arcane-beautiful So...Coheed releases a new album...I already know I'm going to love this.

Yes, I am a massive Coheed fan. I don't really need to say more. But, to be honest, when this album was coming out...I wasn't really expecting much.

I think I was thinking at the time "eugh...double albums...this is going to be left over material". But...this is Coheed...there is a reason behind all this (also, making 2 albums for the price of one saves a lot of money)

So...is this a brilliant sequel...or just a hashed up follow up...

It's a brilliant sequel obviously, but the reason why it's brilliant is a bit different to what you would expect. The first album had a "we're back" mentality, with the album being very grand and at times could even be over the top. This album on the other hand has an interesting structure...with the heavier and more out there songs starting the album off...but the other half of the album has a more relaxed and more controlled feeling. This completely reflects the concept of the album, and it really works and actually helps the tones and emotions of the album.

As usual, the band are on top form, and have even shown a lot more experimentation on this album, and at times there experiments could even be described as fearless. Claudios voice has never been stronger in my opinion, and any comments like "he sounds like Geddy Lee on helium" and all that stuff, may even be lost now. Claudio, in my opinion has always had one of the most interesting voices in music, and many people may try and compare him to other people, but at the end of the day...no one can.

1.Pretelethal - Usually Coheed start their albums with a simple instrumental introduction. It was very interesting to see them do a song like this. One of Coheed's most proggy moments in my opinion...and it's only really an introduction. 9/10

2. Key Entity Extraction V: Sentry The Defiant - The obvious single for the album. I remember when the acoustic version of this song leaked, I was pretty excited about this song. Then hearing a live version...and then seeing the band perform it live in the flesh...I was pretty stoked to hear the actual studio version. And yea, I love it. The only problem I have is when the high note is sung, Claudio tends to scream it, but I would have preferred him to have just sung it like he does in the last chorus. A small flaw, but meh, a pretty kick ass song nonetheless. 9/10

3. The Hard Sell - This song reminds me of Mother's Of Men. It has a similar feel and even structure to it. In fact, there may even be a link to these songs, but pretty kick ass nonetheless. Nice interesting harmonies and melodies throughout. 8/10

4. Number City - It starts off as a rather odd song, but as it progresses, its actually more of a return to form for the band. One of the most joyfull chorus' on a Coheed song. It twists and turns in a lot of weird manners, but still one of the most enjoyable songs on the album. 9/10

5. Gravity's Union - I think with Coheed epics, we can get 2 different types of songs. Like Domino in the last album, we had a "anthemic" epic. This is an example of a "progressive" epic, with its anthemic bits coming from the interesting twists and turns that the music has in it. One of Coheed's more interesting moments. 10/10

6. Away We Go - This song is pure cheese...but I love it. What, can I say, I just love cheese. For some reason, this song reminds of Journey (that'll explain the cheese). Definitely one of my favorite songs on the album. 10/10

7. Iron Fist - I remember when I heard the acoustic version of this song, I wasn't too excited. It was alright, but it really didn't excite me. Hearing this new version for the first time, I'm pretty impressed. They were able to take what I thought was an overly simple song, and really decorate it with something really brilliant. The instrumentation really gives this song its magic, and without it, it does seem a bit bland. 8/10

8. Dark Side Of Me - For some odd reason...this might be one of my favorite Coheed songs. Such a powerful vocal performance, and powerful lyrics (mainly due to this song being the climax of the concept). The music video for this song is a must see as well. 10/10

9. 2's My Favourite 1 -Ok...this is a great end to the album, but only one thing was going through my mind..."this sounds like Fall Out Boy." Good poppy ending to the album, and an interesting way to end the whole thing off. 9/10

CONCLUSION: Trying to pick a favorite between these 2 albums is a bit hard. The first one was a lot more in your face I think. This one is a lot more calmer and more easy listening. I think trying to choose between them is like a family choosing between 2 children. I love both albums and think they are masterpieces in Coheed's discographies, and prove that this band have a lot more to say in the coming years. Coheed have been album to get into my top lists of the year, 2 years in a row now. I will just assume that everything they make will be brilliant and never doubt them again.

