Friday, December 3, 2010
Album Review - Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Volume One: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness
8:04 PM | 
Posted by
Kevin
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.
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.
2005's Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Volume One: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness is the first part of the fourth and final chapter of The Amory Wars. Picking up from its predecessor, the album follows the continued journey of Claudio Kilgannon as he struggles to find the courage he needs to destroy the Keywork -- the energy beams that connects all of Heaven's Fence together -- and defeat Wilhelm Ryan. What Claudio doesn't appear to know is that his fate seems to be out of his hands. With this album comes the longest, darkest, heaviest, and most twisted bit of music in Coheed and Cambria's career.
The best description I heard someone give this album was that it was the musical version of a horror film. In many ways, this is true. Utilizing such instruments as violins in their work, Coheed and Cambria offered a more orchestra-like record. The tones are heavier, the subject matter (while still revolving around the story) is equally heavier and more personal, and the band moves on toward an ever changing sound, this time incorporating elements of progressive rock and heavy metal. Thus, with every new record, Coheed and Cambria continue to improve themselves as musicians with ever expanding influences.
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.
As usual, I give the track listing:
1. Keeping the Blade
2. Always & Never
3. Welcome Home
4. Ten Speed (Of God's Blood & Burial)
5. Crossing the Frame
6. Apollo I: The Writing Writer
7. Once Upon Your Dead Body
8. Wake Up
9. The Suffering
10. The Lying Lies & Dirty Secrets of Erica Court
11. Mother May I
12. The Willing Well I: Fuel for the Feeding End
13. The Willing Well II: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness
14. The Willing Well III: Apollo II: The Telling Truth
15. The Willing Well IV: The Final Cut
Enjoy the next series.
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