I initially wanted to make this post tomorrow, but I discovered I won't have time since I'm working much of the day and then I'll be out the rest of it with family. So, I'm taking a bit of time here now to look back on this past year, with some highlights of many memories -- both good and bad.

January:
Actually, I don't remember too much happening in January. I do remember my classes during that semester being really fun and exciting, and January was when they all started. I took two English courses and continued my studies of animation and other related art fields. My sister turned 18 on the 13th, and as of that day everyone in my household are officially adults. It's a strange feeling.

There were two big events during this month. The first was seeing Alice in Chains in concert at the Hollywood Palladium, my third time seeing them. All the brothers went, including my sister-in-law's brother, just a guy's night out. I love Alice in Chains. In fact, they are second only to Coheed and Cambria. That was a kickass night, and they played all their best hits. The second big thing was my nephew James' 3rd birthday. His parents have thrown him wonderful parties for his birthday every year, and the little guy's been growing into a cute little kid. I'm so excited to see where he goes from here on out.

Very little happened in March. My brothers Tim and Steven had their birthdays, ten days apart, Tim turning 22 and Steven turning 34. One of the things I've kinda liked is how Steven was born on St. Patrick's Day, and thus was given the middle name Patrick. I always remember this every year.

This was by far one of the best months. Oh, where to start... Spring break came along, and my friends, my brother, and I went on a one day camping trip. Short, but so worth it. Sloppy Joes are amazing! Easter Sunday with the family, good food and lots of entertainment as it always is. It was also the month of the release of Coheed's latest album, Year of the Black Rainbow. My love for this band has grown so considerably that this was arguably the first Coheed record I was really looking forward to. April also saw my participation in Relay for Life, a massive cancer fundraiser. My team and I raised over $1000 for it, and the event itself was a lot of fun. I'm looking forward to it next year! And finally, it was my niece Rachel's birthday. She turned 1. I adore her so much. Having a niece, in some ways, is such a special thing. Since then, she's becoming a cute and very outgoing little girl, and I'm just as excited to watch her grow up.

By far, the highlight of this month was seeing Coheed and Cambria live for the first time in nearly four years. In support of their recently released album, the band played many songs off the new record and some old hits. As it was also the first time seeing them live where I knew all the songs, this was a far better experience than the first time I saw them in 2006. Mother's Day was also really nice. It was nothing extravagant, just some simple gift giving to my mom, but she had a wonderful time. The only other highlight was school letting out for the summer.

I barely remember anything that happened during June, except for Father's Day, which was more or less like Mother's Day. Just something simple with the family alone. I also saw Iron Maiden in concert. Totally awesome!

I love barbecues, especially fourth of July barbecues. And when they're done at my Steven and Christy's house, you know you're in for a fun time! The only crappy part was my phone falling into the pool, but that was quickly made up for with a cool new one within a week!

I saw Coheed and Cambria another time. In fact, it was four years exactly to the day I first saw them. It wasn't quite a similar epic experience during the time I saw them in May, but it was still awesome. I can't express in words alone how completely amazing it is to be that close up to the guys as they jam. August was also my mom's birthday. She's a trooper. My mom is one of the most amazing people I know. She's been through a lot, much of which should never happen to anyone, but she presses on. For that, I can never thank her enough. August is also the month of my other nephew -- and James' baby brother -- Cole. He turned 1 year old. He's a shy little guy, but I swear his laugh is the most precious thing I've heard. And as I look back on the year, you know what the best thing about this month was? I met Katie.

School was back by now. Most of my classes proved they were no pushovers, as work began to pile up. However, I alleviated much of this by playing a lot of Zelda with Katie. We're total nerds, we know it, but it's so much fun to play along to a game with someone. :) I also started blogging, and I've grown to really enjoy writing my thoughts down.

October was rough. There were many moments during this when I felt at my worst, and many people I know were feeling down as well. There were some good points though. My twin brother, Jonathan, and I turned 21, and celebrated the following week by going to Vegas with Steven and Tim. It was a small trip but so well worth it. I'm not really one for gambling, but just the thought that I can do it legally is quite the cool feeling. Halloween was boring, largely because I was working that night and it was really slow. I played even more Zelda with Katie during this month, and we finally kicked the crap out of Ocarina of Time!

The first bit of the month wasn't too great, but it picked up after a while. It was stressful and very overwhelming in terms of school and work, but I pressed on. My dad had his birthday. There are a lot of issues between my dad and... well, pretty much everyone. Some are for good reason. In spite of this, I know he's only trying to do what he can, and no matter what happens, I'll always be proud of the fact that he helped raise me to be who I am. Thanksgiving was a wonderful event. I love when my family comes over to our house; it's roomy, plenty of space, and there's a lot to do in the different rooms. And such amazing food!

December:
This year definitely went out with a bang. School ended, and my grades were some of the best I've had in a long time, which I'm proud of because I was struggling when the semester started. After weeks of planning, my grandpa arrived two days before Christmas and spent the holiday with us. Christmas Eve was a quiet family at home night, while Christmas Day saw the whole family over with us again. I got lots of new clothes as well as The Amory Wars comics, so that I can finally understand Coheed's concept. It was, truthfully, the best Christmas I've had in years. The day after Thanksgiving we had a potluck. This past Tuesday, the grandchildren took our grandpa out deep sea fishing. We caught 85 fish that day and grandpa showed us how to clean and fillet them! And yesterday, we had a massive fish fry. Today, my grandpa went home. It was truly a wonderful week and month, and I'm kind of sad it's over. However, I'm also happy. I'm the happiest I've ever felt in a long time thanks to a very special someone who's made me feel like the luckiest guy in the world.

2010 was probably one of the best years, or at least that I really remember. I had more good moments than bad. Even those moments where I felt like giving up were overshadowed by all the good that happened. To this, I wish you all a wonderful and happy new year in 2011!

After a long, dark, and twisted road, the story of Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Volume One: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness comes to an end in a way that could only fit such an album -- more twist, more gore.