8.7/10

arcane-beautiful Coheed is back...with a new agenda.

Ok, I think everyone should know that I'm a massive fan of this band. From being in bands that basically where cover bands of this band and buying everything they own, yea, I have known them for a long time.

Now, the build up to this album was rather secretive, and its interesting because usually Coheed treat a new album like the second coming of Christ. It might be due to the fact these guys are now signed to there own label, and not to a major one anymore. So really, buying this album is buying each member of the band a cheap KFC. So you should buy it out of charity really.

Now on every album, Coheed do something different, and as usual, they can be notably seen. From the mixed reviews of Year Of The Black Rainbow from critics and fans alike, Coheed decided to ditch the weird production and dark Nine Inch Nails sounding atmospheres, and go back to songwriting, and it worked like a treat on this album.

The songwriting has actually become a lot more compact, and a maturer sound is really appearing on the album. The songs sound more contemporary at times and more to the point. The length of the album also helps the feeling of being “compact”. It's over in heartbeat, and it feels like you just listened to a great string of songs, in order. Usually Coheed albums are a bit longer, and more filler moments can be heard, but this format really works well for the band, and the sequel to this album will also match the feelings felt on this album.

Now concept wise, the band have taken a different approach. Instead of one linear narrative, it focuses on different events and character profiles, as the protagonist Sirius Armory travels back to his past and sees the life through different characters eyes. An interesting idea for a concept, and a great idea to cover an entire double album (in fact, it reminds me a little bit of Ayreon's Flight Of The Navigator double album)

Musically, the band have changed a bit, especially with a new line up. Josh's return to the band has brought back the more rockier drum sound, and new bassist Zach Cooper is just an amazing bassist, who gives the album a certain warmness. Claudio's voice is also better than ever too. Also, I suggest seeing the band live (as I did in November) for an amazing experience. This band will always be dear to my heart.

1. The Hollow – An amazing intro to the album. The atmospheric keyboards, the creepy narration. Perfect way to keep a listener to keep on listening and wait for what's happening next. 10/10

2. Key Entity Extraction I: Domino The Destitute – Ok, I have to admit. When this song was leaked, I was a bit obsessed with it. Out of all the Coheed epics, this is probably my favourite. Also, out of all their longer songs, this seems to be the most compact one. Nothing really gets boring, every section is as enjoyable and interesting as the next, and a lot of climaxes will be heard throughout. Also, it is probably one of Claudio's best lyrical moments. This definitely goes on the top of my list of favourite Coheed songs. 10/10

3. The Afterman – One of Coheed's more softer moments. A very beautiful yet tragic song. The strings on this song are nice touch as well. 10/10

4. Mothers Of Men – One of my least favorite songs on the album, but when considering Coheed, that's like saying my least favourite cake. One of the more rhythmical songs on the album, with a very interesting arrangement throughout. 9/10

5. Goodnight, Fair Lady – A pop song about date rape. Only Coheed could get away with this. The date rape does add a touch of dark humour to the song, but other than that, its incredibly joyous and catchy. 10/10

6. Key Entity Extraction II: Holly Wood The Cracked – This would have been one of the shining moments on this album, the only problem I have with it is that it's too short (usually songs need to be cut down for some bands, Coheed need to make them longer). A more darker side to Coheed, and a flashback to some of the darker material on Year Of The Black Rainbow. One of the albums best chorus' as well. 9/10

7. Key Entity Extraction III: Vic The Butcher – The albums most rocking song. A great sing along chorus and some really kick ass fist in the air moments. This will run around your head through the next few days. 9/10

