Artist: Coheed and Cambria
Album: Year of the Black Rainbow
Date Released: April 13, 2010
Genre: Experimental/Progressive
Album Review:
I never got on the Coheed bandwagon, following the other-worldly tetralogy in the albums, or even glanced at the novelization of it (which, in the box set will be released with this album for the first time, here on Amazon). But anyone with ears can marvel at the music. It is quite hard to analyze them using any conventional means, considering that no other band really embraces "space rock", as they are fondly tagged as. But let's see....they are Xbox Live's Artist of the Month, and have won MTV's Musical March Madness, upsetting My Chemical Romance. I feel that much more acclaim is in store for Black Rainbow in the near future.
The album is a prequel to the others, setting the stage for Claudio, the protagonist of the story. And like I previously stated, while one can deeply examine and follow the story, the music itself is just brilliant. Former Dillinger Escape Plan member Chris Pennie shows his golden talent in this album, and as a Dillinger fan this draws me to have some more personal interest. As for the music itself....well....
Claudio tries some more brash vocals in this one, seen in upbeat songs like "Here We Are Juggernaut". the music has a heavy electronic influence not much seen in the older albums. It's a fresh sound, and more resembles Muse in its approach and style. But it's definitely still Coheed. This album passed the driving test, so Coheed fans shouldn't miss this one!
Rating: 7.5 out of 10
Song-by-song (including bonus tracks):
One: Bringing us to the forefront of the album is, for lack of a better word, an empty intro track. Pretty dead if you ask me...let's hope for a better track...
The Broken: With crazy interludes and familiar vocals, this is more like it! They should've chucked One and had this as an intro.
Guns of Summer: There's the electronic influence I was referring to, seen here. Something about the vocals in the album seem under-produced, not sure why that is...
Here We Are Juggernaut: The single off the album, this is one of my favorite tracks. An appeal to young spirits: "nothing matters anymore, so here we are juggernaut". I like the synth in this one.
Far: I don't know the story, but this prequel seems to have a heavy love story intertwined within it. On the previous track: "this is not your playground it's my heart"...a good slow song.
This Shattered Symphony: Here is an example of the more abrasive vocals. Not liking this one much though.
World of Lines: There are those Dillinger drums starting us off. The vocals still sound a little premixed...but I like this song, it's nice and upbeat.
Made Out of Nothing (All That I Am): The irony in the title makes this a friend of mine, one of the better songs off the album.
Pearl of the Stars: Slow song off the album, another love song of sorts (again, I don't know the story). But it's no Always and Never.
In the Flame of Error: Very Muse-like introduction here, something akin to Knights of Cydonia. But then Sanchez's vocals yell unique brilliance, and you know the rest.
When Skeletons Live: Another trippy song, one that feels like you're listening to it underwater. That doesn't make sense at all. I know. I'm talking to myself.
The Black Rainbow: running at 7:35, this song reminds me of the four-part song "the End" from Good Apollo. I must say this one has too slow of a start for my taste, to the point of me skipping it twice before sitting through all of it. But, at 6:04 it abruptly cuts off and regains my attention. Very nice.
Chamberlain (bonus): funny electronic noises. I like Coheed's direction very much. Even though this is a bonus demo, it's one of my favorites off the album.
The Lost Shepherd (bonus): Same with this bonus track';it's not officially on the album, but I adore it so much!
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