A pivotal shift toward a darker, "meaner" hardcore sound. This was the first album to feature the band’s current full-time bassist, Hunter Burgan. The Transition: Gothic Punk Mastery (1999–2001)

Their debut, co-produced by Rancid's Tim Armstrong, is a "fizzy" punk rock album featuring fan favorites like "I Wanna Get a Mohawk (But Mom Won't Let Me Get One)" .

The mid-2000s saw AFI move to major labels, where they became a dominant force on the Billboard charts.

This release solidified their place on Nitro Records , the label founded by members of The Offspring.

Widely regarded as the beginning of their "classic era," featuring a darker sound on tracks like "Malleus Maleficarum".