8. Key Entity Extraction IV: Evagria the Faithful – Probably one of the nicest Coheed softer moments. A very melodic tinged song with a very powerful chorus. I'm glad Josh is back as well, because the drumming on this song really is top notch and some of his best. 10/10

9. Subtraction – An odd way to end off an album, but rather pretty and nice. The arrangement I think is great too, especially the use of keyboards. I have heard that this was supposed to be a Prize Fighter Inferno song, so you can expect a few electronic glitches and soft keys. 9/10

CONCLUSION: This may not be my favourite Coheed album, but after thinking it through, this may be the album that I would give to someone if they wanted to get into Coheed, because it really has everything, and a little bit more. The band have changed a lot over the years, but there's eve stabs back at there older sounds, and even more on the 2nd part of this album (which I will review at some point as well). The shortness of the album also helps a lot more. A very compact little package. Also its Coheed, so expect a masterpiece of music and songwriting.

8.7/10

Kingcrimsonprog The Afterman: Ascension is the sixth full-length studio album from the unique American band Coheed And Cambria.

If you have never heard the band before, they mix Progressive Rock tendencies such as long conceptual tracks, multiple time signatures, recurring themes, occasional use of keys and electronics etc with occasional heavy sections of heavily distorted low pitched guitars and double-kicks, although the band never go too far with either and mainly tend to exist around a core sound of cheerful melodic alternative rock (that’s just a bit more varied and expressive than usual). As such, the band can cultivate a broad audience from Metal fans to Emo fans to Prog fans, and are especially suited to fans of all three.

They also have an incredibly expressive and diverse signer who is most famous for his high-pitched slightly feminine vocals but also has an unbelievably large range of tones and styles and can convey emotion vocally better than almost any of his peers. He is able to display a character’s conviction, sadness or pain really effectively which makes for seriously interesting listening.

Like their two Good Apollo albums (which were the band’s third and fourth studio albums), The Afterman is a set of two related albums consisting of this 2012 album, Ascension, and 2013′s upcoming Descension album, although that being said The Afterman is more truly a double album than the two Apollos were since both parts were written and recorded simultaneously this time.

Like all double albums this inevitably raises the question of whether the band should have just taken the best tracks and made one very good album, and I guess we’ll have to wait until 2013 to really find out.

Musically, this particular album covers a few different angles. For example, with the return of drummer Josh Eppard after a two-album absence, there are parts of the record which are fairly reminiscent of the band’s earlier work in feel, such as in a lot of the aforementioned `The Key Entity Extraction I: Domino The Destitute’ and `Goodnight, Fair Lady.’

There are also moments such as `The Key Entity Extraction III: Vic The Butcher’ and `Mothers Of Men’ which are more reminiscent of the direction that the band went on their previous album Year Of The Black Rainbow as well as some territory that’s fairly unexplored for the band at all.

When you get down to it, this isn’t necessarily the band’s most heavy or energetic album, or indeed particularly filled with ballads and soft songs. It sits somewhere in the middle of the band’s musical spectrum, but as long as you just enjoy the music that’s there it shouldn’t be a problem. Luckily, the music that’s there is very good.

Lyrically; Like all of the band’s albums the lyrics tell a part of the story of The Amory Wars, a complex multi-generational cross-media Sci-Fi story, set in the fictional universe of Heaven’s Fence, that is also illustrated in-part in graphic novels, actual novels, Coffee Table Books, an upcoming movie project with Mark Walburg and in the lyrics of band member’s side projects. The Afterman’s story takes place around the very beginning of the timeline, before the events chronicled in the band’s first four albums and deals with Sirius Amory and his All Mother spaceship (which occasionally talks during the tracks) as well as the background to a few lost souls. It centers around the revelation that the Keyframe is actually powered by the souls of the dead, imprisoning them in a grim afterlife.

In terms of the production job, by Michael Birnbaum, Chris Bittner & the band, the album sounds possibly closest to Good Apollo Part 1. The band’s previous two albums were often criticized for their production jobs and with this record, although it may still not please everyone, it seems to be aiming for a more normal sound, not going too weird or too sweet. Its fairly brief in length, but then it is only one half of a double album so that’s to be expected.