Today I present another double feature post. I hadn't really counted on the fact that I'd be so busy tomorrow with New Years' Eve events, and so I hadn't realized that if I wanted to finish reviewing this album before the end of the month I'd better put in some extra effort. So, hopefully this will be the last time I'll be doing songs back to back like this.

This first review is more about the story rather than the actual music, bear with me here.

The next song on the list is the penultimate -- "The Willing Well III: Apollo II: The Telling Truth." As the name implies, this is a sort of sequel to "Apollo I." Thought it chronicles different events, it's the mental battle going on through the Writer's mind that makes the song a sequel. In "Apollo I: The Writing Writer", the Writer has his first serious thoughts about how the fiction he's created must come to an end. Throughout the course of the album he's discovered a way to make this happen -- by killing the character known as Ambellina, and force Claudio Kilgannon into a situation where he has no choice but to accept his destiny as the Crowing.

Now, this song is the final result of these events. Several things are going on this song. As the Writer makes his way into the story, Claudio, Ambellina, Jesse, and the rest of the gang are making their way to House Atlantic, the headquarters of Supreme Tri-Mage Wilhelm Ryan. As soon as they land, Jesse becomes engaged in a brutal fight with Ryan's right hand man, General Mayo Deftinwolf and is killed -- thus ending the last of the original K.B.I. IRO-Bots.

Claudio and Ambellina make their way to Ryan's lair, but are quickly ambushed by none other than the Writer himself. Through the use of the Willing Well, the Writer has finally entered the story world. He wastes no time attacking Ambellina. Finally, at the sight of this seemingly insane being attacking his faithful guardian, Claudio evokes his Crowing powers and attempts to fight the Writer. However, as the Writer is literally God of his world, Claudio is easily overcome and the Writer mortally wounds Ambellina, forcing Claudio to listen to the Writer's demands and accept fate.

That all being said, there is certainly very much going on here. I don't feel like I can comment too much on the music of the song. It's more or less a repetition of what's found on "Apollo I" with a bridge added into the mix. Even the lyrics are mostly the same, but worded differently. In this way, to the casual listener who wouldn't likely know the song's place in the concept, they might think the band just got lazy with songwriting. However, it's truly important that this song sounds similar to its predecessor.

There is no song I can think of from Coheed and Cambria's career that is more progressive, more disorienting, and more twisted than the second song of the four-part series: "The Willing Well II: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness." Though worded differently from the actual album title, this song is obviously the album's title track. To use poetic license, this song is the kind that likes to catch you off guard. It starts off completely one way and by the end has gone the other direction.

At first, one listens to the song and perhaps thinks it might be a slightly happier tune. However, as it progresses it feels like the song catches you in its mouth, chews you up, and then spits your mangled remains of blood and bone all over the wall. That's probably what Claudio Sanchez would think anyway.

While the lyrics remain just as twisted and dark, the song fools you into thinking this might be a lighter approach to the concept because it starts off with a hooky, upbeat guitar riff accompanied by some equally catchy vocals. In some ways it's the most pop sounding riff of the album. Don't let that fool you. It doesn't take long for the song to change its tune and become something else. The chorus consists of a heavier riff, reflect just a bit of the madness to come with the line "You'll burn in hell while they're digging you out."

Of course, then the song just throws you back again as it returns to a second verse consisting of the same catchy hooks, only to return again to the chorus. But even then, the band takes a step further with a bridge full of fast-paced rhythms by Claudio and Josh.

We've finally arrived at "The Willing Well" series. The last four songs on From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness are hands down the most progressive sounding of not just this album, but perhaps of Coheed's career. Clocking in at over seven minutes each, "The Willing Well" series takes up a good chunk of the album's running time at a near half hour. There's a lot going on in these songs, both musically and conceptually. With such strong vocalizations from Claudio Sanchez, the work of all the band members, and the ever continued twisting of the story, "The Willing Well" songs prove as some of the best work the band has ever written.

Within the concept, the Willing Well is where the two worlds -- the Writer's world and the world of Heaven's Fence -- collide. As depicted on the front cover of the album's lyric booklet, the Willing Well is literally a portal between the worlds, a portal that exists in each and allows communication and travel between the two. Though the Writer doesn't realize this yet, he will soon, and it will be through this portal he will finally have the ending he so desires.

The first within this series is "The Willing Well I: Fuel for the Feeding End." This title is quite literal. As the Writer's world and Claudio Kilgannon's world collide, the Writer contemplates his final decisions to create an ending for the story and relieve him of his suffering. In a sense, these thoughts and decisions are "fuel" for the final end. The final stages of the album -- and ultimately the entire story -- are coming together. During the song, the narration travels back and forth between the Writer and Claudio. Being parallels of each other, the two share similar thoughts as they dwell upon their similar destinies -- both will bring about the end of Heaven's Fence and the Keywork, but for different reasons; the Writer feels compelled by grief over his failed relationship with Erica Court, and Claudio is compelled by fate. Because the two are parallels, they are also experiencing the same feelings for Ambellina. Just as the Writer would wish to spare Ambellina the fate he has in store for her because he loves her character, Claudio has fallen in love for the fallen Prise. All in all, the song acts as a bit of character development rather than focusing on particular action.

From the beginning, the song is heavy and a bit fast paced. Even the opening synthesizer indicates something a bit heavy. I can't quite describe how the opening riff sounds, but for some reason it just sounds like an internal conflict. It's not quite the kind of song that indicates physical confrontations, and so this is part of what makes Coheed and Cambria terrific songwriters. The most noteworthy moment of heaviness is within the chorus, with Claudio adding a sort of growl to his vocals in "Little maggot off the Westside of your sin/Run little maggot til they learn of what you did." 

"Fuel for the Feeding End" changes pace, timing, and melody so often it's hard to imagine it's one cohesive song. Elements of this sort of songwriting were seen off In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3 in its title track and "21:13", but not quite to this extent. And even then, I don't feel that this song is the most progressive tune of "The Willing Well" suite. However, it's still enough to toss the listener around wondering if they've moved on to the next track or not. I feel this helps to reflect the inner turmoil going on through the characters' minds.

