Coheed and Cambria, “Good Apollo, I’m Burning Star IV, Volume One: From Fear Through The Eyes of Madness”: Coheed and Cambria’s third album, “Good Apollo, I’m Burning Star IV, Volume One: From Fear Through The Eyes of Madness,” is the first half of the fourth and final chapter in the band’s sci-fi epic about titular couple Coheed and Cambria. Coheed and Cambria are a pair of parents who are forced to kill their children in order to stop a virus called Sinstar that will ravage the world.
Or at least that’s what they say the album is about. After listening to all three albums and reading two of the comic books that lead singer Claudio Sanchez has written to accompany his music, the story feels convoluted.
But Coheed and Cambria are not often remembered for their story. The band has a distinctive sound. They are known for their high-flying guitar arrangements and indelible battle-cry choruses. Sanchez’s impressive range has garnered him numerous comparisons to Rush’s Geddy Lee.
On “Good Apollo” it seems the band has made a conscious effort to distance themselves from the distinctive sound that set them apart from the other emo-core bands that have blossomed over the last few years. The change is for the worse and much of the album is forgettable.
However, the album isn’t all bad. The singles “Welcome Home” and “The Suffering” are reminiscent of old Coheed. The six-minute “Welcome Home” is appropriately epic, complete with staccato strings backing a squealing guitar. Sanchez’s vocals propel the song forward as it lurches and stutters to its grand conclusion.
Although “Good Apollo” has its moments, they are few and far between. After listening to “Good Apollo” I did get the urge to toss Coheed’s debut “The Second Stage Turbine Blade” into my CD player, but this new release wears out it’s welcome after a couple spins.
– Andrew McCollum