I have to admit that initially, I was actually a little disappointed by the album, as the pre-released tracks `The Key Entity Extraction I: Domino The Destitute’ and its title track `The Afterman’ were so absolutely brilliant (right from the off, they became two of my favourite Coheed tracks and they just keep getting better on each listen) that when it came to the rest of the album, nothing else felt of an equal quality. This wouldn’t be a problem for anyone who just listens to the record for the first time without hearing anything beforehand though, you’d just get a great record with two obvious highlights. It also has to be said that the feeling of disappointment did go away on repeat listens, as the second half of the album grew on me a lot.

Overall; The Afterman: Ascension is a grower and you should definitely add it to your Coheed collection if you are already a fan. It contains some very strong songs (two of the finest Coheed songs ever in tracks two and three) and covers enough of their different styles to interest fans of almost all the band’s eras at least a little bit. If you never heard the band at all, you may want to start your collection elsewhere with some of the more fan-favourite stuff and then move to this once you know you definitely like them.

progthrashheadbanger I bought this album on a whim at Barnes and Noble for only $7.99. The bold red on black packaging had caught my eye many times before, so I sampled the album, read the review, and was totally sold by the deserving comparisons to Rush and Queensryche. I got the album home, put it on, and had my mind blown for the next 70 minutes- though it feels like half that time.

Onto the music. The album starts out tranquil, with a classical overture and a gentle acoustic ballad with cryptic lyrics, but don't let that fool you. Together, these songs set the overall mood of the album. Next is "Welcome Home", arguably the best single song on IV:V1, and is flat-out epic, from the finger-picked intro to the haunting, heavy, strings-and-choir backed outro. The riff is absolutely gut-wrenching, and the lyrics are pissed off as hell. "Ten Speed" is a great follower, and is shorter and sweeter yet just as awesome as "Welcome Home". The next few songs pass by, but still leave a mark in your brain. "Wake Up" marks the halfway point of the album, and is a wonderful acoustic love ballad. The next half is just as awesome. "The Suffering" and "Lying Lies of Miss Erica Court" make a great hard rock one-two punch, and "Mother May I" is a perfect lyrical lead-in to the epic half-hour closing suite, "The Willing Well". It is an intense, musically diverse, and climactic ending to a heavy, loud, yet melodic album that warrants its own separate review. Bottom line: If you don't mind the occasional acoustic ballad or classical influences in your metal, if you like diverse, heavy, catchy songwriting, and don't mind a singer with a Geddy Lee-like vocal range, then do yourself a favor and check out Coheed and Cambria, starting with this album.

Sheavy (Original review from ProgArchives.com)

I have never really understood the comparisons between this band and TMV. The vocals by Claudio Sanchez are just bad and cannot be compared to Cedric's. The music here also is nowhere near to anything TMV has done. That being said, this album is massive improvement of their first album, and, unlike their first album, I can find enough good things here to overlook the vocals ( kind of). There is a lot more Prog in the mix this time around, even if I still cannot get the thought out of my head that this is nothing more than a more Proggish version of Fall Out Boy.

The guitar is pretty good when he goes into a solo here and there, like in the closing song 21:13, which actually is probably my favorite song off this album. A lot of the songs are very boring and do not sound much more than the usual "scene" crowd song, but songs like the aforementioned 21:13 are true Prog songs, with a lot of interesting sections. Not to mention the songwriting has improved over the first album, even though about everything has improved from Coheed's first album.

Coheed and Cambria also proclaim themselves to be the first concept band ( which is wrong. Magma was the first). If they are, they must have one of the wierdest story lines ever, because I cannot tell any real relation from song to song here, let alone this album and their first.

If you are into this sort of music you will probably like this album, but for me, C&C play music that I do not have much interest in.