One of the most amusing things I've found in the song is the repetition of "Feliz seria que hora" after the chorus. Assuming my translation is correct, this means "Serious happy hour." Taking this into context, I find this funny especially since nothing about this situation should be remotely funny or happy. Still, I know Coheed and Cambria consists of some funny people so this could just be for Claudio's own amusement. I won't pretend to understand it.

From the start, "The Willing Well" promises to deliver on epic progressive rock tunes. As we progress through the rest of them, it becomes clear that Claudio Sanchez's head has only begun to form some dark and twisted thoughts for his story.

Another short review today.

Before delving into the progressive rich songs of "The Willing Well" series, the band delivers a really nice penultimate track that is as short and sweet as the preceding songs. Track number eleven, "Mother May I," is one of the shining examples of a song that starts off kind of slow, slowly building into a crescendo, and then ending with a loud and heavy full on jam session.

I loved this song from the moment I first heard it. Like the previous song, "Mother May I" has another really nice groove to it, albeit slightly different from "Lying Lies." The song starts how somewhat slow as Claudio and Travis play notes from high to low pitched, and Josh accompanies their grooves with snare work. Part of what makes this song so good is Josh's drumming. It's some of the fastest work he's done before, but it doesn't sound out of place next to the rest of the instrumentals.

As of this song, the story becomes more twisted. In earlier songs we've seen instances where the Writer's world and the world of Claudio Kilgannon were parallels, but now they start to collide, almost literally. Claudio's ever continuing struggle to accept (or rather, not accept) his destiny of overthrowing Wilhelm Ryan and destroying the Keywork coincides with the Writer's full and ultimate realization of the control he has over his story. Claudio sees cryptic notes that spells out "God only knows" -- which is a line from the song. Here, it becomes evident that God (i.e., the Writer) controls Claudio's fate. His fate is out of his hands. With this song and this part of the story in mind, it's time to move forward to "The Willing Well."

Tonight we move on with the next song of the From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness series -- track number ten, "The Lying Lies & Dirty Secrets of Miss Erica Court." Try saying that ten times fast in one breath.

I like to think of this song as a kind of groove. The first seven tracks of the album were the heavy, hard rock type of songs, while "Wake Up" helped to break the formula and slow things down. "The Suffering" kicked back in with a loud and fast paced, bouncy type of song. Now, the album starts to wind back down a little bit as we reach toward the last third of the album. Tell me you couldn't listen to the opening riff of this particular song, and not find it at least a bit groovy?

From start to finish, the guys play catchy and groovy instrumentals that, added to Claudio's continued mastering over his voice and learning how to be a better singer, makes for what I think is the catchiest song on the record. However, the band doesn't overdo it, realizing any groovy tune on this particular record needs to stay in tune with the heavy and dark atmosphere of the story.

In terms of the concept, the Writer's continued descent into madness is marked by yet another hallucination of Ten Speed (to clarify, his bicycle gone demonic). However, the Writer hasn't totally lost his mind. Whether its through Ten Speed's influence or by the Writer's own will, he's come to completely understand his role and his destiny, so to speak, in the course of the story's events. The "unwritten end" mentioned in the song is a reference to how, currently, the story doesn't have an ending. But, the Writer can make that happen. Further, the line "Cause when you go, they won't be following" alludes to how, once the Writer finds his ending and makes it happen, the characters will cease to exist.

All of this is the result of the Writer's anger and hatred for Erica Court, which is where the title of the song gets it name, even if it appears to be nothing remotely close about Erica.

This review ends tonight with a video of the guys playing this song live. I love that Claudio forgets the lyrics momentarily and asks the audience for help. So hilarious!

If, after watching that video, you aren't currently asking yourself "What the fucking hell did I just see?" I would be surprised. This is probably the strangest music video Coheed and Cambria has ever done. For a long time, I didn't get it and I also wondered if it had anything to do with the story at hand. Now, you'll find that several of Coheed's music videos don't in fact have much to do with the story. Whether this one does or doesn't is speculative at best, but given the relationship between the centaur and the mermaid in the above video, I think it can still reflect the concept well enough.

Simply put, the relationship between the centaur and the mermaid reflects the relationship between the Writer and Erica Court, albeit not nearly as traumatic and twisted. The inability of the centaur and mermaid to be together mirrors the Writer and Erica's broken relationship. Thus, the video still manages to fit into the story.

It's also possible I'm thinking too much and that the connection between the video and The Amory Wars is coincidental *shrug*. Anyway, moving on...

"The Suffering" is the second single off this album. In comparison to the first single -- "Welcome Home" -- this song has a bouncier, pop feeling to it; though again, it's pop in the sense it's catchy and upbeat in the way Michael Jackson is pop, and not Britney Spears kind of pop. Understand that difference. For a single, however, "The Suffering" remains true to the madness and dark atmosphere of the album by incorporating heavy lyrics. Coming directly after the soft ballad of "Wake Up," this song is the climactic turning point in the concept. With such a fitting title, the Writer begins to truly, truly understand the control he has over his story. His anger, frustration, hatred, and all things negative directed toward Erica are consuming him to the point he now realizes what he must do, what he WILL do to end his madness. And he is going to do it. The ending is almost here, folks.

I've never been much of a huge fan of this song. It's not one of my favorite singles nor one of my favorite Coheed tracks. For some reason, it never hooked me quite in the way the rest of the album did. It's far from a bad song, however. As usual, the band members prove themselves adept musicians and Claudio especially a talented songwriter and lyricist. The jumpy hooks of the guitars and the groovy bass lines are more than enough to warrant this song a single, even in spite of its twisted roots.

I only remember hearing this song played live once, and it was at my most recent Coheed concert experience back in August. I had to admit, I didn't expect to hear it, given that I figured the guys would focus more on songs from the most recent record. However, I was quite pleased to hear "The Suffering." The greatest thing about Coheed and Cambria, for me, is how no song ever sounds too bland or lame to me. Some aren't as hooky or memorable as others are, but I've never disliked a single Coheed tune. This is a good example of how and why these guys have been my favorite musicians for so long. Whether it's through a record or a live performance, every song brings something new and exciting.

