Post by thesoundmonitor on Jan 6, 2004 23:02:36 GMT -5
COHEED & CAMBRIA
In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3
(Equal Vision) EVR87
While a quick glance at the thank you list on Co & Ca’s sophomore outing will give you some insight into the company they keep (Thursday, The Get Up Kids, Cave In) and thus a decent idea of what to expect musically, there is forewarning of the band’s penchant for classic eighties metal ala Queensryche, Iron Maiden and Helloween. Indeed, it could be said with reasonable confidence that Coheed & Cambria are like amalgamating Rush with Cave In – a bold but successful artistic venture.
Opening with a little intro saturated with Gothic keys, the band ease their way into your subconscious with the title track and a bigger than big chorus hook. Going through a number of passages (no verse/chorus structures here, folks) the tune comes to a brief pause at the 6 ½ point before breaking into an awe-inspiring chant reminiscent of an Iron Maiden show or an English soccer stadium match and a repeat of that huge chorus: “Man your own jackhammers / Man your battlestations / We’ll have you home pretty soon.”<br>
Intriguing in both concept and delivery, Coheed & Cambria’s progressive and upbeat sound belie the cryptic and disturbing lyrics. Apparently part of a larger concept (where the main characters are Coheed & Cambria) there is an obvious though enigmatic theme of love and murder throughout. The first sign of which appears in ‘Cuts Marked in the March of Men’ with it’s chorus of “If I can’t have her / Then why should I spend any more time in a world that’ll end pretty soon?”<br>
The theme is continued in ‘Three Evil (Embodied in Love and Shadow)’; an upbeat track perhaps even fitting for the edgier commercial stations. Though inspection of the lyrics may deter such a possibility as it details a murder in disturbing, cryptic reality to the point where the band have included the disclaimer that it is but fiction and should not be taken literally. The celebratory, repeated outro of “Pull the trigger and the nightmare stops” is as fun as it is troubling.
Vocalist Claudio Sanchez sounds uncannily like a cross between Andrew McMahon (Something Corporate), Billy Corgan (Smashing Pumpkins) and Rush’s Geddy Lee while the noisecore backing vocals offset the niceties and a terribly unique fashion. The Corgan sound comes through clear as the nose on your face in ‘The Crowing’ as he sings ‘You were my favorite’ in a sympathetic and half-whispered manner before the rest of the band spearhead into a left-field tech-metal interlude in the tradition of Watchtower. This track introduces a new character by the name of Ambellina, though I’m unsure of her role other than it appears she is receiving a letter, the tail-end of which says “I will kill you all”.
‘The Camper Velourium’ comes in three parts, of which II (‘Backend of Forever’) and III (‘Al the Killer’) are album stand-outs. The final part of the trilogy reminds one of both Faith No More’s ‘Surprise! You’re Dead’ and Galactic Cowboys’ ‘If I Were A Killer’ for it’s aggressive and murderous rampage. Starting with uncharacteristically sinister vocals Sanchez soon breaks free from the generic evil and engages in triumphant homicide with “When I kill her, I’ll have her”.
Ending with two 9-minute plus epics reminiscent of Dream Theater, Coheed & Cambria continue to show their music prowess and display their varied CD collections in an inspirationally coherent manner.
In closing In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3 is an album that refuses to be generic or predictable and as such warrants repeated listens in a variety of modes, i.e.: attentive, in passing, headphones, etc….
Despite the length of this review, I have been somewhat restrained, as every song is worthy of a detailed review in itself. The contradiction between sound and lyrics, the admirable and varied list of influences, the concepts and themes, the technical ability of the musicians, the production, the packaging… the whole kit and caboodle makes this one of my favourite albums ever! And if it weren’t for time restrictions it would have featured in my 2003 top 10, no questions asked.
By Warren Wheeler
Artist website: www.coheedandcambria.com/
Label website: www.equalvision.com/evr/
Buy this album: www.evrstore.com/
In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3
(Equal Vision) EVR87
While a quick glance at the thank you list on Co & Ca’s sophomore outing will give you some insight into the company they keep (Thursday, The Get Up Kids, Cave In) and thus a decent idea of what to expect musically, there is forewarning of the band’s penchant for classic eighties metal ala Queensryche, Iron Maiden and Helloween. Indeed, it could be said with reasonable confidence that Coheed & Cambria are like amalgamating Rush with Cave In – a bold but successful artistic venture.
Opening with a little intro saturated with Gothic keys, the band ease their way into your subconscious with the title track and a bigger than big chorus hook. Going through a number of passages (no verse/chorus structures here, folks) the tune comes to a brief pause at the 6 ½ point before breaking into an awe-inspiring chant reminiscent of an Iron Maiden show or an English soccer stadium match and a repeat of that huge chorus: “Man your own jackhammers / Man your battlestations / We’ll have you home pretty soon.”<br>
Intriguing in both concept and delivery, Coheed & Cambria’s progressive and upbeat sound belie the cryptic and disturbing lyrics. Apparently part of a larger concept (where the main characters are Coheed & Cambria) there is an obvious though enigmatic theme of love and murder throughout. The first sign of which appears in ‘Cuts Marked in the March of Men’ with it’s chorus of “If I can’t have her / Then why should I spend any more time in a world that’ll end pretty soon?”<br>
The theme is continued in ‘Three Evil (Embodied in Love and Shadow)’; an upbeat track perhaps even fitting for the edgier commercial stations. Though inspection of the lyrics may deter such a possibility as it details a murder in disturbing, cryptic reality to the point where the band have included the disclaimer that it is but fiction and should not be taken literally. The celebratory, repeated outro of “Pull the trigger and the nightmare stops” is as fun as it is troubling.
Vocalist Claudio Sanchez sounds uncannily like a cross between Andrew McMahon (Something Corporate), Billy Corgan (Smashing Pumpkins) and Rush’s Geddy Lee while the noisecore backing vocals offset the niceties and a terribly unique fashion. The Corgan sound comes through clear as the nose on your face in ‘The Crowing’ as he sings ‘You were my favorite’ in a sympathetic and half-whispered manner before the rest of the band spearhead into a left-field tech-metal interlude in the tradition of Watchtower. This track introduces a new character by the name of Ambellina, though I’m unsure of her role other than it appears she is receiving a letter, the tail-end of which says “I will kill you all”.
‘The Camper Velourium’ comes in three parts, of which II (‘Backend of Forever’) and III (‘Al the Killer’) are album stand-outs. The final part of the trilogy reminds one of both Faith No More’s ‘Surprise! You’re Dead’ and Galactic Cowboys’ ‘If I Were A Killer’ for it’s aggressive and murderous rampage. Starting with uncharacteristically sinister vocals Sanchez soon breaks free from the generic evil and engages in triumphant homicide with “When I kill her, I’ll have her”.
Ending with two 9-minute plus epics reminiscent of Dream Theater, Coheed & Cambria continue to show their music prowess and display their varied CD collections in an inspirationally coherent manner.
In closing In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3 is an album that refuses to be generic or predictable and as such warrants repeated listens in a variety of modes, i.e.: attentive, in passing, headphones, etc….
Despite the length of this review, I have been somewhat restrained, as every song is worthy of a detailed review in itself. The contradiction between sound and lyrics, the admirable and varied list of influences, the concepts and themes, the technical ability of the musicians, the production, the packaging… the whole kit and caboodle makes this one of my favourite albums ever! And if it weren’t for time restrictions it would have featured in my 2003 top 10, no questions asked.
By Warren Wheeler
Artist website: www.coheedandcambria.com/
Label website: www.equalvision.com/evr/
Buy this album: www.evrstore.com/