vocal appearance on this album in the songs "Clove Smoke Catharsis" (3 minutes, 46 seconds in) and "The Prayer Position" (3 minutes, 10 seconds in).
* "Black Sails in the Sunset" is also the name of a song by Elvis Costello and the Attractions, an outtake from the album "Trust".

Personnel

*Davey Havok - Vocals
*Jade Puget - Guitar, backing vocals
*Hunter Burgan - Bass, backing vocals
*Adam Carson - Drums

*Dexter Holland - Guest backing vocals
*AFI - Producer
*Andy Ernst - Engineer, Mixing
*Mike Fasano - Drum Technician
*Thadd LaRue - Engineer, Assistant Engineer
*Alan Forbes - Illustrations
*Gabe Morford - Photography
*Jamie Reilly - Layout Design

References