This is it. There is no turning back.

My dad and I went out to the local Home Depot a few days ago to pick out our tree for this season. Normally, we put up a fake tree. This is the second year running we've done a live tree -- last year as a favor for my mom, and this year because my grandpa is flying out from the other side of the country to spend the holidays with us. I must say, I think I prefer the live one.

We just finished getting the ornaments up yesterday, and I took some time to take a few pictures.


















And that's all I took. Once again, Happy Holidays, everyone!

Okay, so I lied. This wasn't quite back to back. I got distracted by decorating my Christmas tree. So sue me!

*Ahem*

The second review for tonight's double feature is track number eight on From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness -- "Wake Up." If it sounds like this song might be rather calm and soft compared to the rest of the album, you would be right. "Wake Up" is an example of Coheed and Cambria's diverse musicianship, style, and influence. Being a ballad, the song is a continued showcase of how the band likes to change up their music style from the typical electric hard rock instrumentals, and instead use acoustic elements to vary the mix.

Because of this reason, it was very hard for me to enjoy this song when I first heard it. Though "Always & Never" was an acoustic piece, I felt it served its place in the sequence because it follows a pure instrumental -- "Keeping the Blade" -- and preceded the edgy, metal-esque "Welcome Home." It was sort of a building crescendo. What followed were four tracks of similar heavy, dark tunes. Suddenly, we get "Wake Up." For a long while, I felt the flow of the album had been disrupted and broken. The song remained low on my favorites list for a long time. It would not be until I experienced the band's other records, and realized the scope of Claudio Sanchez's concept that I began to appreciate the song for what it is. And by then, I learned that it didn't break the album's flow at all. If anything, it only strengthened it.

For this is a bit of a turning point in the album's story. Yes, the Writer is still conflicted, angry, hurt, confused, and by all accounts, angsty. However, unlike the previous songs where he generally felt hatred and frustration at Erica Court, "Wake Up" instead chronicles a much more human and loving side to the Writer. He expresses the love he still has for her, in spite of what she's done, and that everything he did, he did for her. This sentiment only leads to further justifying his frustration and anger.

Unlike "Always & Never," the song isn't solo guitar work by Claudio. Josh helps along with the rhythm of the song by providing additional drum work, as does Mic with simple bass notes that don't overshadow the guitar work. To further enhance the slow-paced song is an equally soft and almost mournful piano piece. Of great note here is also Claudio's vocals. I've heard some people say that it's one of his worst performances, with his voice almost sounding more like a girl's. Not only do I disagree, but such comments are also usually ignorant to the point of stupidity. On the contrary, I feel "Wake Up" simply shows that Claudio can sing. Perhaps his voice is really high, and to some obnoxious, but that's just the way he sings. Disregarding his pitch or octave, this song (and really the entire album) shows that Claudio knows how to sing quite beautifully.

And it's just as fitting that he does. While the song has its place in the story, there's no way this song could have had as much emotion as it does in the vocals if it weren't for the fact Claudio DID draw on his life experiences. For all intents and purposes, "Wake Up" is a love song, written as much for the story and even more written toward a very special someone in Claudio's life.

I've got another double feature tonight, another set of back to back reviews! Next up on the review series is track number seven -- "Once Upon Your Dead Body."

This is going to be a shorter review. For such an awesome title as "Once Upon Your Dead Body," the song seems to be lacking in a lot of other areas where previous songs really succeeded. For me, this song is one of those where the story becomes the main focus, rather than Claudio having drawn from his own life and experiences. With that comes a simple and to the point narrative. Like all Coheed songs, I don't dislike it, but after the first six tracks this song just seems to feel strange and out of place. That's just coming from a musical side though. Suffice to say it's one of my least favorite tracks off the record -- even tying with "Mother May I".

The only part of the song I really love is the ending, where Claudio belts out "Once upon your dead body" in sync with "I hope you die right now!" The song ends with a really nice bit of synthesizer. It's obvious what this song is about, and once I learned of its relevance to the story I had to admit that the concept was starting to become redundant. The Writer is still in pain over losing Erica thanks to her infidelity. Big surprise, huh? It's clear that's what it represents just given the lyrics.

The song does feature the return of Ten Speed, however. The demonic bicycle is back to continue his campaign of convincing the Writer to kill off Ambellina to ease his own suffering. Though the Writer now realizes the true extent of his control over his story, he is still struggling with the idea of killing off a beloved character.

I really should do better. Again, it's not that this is a bad song. Quite the opposite. I just feel it pales after coming after such tracks as "Welcome Home," "Ten Speed (Of God's Blood & Burial)," and "Apollo I: The Writing Writer." Let's move on.

I've never understood this mentality professors (or any schoolteacher) seems to have when it comes to the end of the school semester -- that mentality that says "Hey, students, in spite of the fact you've most likely got tons of finals to study for, I'm going to assign a massive project and/or extra homework due on the day of the final."

I'm not talking about semester-long projects in which you had all semester to finish it (I'm a procrastinator, but I know full well not to be stupid enough to leave a giant project waiting until a day before it's due). I really mean those moments where professors will schedule homework assignment after homework assignment, or even some last minute project that requires a week of work on it before it's done. Why do they do this?

I don't mean to be complaining too much, because it's not as if I'm suddenly running out of time to finish my work -- on the contrary, as of tomorrow morning when I take my last exam, I'm officially done with the semester -- but as a college student who's exactly one full semester away from graduation, I feel like I can speak for most students who are sick of this sort of thing. While I may not be a professor, and therefore am not in a position to really judge the amount of work they have to do, they should also consider our own position. I've had several professors who say they hate the amount of grading they have to do at the end of the semester.

Well, I have a decent solution... instead of bombarding us with last minute busywork that really does not teach us anything, let us worry about actually learning the material at hand to pass our final. After all, isn't that what education is about? That's all I'm saying.

