Coheed and Cambria (the band, not the characters) deliver what is arguably one of the heaviest songs on this record, and it's important that it is. As musicians, it's important for the band to create different moods when necessary in order to obtain the right atmosphere. As a concept band, this is even more critical. With such an event as a young man being told he alone must overthrow the villain and take up the mantle of his universe's savior, "The Crowing" is one of the most story-oriented songs in Coheed's career. Driven by Josh's fast-paced and aggressive drumming, the combination of Travis and Claudio chugging to the same chords for the verses before Travis splits off to a fantastic bit of lead, and Mic's ever heavy bass, the song is not light-hearted.

Melody wise, the most interesting part of the song is the breakdown that starts around two minutes and fifty seconds into the song. During this interval, the band shows off the fact that their sound is changing. Where SSTB contained post-hardcore and punk influences, IKSSE and this song especially showcase yet another influence on the band, combining their post-hardcore roots with elements of hard rock. The "sound" of Coheed and Cambria has always been hard to distinguish because of the major differences from one record -- and sometimes even one song -- to the next.

What continually amazes me the most is Claudio and his singing. While his voice still cracks and gets incredibly high-pitched at times, it's very obvious it's changed even slightly since recording the previous album. While the instruments and percussion make me want to head bang and rock out, it's the vocals that truly make this song. "The Crowing" gives me chills every time I hear it. The best part of it, without a doubt, is the last chanting melody of Claudio's multi-layered vocals: