Coheed and Cambria
The Afterman: Ascension
Hundred Handed/Everything Evil (2012)
Sounds Like: Spacey, polished prog-rock; and Coheed’s best album in years
Score: 9/10
Coheed and Cambria have always felt bigger than the stages they play on, the videos they perform in, and even the songs they play. Their entire persona is epic; from “The Amory Wars” (frontman Claudio Sanchez’s extensive comic book series on which the band and their music are based,) to the soaring double-guitar solos and incredible stage presence. I’ve come to expect a lot from them, and I was stoked to find that their ambitious new release The Afterman: Ascension (the first part of a double-album) stands strong on its own.
The album begins with the obligatory spacey piano that Coheed fans could recognize anywhere. It has become a staple, much like the riffs when “Key Entity Extraction I: Domino the Destitute” kicks in. Eight-minute songs aren’t usually released as the first single, but the sweet melodies and charismatic chorus really work, and are indicative of the album’s style and range.
The choruses really do steal the show on this record, and there is no better example of this than the catchy, sincere second single and title-track “The Afterman.” A vibrant string section acts as background for semi-muffled, gut-wrenching vocals that drift along a persistent, subdued snare, leading into a powerful bridge, and ending with a short and sweet guitar lick. It’s a change of pace for Coheed, sounding as indie as they ever have.
“Goodnight, Fair Lady,” (both full band and acoustic), is one of my favorite Coheed songs to date. Begging for repeat listens, the bass works in wonderful harmony with the guitar line on this shorter-than-usual track. “Key Entity Extraction III: Vic the Butcher” perfectly blends a great hook (“Hang your secrets, hang ‘em up, hang ‘em up now!”) with an aggressive pace, menacing feel, and some face-melting riffs. The last twenty minutes of the record are highlighted by “Key Entity Extraction IV: Evagria the Faithful,” a groovy, mellow, beautiful track and then by “Homecoming,” a bittersweet acoustic bonus song that features unsurprisingly stellar guitar work.
If I’m measuring Coheed on their best work, this album is still not as good as In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3, as they’ve never quite gone back to that heavier, melodic style. Nonetheless, I’d definitely say that The Afterman: Ascension is their best record in recent years. Pick it up now!
-Felipe Garcia
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