To all students out there, good luck with whatever final stretch of the semester you've got.

The twist just continues to grow, the madness is ever-expanding, and the band is getting better all the time. "Apollo I: The Writing Writer" is the first of a two-part series within FFTEM that details the Writer's finalized decision to end his story. What the Writer never seemed to know what just how much control he's always had over his story; he felt he simply fostered it. However, the characters are his, and the story is his to manipulate to whatever need he desires.

Though he still wishes there could be another way to end the story than his killing off his beloved character, the Writer sees no other way. Trying to justify his actions by thinking of Erica Court cheating on him, the Writer knows he must kill off the representation of the good side of Erica so he can end his suffering. Where Newo represented the bad side, the good side is represented by the character whom Claudio Kilgannon has grown to see as a confidant and even romantic interest, one who has been there with him and guide him to his destiny -- Ambellina.

Coheed and Cambria wrote one of the darkest songs on this album with this single tune. Though it isn't quite as heavy as "Welcome Home" is, "Apollo I" nevertheless has a darker atmosphere. Within the song we see a man struggling with his inner demons and delusions, a man who wants nothing more than a means to an end, and sees the only way of coming to that end is to forcibly end a life. As crazy as that sounds (after all, it's now been proven that the story we were led to follow within the first two records is just fiction), it's important to not see it merely as fiction. The characters of Heaven's Fence are living, or as living as they could get. For the Writer, it is not just killing off a character. The Writer is essentially God of this universe.

This concept is why the songs on this album have become as dark and as twisted as they have become. Claudio's vocals on this song, which I personally believe are some of the best he's ever done off any given song, even the newer records. Aside from continuing to show he's grown better at controlling his voice, Claudio is also demonstrating his knack as a singer by using a heavier style, which only helps to strengthen the story he's trying to tell.

The garbled dialogue in the background after the second chorus is Jesse/Inferno speaking to his IRO-Bot children, apologizing for not being much of a father figure to them as he spent more of his energies and focus on the war against Ryan. This is very telling, as the later part of the album will reveal what happens to Jesse.

Once again, I don't feel I need to explain too much about the band's technical skill. I know firsthand how well the band plays their instruments. While a dark, somewhat heavy song, "Apollo I: The Writing Writer" is as catchy and hooky as "Ten Speed (Of God's Blood & Burial)" is, but just on a different level.

My family put up Christmas lights over previous weekend. I wanted to take pictures and post them up here much earlier, but I never got around to it. Tonight, in the spirit of the holiday season, I present a Christmas light display.





There are actually a lot of these pictures, but I'm not gonna post all of them. Happy holidays, everyone!

And now tonight's second feature -- "Crossing the Frame." This is yet another awesome title. It also happens to be a very interesting and revealing title when taken into the story's context. I'm sorry this is going to be a massive info dump, but I can't really see any other way of explaining this song without giving a lot away. With that, ready for total mindfuckery?

The story has taken on a twist. Every event that has taken place within Heaven's Fence -- Wilhelm Ryan's conquest, Coheed and Cambria's deaths, Jesse's rebellion, the rise of Claudio as the Crowing, all of it -- is mere fiction.

You read correctly. No, I don't mean that it's obvious fiction in that it was written by the real-life Claudio Sanchez. I mean that within the story, there's another. The Writer character created the story of Claudio Kilgannon and his life. While the story was originally the Writer's way of escape, his failed relationship with Erica has caused him to spiral into madness. The story has become a burden and now he wants to finish it in the way he meant it to end -- with the destruction of the Keywork and Heaven's Fence. However, another part of him doesn't want to give up his beloved work simply to end his suffering. This is where the two worlds -- the world of the Writer, and the world of his creation -- collide, an almost literal crossing of the frames.

The most interesting thing about this is that we get to see how the Writer's life influenced his story. The song makes references to the character known as Newo, who as shown on earlier albums is the former girlfriend of protagonist Claudio Kilgannon, who had to leave Newo behind as he fled his home world. "Crossing the Frame" switches back and forth between the Writer's world and the world of Heaven's Fence, and we discover that the hatred the Writer has for Erica has manifested in Newo -- just as Erica became unfaithful to the Writer, so has Newo become unfaithful to Claudio. Claudio realizes this (not yet knowing that his entire life is nothing but fiction), and just as the Writer comes to hate Erica, so has Claudio come to feel betrayed and hurt by Newo.

However, there is the other part of Erica's character -- the part that the Writer still loves. I won't discuss that here right now, because the important part is the relationship between the Writer and Claudio.

Perhaps it's because I'm such a big fan and I'm really trying to invest myself into the story, but I personally think this is getting good. So Claudio Sanchez broke the fourth wall and used a rather cliched technique. I think he did it magnificently.

I couldn't really get too much into music aspect of the song without repeating what I said about "Ten Speed." The short story is that the song is upbeat and catchy. It's not the "pop" style catchy, but it's enough to warrant many listens simply because it's a fun song. When I first heard this record it was actually my favorite from the bunch. I've never heard it played live save for what can be found on the internet, but I hope to someday.

It's a double-feature tonight! I've been wanting to work on this post since Thursday, but school, work, and general laziness prevented me from doing so. However, if I plan on having this entire album reviewed by the end of the month, I realize I should have a review up at least every other day. To get me in the mood for reviewing, I popped in the album and listened to it all the way through. Listening to it didn't just put me in the mood, it also put me back on yet another Coheed craze. So much of a craze, in fact, that I'm going to be posting not one, but TWO reviews tonight, back to back.

First, "Ten Speed (Of God's & Burial)." Ahhhhh, how I love this song. I've always loved it since I first listened to it, even when Claudio Sanchez's voice still irked me. For a while it dropped off as a favorite tune, but in trying to prepare for this review (and just general listening of the record) I remembered how good it was. The song is undoubtedly the most fast paced one on the record. It's a definite hooker; the song moves from the first bouncy riff to Claudio final shriek of "Ten Speed of God's BLOOD!" in less than four minutes, but it doesn't require any longer.

