Coheed And Cambria

The Afterman: Descension

Written by: PP on 26/01/2013 19:05:55

Last fall, progressive rock champions Coheed And Cambria released the first part in yet another ambitious undertaking called "The Afterman". After completing their five album concept album saga about Claudio Sanchez's science fiction comic book series The Amory Wars, many thought the band would switch away from the universe into something entirely different. Instead, they chose to write an expansion to the storyline, comprised of the double album "Ascension" and now "The Afterman: Descension", both released separately within a five month interval.

Because both albums were written in the same session, they sound almost identical sound wise. That is to say, if you liked "Ascension", there is no reason you wouldn't like "Descension" as well. Those who didn't listen to "Ascension" will be glad to discover that Coheed & Cambria have descended somewhat from their space rock take on prog rock of recent albums towards a more earthly and, inevitably, an easier listen. Like "Ascension", "Descension" is musically a much more pleasant listen than the last "Good Apollo" album or "Year Of The Black Rainbow", because it doesn't require a Ph.D. in classical music arrangement or string theory to fully appreciate. The songs are still complex, grandiose arrangements that give new meaning to the term majestic progressive rock, but at least they are catchy and, in many places, have references both sound wise and stylistically to songs like "In Keeping Secrets Of Silent Earth". Just take a listen to "The Hard Sell" for one such example. "Number City" is another one, where the whole song has an eerie vibe of the lighter prog from the band's debut album especially during the chorus, where you'll notice similarities to songs like "Devil In Jersey City".

It's this renewed desire to write songs that are complicated, but still easily accessible that has returned Coheed And Cambria to my good books after nearly boring me to death on the last few albums. Don't get me wrong, they were accomplishments from a musician's point of view, great ones even, but they did little to fulfil the desire to just listen to a good song that wasn't filled to its brim with all sorts of mindnumbingly complex arrangements. Plus even if you are into diving head first to the intricacies that Coheed And Cambria has to offer, the storyline alone will give you plenty to think about over the coming months.

Download: Away We Go, The Hard Sell, Number City
For the fans of: The Dear Hunter, The Mars Volta, The Prize Fighter Inferno, Three
Listen: Facebook

Release date 05.02.2013
Hundred Hand / Everything Evil

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