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| Coheed and Cambria - No World For Tomorrow | As some of you know, I once wrote a book on Coheed and Cambria – so for everyone’s sake, I will relinquish this review to brevity.
In truth, I have a lot less to say this time around, not because No World For Tomorrow isn’t worth just as many descriptive adjectives and music metaphors as its predecessor, but simply because this thirteen song rock-fest truly speaks for itself.
In this the conclusion to the Coheed and Cambria saga, Claudio looks inward rather than outward for inspiration, channeling the loss of a loved one and some band line-up turmoil in order to conjure the raw passion and embattled spirit some thought to be absent from the band’s last effort. What results is somewhat of a return to the very real emotional foundation that permeated even the most progressive nooks and crannies of The Second Stage Turbine Blade and In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3.
But the emotions that well up in light of a deceased relative, your band almost crumbling, and the challenge of writing an ending for a story to which you’ve dedicated your life aren’t those fluttering heart sentiments that spawned past snoozers like “Wake Up” and “Once Upon Your Dead Body.” No, this 11 o’clock number is a frontman’s tale of self-discovery and acceptance of grave responsibility in the wake of chaos, angst, and feeling utterly alone.
Oh, you thought this was just about rocket ships and light sabers?
If Good Apollo Volume One reflected a band embracing the roots of their modern classic rock sound, then No World For Tomorrow is the progression of that roots approach after a healthy dosage of sunlight, water, and pure catharsis. The instrumentation is simply on fire and the solos have returned; only they’re sharper and more frequent.
As usual, the boys can’t hold their load past track two where they paint the apocalyptic title track with the band’s most intricate and monstrous guitar-work to date. The five minute submission for rock song of the year hits hard, letting the band’s discreet lust for metal way out of the closet. Claudio’s vocals remain thorough and spastic enough to ringlead a circus of distortion and pinch harmonics, and as with each Coheed record before this, we are knocked on our asses before the overture is through.
The album embraces that heavy, angry rock sound again and again in the Who-ish “The Hound of Blood and Rank,” the badass shove-you-in-your-locker sounding “Gravemakers and Gunslingers,” and the homicidal, sing-along inducing anthem “Justice in Murder” which makes for a rollicking, fist-pumping good time and an exhibition of adept fretwork.
But it’s not just brawn and balls here. “Feathers” harkens back to the dreamy pop essence of In Keeping Secrets, reminding us both how Sanchez’s angelic wail can truly make a pop song soar and how a solo is good for more than just melting faces. Two tracks later is “Mother Superior,” Coheed and Cambria’s own “Stairway to Heaven,” and an instant, croony classic that winds up to an invigorating climax.
With the exception of the fillerish sounding “Radio Bye Bye,” No World’s last five tracks (constituting The End Complete) are an emotionally tumultuous last ride. “The Fall of House Atlantic” starts things off instrumentally, sounding very much like 3’s Joey Eppard lent the band some of his dark genius. From there it’s an all you-can-eat grand finale of what Coheed and Cambria do best, that enthralling fusion of the classic and the progressive. Supersized emo-rock choruses, space-age guitar attacks, characterized voice modulations, I Love the 80’s hair-metal balladry, and a bluesy, Pink Floyd inspired, tear-jerker of an outro ensue. The credits roll as a familiar jam session and Philip Glass-esque scoring fade us out…
Bye Bye World.
The End.
Almost six years after The Second Stage Turbine Blade ignited the scene with all its raw, quirky, sci-fi channel charm, the prodigal saviors of rock and roll are back with their fourth full length to prove once and for all that they are up to the task. So listen and learn as Coheed and Cambria bring their epic saga to its conclusion and finally achieve neo-classic rock stardom in the process.
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Displaying posts 1 - 15 of 132. |
11:47 PM on 09/27/07 | great review, garett. I hope I like this more than their last effort. By the look of it, though, I will. | | |
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11:51 PM on 09/27/07 | This is not nearly as long as I was expecting. | | |
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11:51 PM on 09/27/07 | great review, garett. I hope I like this more than their last effort. By the look of it, though, I will. |
thanks my dude! i'm almost positive you will | | |
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11:52 PM on 09/27/07 | This is not nearly as long as I was expecting. |
neither was your weenie | | |
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11:57 PM on 09/27/07 | Awesome review. I read your review over at Cobalt and Calcium as well.
This is definitely my most anticipated album of the year. | | |
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11:59 PM on 09/27/07 | I want to check this out now. When is it out? | | |
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12:02 AM on 09/28/07 | ...and other disgusting food | | |
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12:05 AM on 09/28/07 | ...and other disgusting food
hahaha...emoticon
edit: also I like how this review comes stock with three pictures of claudio sanchez just ripping it up on his gibsons. | | |
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12:05 AM on 09/28/07 | Good review I cant wait to hear this... | | |
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12:07 AM on 09/28/07 | hahahah, weenie.
*note to self: ask garett to teach me the way of the comeback. | | |
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12:07 AM on 09/28/07 | This is not nearly as long as I was expecting. |
Off topic, but.....in that new Say Anything bio you posted that described one song on "In Defense Of The Genre" as "big band sounding"....is it a horn filled, awesome extravaganza? After reading that bio, it increased my excitement for the album tenfold. | | |
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12:08 AM on 09/28/07 | Off topic, but.....in that new Say Anything bio you posted that described one song on "In Defense Of The Genre" as "big band sounding"....is it a horn filled, awesome extravaganza? After reading that bio, it increased my excitement for the album tenfold. |
Yes .. there are lots of instruments on the album. | | |
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12:08 AM on 09/28/07 | hahahah, weenie.
*note to self: ask garett to teach me the way of the comeback. |
Garett learned his best moves from me. | | |
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