From the very start, the band kicks in with quick riffs, Claudio and Travis both playing a similar series of notes, but with Travis performing a higher octave. Mic Todd plays along to the same exact riff on bass. The added effect of simple but heavy percussion by Josh creates an altogether fluid tune that holds its own as a strong piece despite coming directly after "Welcome Home." Even the solo is just as bouncy as Travis uses the same verse riff but puts it to an even higher pitch while Claudio plays over it. The song slows down at the bridge, ending with a strange and mysterious bit of mumbled dialogue in the background, before kicking back in with a final chorus.
 
Claudio's vocals sync pretty much with the guitar riffs, many times his singing following the same pitch as the music. I'm not going to go into too much detail about his singing here. It's just as catchy as the instruments can be, but it's nothing truly outstanding. If anything, it just demonstrates that Claudio is very much getting better at controlling his voice.

Regardless of the song's subject matter, it's another example of Coheed and Cambria's ability to write some truly upbeat tunes in spite of the dark lyrics. And speaking of dark subject matter...

If In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3 was an album describing the characters' physical confrontations, then this album is about psychological and mental conflicts. It isn't too surprising given the subtitle of the album (From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness). The  majority of the record takes place within the mind of this still enigmatic Writer dude. What does he even have to do with the events of Heaven's Fence? Well, as this song and as the album turns out to show, he has just about everything to do with Heaven's Fence. Here's a hint -- notice that he's merely referred to as "the Writer."

Still unsure? I'll just go ahead and give a synopsis of the song. Following his disturbing vision of burying Erica alive, the Writer is horrified by his twisted fantasies. However, his delusions are far from over. He experiences another horrific vision of his bicycle which he calls Ten Speed, which appears to the Writer in a demonic form. Through conversation, Ten Speed tries to convince the Writer that there's another way to end his suffering other than by killing Erica. Instead, he must kill off a character from the story he is writing, a character who represents Erica. Only then can his pain end.

After a slight case of feeling down and out this morning, I'm feeling much better. So much better, in fact, it's time for another review! Tonight, a song that even many non Coheed fans know.

Ah yes, "Welcome Home." If you've ever played the first Rock Band, or even saw the early commercials for it, then you've heard this song at least once. The only sad part is that the game used the crappy edited version (admittedly, this song contains quite a bit of vulgarity, but that's almost nothing compared to other songs). Still, "Welcome Home" introduces a much heavier side to Coheed and Cambria than has been seen in their previous work. The use of synthesizers and piano mix playing in the background alongside the four band members helps to add to the sort of "horror" genre.

Like their first two records, the band shows that it likes to be mostly guitar driven. The song opens with Claudio playing a quick series of notes that seem to be straight out of a video game -- namely Tetris -- before Josh kicks in with drums. Suddenly Travis and Mic join in, and the rest of the song passes in a heavy, almost dark and morbid fashion. Claudio chugs to mostly the same riff throughout the song as Travis performs lead. The two also use, for the first time, new techniques in their playing by adding pinch harmonics. Yet, the song is not complete without Mic and Josh. Mic's bass lines are kept mostly around the low E string to match the verse riff that Claudio plays, as Josh adds a snare drum to every fourth beat.

One of the best parts of the song is undoubtedly the solo, where Travis and Claudio "duel" with their guitars and play back and forth between solos and rhythm work. Over the top? Not at all. It's one of the most headbanging moments in any live show. Also of note is how much Claudio has progressed in vocal work. While still singing as high as ever, Claudio's role as singer has allowed him to become even better at singing and more controlled over his voice. Next to "Always and Never," this song is his best vocal performance thus far in their records.

Moving into the concept, the Writer's grief over losing his lover Erica Court has become anger and resentment. His anger becomes hatred, and soon enough he experiences a vision of him dragging Erica toward a grave, planning to bury her alive as she pleads for her life. Taking into consideration the lines "You could've been all I wanted/But you weren't honest," it would appear that Erica was an unfaithful lover toward the Writer. Further, the Writer simply wants her to figure things out and "make up [her] mind" before he gets to the point that he wants her dead.

Tonight's review ends with a video of the guys playing an acoustic version of this song on MTV, shortly after the album release. While this song was meant to be loud and heavy, I must admit that the acoustic rendition is a beauty.

I've come to realize that I suck at jotting down what's bothering me. The problem is that there are a lot of things that bother me. And that list isn't just the bigger picture -- school, work, trying to figure out where my life is headed; no, even little things bother me. I'm trying hard, and failing miserably, to stop worrying about all the stupid little things in life.

I can't ever go into anything about why I feel so frustrated. The list would be too long and I'd get sidetracked. I'd probably ramble too much.

I'm just tired of feeling angry. I'm tired of the smallest, stupidest thing setting me off. Why can't I get past that?

The release of FFTEM was accompanied with a graphic novel of the same title, giving fans the opportunity to understand this chapter of the Amory Wars mythos. While the novel has since then been considered irrelevant -- with Claudio planning to do it over in comic form -- it still helped explain the story a little better. The album's second track, "Always & Never," introduces us to a previously unknown character known simply as 'the Writer.' The album actually follows this Writer more so than it does Claudio Kilgannon or the rest of the characters. That being said, surely it means that the Writer has some prominence if he's the center of this album. Just what is going on? Why shift the focus of the story onto this unknown and vague character? Well, my friends, the mindfuckery has only just begun.

According to comments by Claudio Sanchez and based on what transpires in the book, the song is about the Writer's thoughts on his ex-girlfriend Erica Court, with whom he apparently just broke up with. We're not immediately told what happened in this relationship to cause it to crumble, but it's clear it's got the Writer down.

Compared to earlier songs as "Time Consumer" and "In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3," this song is a rather refreshing and new change to "opener" track of Coheed's records. It's an all acoustic piece in the vein of "IRO-Bot" from SSTB, where the only instrument being played is guitar. It's slow and almost serenade like, with Claudio's voice sounding something close to a lullaby. This is one of the few occasions where he utilizes his lower octave, adding yet another new style and sound to the band's music. The occasional synthesizer is used, but only briefly at the end of the song.

Lyrically, this song is rather crazy. It appears to initially start out as a genuine sort of love letter. The Writer is clearly reflecting on what could have been, and reflecting on how his relationship with Erica could've gone so wrong. It's a very human emotion. However, staying true to the album's namesake, a slight hint of madness creeps up as Claudio utters that final line: "I'm still waiting here, my dear, to kill all of you."

"Always & Never" is short and sweet (in its own way). From just this track alone, it's plain to see that Coheed and Cambria are entering a new stage in their music career, both in terms of musicianship and in the concept.

For Coheed and Cambria, there could not be any more fitting track to open this album than with this tune -- "Keeping the Blade." Utilizing the advantages being signed to a major label such as Columbia Records gives, the band demonstrate their desire to play around with new instruments and synthesizers in order to expand their sound and style. Even on this opener, one can see the fruits of their labors.

The tune is a combination of the theme that was first head on "Second Stage Turbine Blade" from the album of the same name, and "The Ring in Return" off the previous record. In fact, it's noteworthy that the song takes its name from those two records -- "Keeping the Blade." As mentioned before, these tunes are considered to represent the passage of time within the story of Coheed and Cambria. With a new record and a new chapter of the story being told, it's crucial this song is here.

Of equally important notice is just why the song uses both the themes from the earlier records. Well, as far as the concept goes, this is part four. Or, actually, volume one of part four. The Amory Wars is a projected four part series. The Second Stage Turbine Blade makes up the second part, while In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3 is the third (in fact, notice how the titles hint to their placement in story). With the fourth and final chapter of the story about to begin, the use of the two themes to create "Keeping the Blade" gives the listener the idea that the journey is coming to an end. However, there are still two full albums to review, so it's still a long journey ahead.

This song is my favorite of all of Coheed's opening tunes. In just the first few seconds alone, we get the idea that this album is going to be rather heavy and dark. The use of string instruments arranged by Karl Berger offers a new dynamic to the theme. While the first half is played on keyboard by drummer Josh Eppard (who also performed said theme on SSTB), the rest of the theme carries on through use of violins, viola, and cello. Altogether, it's a more somber and melancholic rendition than ever before, perfectly foreshadowing the rest of the album.

It's the beginning of the end.

Try saying that album name five times fast. No doubt it sounds ridiculous. Even this loyal Coheed and Cambria fan knows it. It's a long title and it sounds cheesy. But, it's an awesome sort of cheesy. Perhaps it's because I'm such a big fan of this band that I can excuse it. It may also be because this album holds a special place in my heart.

In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3 had a bit of a cult following behind it. Its popularity gave Coheed the edge it needed to attract big name major labels. With an offer for a multi-album contract from Columbia Records, the band left Equal Vision Records and concluded its extensive support tour of their previous album to begin working on their third studio album, the first to be released on a major label. The fall of 2005 saw the longest gap so far between Coheed's records, but the wait seemed to be worth it.


I've been waiting to review this record since I started this project. This album -- which I will abbreviate as FFTEM in this series --  holds a special place in my heart. It's long since been dropped as my favorite Coheed record, but every time I listen to it I can remember why I loved it so much. Being as dark as it is, the album reflected a lot of personal anger I remember having back in those days -- some your typical teenage angst, and some that was pretty genuine frustration and depression. It was also the very first Coheed and Cambria record I listened to, not including "A Favor House Atlantic" actually being the first song. I remember it well too. My friend Robert -- the same one who showed me the "Favor House" music video -- had me take a listen to the track entitled "Welcome Home" off his ipod.

At first, I didn't much care for it, but I borrowed the album anyway, wanting to get into some new music. Once I got home, I immediately set it on my desk and didn't touch it for a few hours. Soon enough, I felt stupid that I wanted something new to listen to but hadn't given this album any chance. And so I popped it into my CD player, pushed play, and just listened.

As the saying goes, the rest is history.

I found out yesterday that my school's student union has a computer lab where students can print out 20 pages a day for free.

Awesome, right?!

Oh yes, completely awesome. Except, I feel ashamed knowing that it took me three and a half years to discover that. Granted, all other places on campus only charge $0.10 per page, but still... the amount I could have saved all these years would've been approximately $15.00.

With my home printer currently on the fritz, and having several papers due in the next week -- one of which will be ten pages -- I plan on taking full advantage of this discovery. Too bad I didn't realize it early on. Oh well.

With the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 two weeks ago, I've been in a bit of a Potter mood for a while now. When I attended the midnight premier I brought with me my own hand-crafted wand. Today, I'd like to share it with you.

It's easy to think "The Light & the Glass" is the last song off In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3. The back of the album lists it as so. On the first play through, one might be surprised therefore to discover twelve tracks that follow "The Light & the Glass" only to be surprised that these tracks are completely silent. They're not officially named tracks on the album, but they have collectively been titled as "A Lot of Nothing I-XII." However, the real prize lies at track number twenty-three -- "21:13".

The song is a continuation of the dream that the character Claudio has during "The Light & the Glass." Where that song was about Claudio desiring to see his girlfriend again, "21:13" is a manifestation of Claudio's thoughts about the night he came home to find his sister Josephine murdered, and the subsequent deaths of his parents. The line "When I fall asleep, your face is all I see" is repeated several times during the song, which indicates to me either Claudio seeing the face of Newo, or even his mother, Cambria.

Because the song is a re-enactment of that night, the band incorporated returning themes and riffs -- most notably the opening riff from "Time Consumer," as well as a rendition of "IRO-Bot" that ends the song and, ultimately, the album. To me, the return of these themes cements the band as storytellers. Themes and motifs are common elements in stories, and their recurrences are used for a reason. The use of these songs helps to connect IKSSE with SSTB seamlessly, reminding the listener that there is still a story here.

"21:13" is a typical progressive rock song. The song structure varies, as does the time signature. Elements of progressive rock were seen on the album's title track, but it was subtle. Here, however, the band lets loose their hard rock and progressive influences. As I pointed out long ago, it is important to keep note of this changing style in their music. The next record is especially rooted in progressive rock. In fact, if there's any genre can Coheed and Cambria can fall under, it's most certainly progressive. Aside from these elements, the band continues to show its liking for moments of rocking out. Several parts of the song contain moments where the band performs a full instrumental breakdown, one of which uses a highly catchy solo. One of my favorite moments is when the battle cry of the Crowing is heard. This scream gives me chills all the time.

Hands down, "21:13" is one of Coheed and Cambria's best and most well known songs. How anyone discovered this hidden track is beyond me, but since then it's become a popular and often used closer in Coheed concerts. Out of the three concerts I've attended, the first and only time so far I've heard this song was at my second show just this past May, where the band played it as their final song for the night. The atmosphere, the combined sound of everyone singing along to it especially at the "woahs", and the intensity behind the guys and their instruments makes "21:13" one of the most memorable tunes in Coheed's arsenal. No better ending could have been used for this album.

And today's post officially ends the review series for In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3. I'm really enjoying this project of mine. Next up on the reviews is the third Coheed and Cambria album. Until next time!

I immediately fell in love with "The Light & the Glass" the first time I heard it. Coheed and Cambria proved on SSTB that they were capable of playing slower acoustic songs, but at that time "IRO-Bot" was a different sort of acoustic style. With this song and in future acoustic songs, the guys showed they could write ballads -- the kind of tunes that bring you chills. The kind of tunes that have that melancholic feeling to them but still retain a quiet beauty. In the first time the guys try out their hand at this sort of style, we receive a near ten minute epic that seems to end the story of In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3 nicely.

Following the disaster that was the failed surprise attack on House Atlantic (though you wouldn't immediately know it considering the upbeat, bouncy tune of "A Favor House Atlantic"), Claudio Kilgannon escapes with his uncle Jesse, Ambellina, and the IRO-Bots Chase and Sizer aboard Jesse's ship, the Grail Arbor. Exhausted from their adventure, Claudio contemplates the destiny that lays before him -- the task of saving Heaven's Fence by destroying it. Unwilling and incapable of truly accepting this role, Claudio falls asleep and dreams of the events of ten years prior. He dreams of his girlfriend, Newo Ikkin, whom he had to leave behind when he escaped from Ryan's forces, and wishes he had given her a better goodbye before his life was destroyed. In short, it's a love song.

For some reason, I always picture this song as starting out with the gang sitting down as they play to the first couple minutes. It probably has a lot to do with how the song starts off soft and slow, with Claudio and Travis both playing accompanying lead riffs as Mic and Josh play softer bass lines and drum grooves. As the tempo increases and the distortion kicks in, changing seamlessly from acoustic instruments to electric, I suddenly imagine the full band standing up and rocking out.

The song actually ends before the nine minute mark, with the last minute or so of the song actually playing a rendition of the "time passage" theme as heard on "The Ring in Return." This is probably my only real issue with the song, although it's minor. Much as I love that theme and the rest of the song in particular, it feels slightly out of place with the rest of the song. Just a little side note.

"The Light & the Glass" remains among one of my favorite of all songs, not just Coheed songs. From beginning to end, each moment brings something new to me every time I hear it, mainly because I'm discovering new riffs or bass lines I hadn't heard before. From beginning to end, Claudio's singing gives me chills. From beginning to end, I feel like I'm at peace when I hear this tune. A fitting song to put at the close of the record after so much rocking out.

Next time: I review the final, hidden track on the album. Stay tuned!

It was sometime in early 2005. I forget the month specifically, but I would guess it to have been March or April. It was at least several months before September, that I know for sure. I was at my friend Robert's house, hanging out, when he called me over to his computer to show me a music video. We watched a near three and a half minutes of what looked like the strangest and weirdest music video we'd ever seen. What boggled me most was that the singer, who appeared to be a male, sounded close to a low-pitched female. I couldn't help myself -- I laughed. I laughed hard and couldn't stop for a while. That was all that was said about this, however. I left Robert's house that day without another word or thought. I passed off this band as a total joke.

Now, five years later, I'm wiser. That was the day I had my first experience with Coheed and Cambria, but I hadn't known it then. All I knew was that it was annoying funny music. As it turned out, the music video was none other than the video to the first single from In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3 -- "A Favor House Atlantic." Next to "Welcome Home", off the following record, this song is one of Coheed's most well known; not least because of Claudio's trademark vocal style.

The song's beauty lies in its simplicity -- a standard verse, chorus, bridge format that isn't overdone or underplayed. The band showcases their continued preference for guitar taking the lead in their compositions, but it doesn't completely overshadow the other instruments. Mic plays bass in a simple fashion that helps to keep rhythm. Most of his notes sync completely with Josh's drum work, in fact. Claudio and Travis stick to their preferred roles as rhythm and lead guitarist, respectively. Together, "A Favor House Atlantic" is the catchiest and typical "pop" song of the record. However, it stands alone as unique among pop songs because of its roots in the concept of The Amory Wars.

The journey to House Atlantic -- the headquarters of the Supreme Tri-Mage, Wilhelm Ryan -- has come to an end. The group prepares the task of taking down the villain once and for all. However, for reasons appearing to be nothing else than his own self interests, Al hands over the group to the United Red Army, betraying them. But, Al has not lost his humanity completely. His travels with Ambellina, however short, have shaped his desire for her into a sense of love, however twisted. Guilty over betraying her to Ryan's armies, Al has a change of heart. He uses his sharpshooting skills to pick off soldiers and allows the rest to escape from House Atlantic, knowing their planned surprise attack is useless at this point. Al gives a final farewell to Ambellina, somewhat jokingly saying "Bye bye beautiful, don't bother to write." However brief his appearance may be, it appears that Al has at least a heroic last stand.

And so, yet another attempt to thwart Ryan's twisted plans and save Heaven's Fence has been foiled.

I end this review today with the very music video I first saw five years ago. As I said, it's quite strange indeed.