Coheed and Cambria looked as if they were on a roll. The release of From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness on a big label like Columbia Records proved to be the stepping stone the band needed to expand their music and influence across the United States and the rest of the world. 

So it wasn't any surprise that the guys chose to have extensive tours in support of the record, drawing even more into their fanbase. It was through the release of this album that I first got into Coheed and Cambria, though it would be months before I would see them in concert. In the meantime, the guys continued to perform shows. In May 2006 they played at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City, where live footage was recorded and later edited into a DVD called The Last Supper: Live at the Hammerstein Ballroom. Claudio confirmed the release of the next album, citing that it was to be the conclusion to the story. The fans were eager, and it looked as if Coheed could never be stopped.

But, that's not how art works. Art struggles, it meets challenges, and sometimes the challenges are so great that art faces danger of being destroyed. In mid 2006, problems arose between the band members. Citing personal differences and drug-related issues, bassist Mic Todd and drummer Josh Eppard departed the band, effectively reducing the band in half and without any rhythm. While the guys managed to find substitutes for Josh and Mic and finish their summer touring (one of those shows having been the first time I saw them), it appeared that Coheed met their match. Now, the fans and the band worried they might not be able to recover.

Still, the band pressed on with writing their next album. At this time Travis and Claudio took on various side projects to keep them occupied. Travis involved himself with what was then know as The English Panther, completing a self-titled album and releasing it in 2006. Claudio fiddled with his love for electronica and acoustic elements in a side project entitled The Prize Fighter Inferno, which acted as a conceptual side item to The Amory Wars in that it focused on Jesse/Inferno alone. Through this, Claudio released My Brother's Blood Machine. In a way, these side projects helped to keep the fans occupied as the band seemed to reflect on their issues and turmoil.

Personal problems also plagued Claudio, problems I'll get to later. It became clear, however, that these issues influenced his lyrics and songwriting. While Claudio's life did influence his story before, it was never quite in the same way as it was this time. The story was taking on an even more personal tone.

After the writing process, fans rejoiced when Mic came back to the band in April 2007 to begin work on recording. Any news of Josh's return was lacking, however, and the band instead chose to move on without him. In June, the band announced their new drummer to be Chris Pennie, famous as the co-founder and drummer for The Dillinger Escape Plan. However, due to contract restrictions, Chris was unable to perform on the record. Instead, Coheed recruited Taylor Hawkins -- of Foo Fighters fame -- to record. Despite the challenges leading up to it, the band finished recording the record. The band performed songs known as "The Running Free" and "Mother Superior" in tours leading up to the album's release. Finally, the record saw a worldwide release in October 2007.

Following its predecessor, the album took on the moniker of Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Volume Two: No World for Tomorrow. However, it was often shorted to just simply No World for Tomorrow, or NWFT. The album showed off a style that was both a progression and a departure from the previous record. In this, Coheed showcased a metal influence on tracks such as the title track and "Gravemakers & Gunslingers." They continued to show appreciation for acoustic elements in "The Reaping" and "Mother Superior." Even progressive elements could be found in "The End Complete," although it was far from the same approach that was found on the previous album.

By the time people had given it a listen, NWFT was considered something of a slip up by many. To some, the album was much too overproduced and the structure too formulaic. Some felt Coheed and Cambria were losing sense of what they were (a claim I still find ridiculous to this day). My personal thoughts are that the album is not my favorite, and it's definitely on a different plane than its predecessor was. When taking into consideration all that happened to the guys in the months leading up to it, it's only natural they have some trouble. However, NWFT is highly far from a terrible album. All the good things about Coheed are still there: the choppy riffs, the strong rhythms, the narrative elements. However much the album might sound "different", well, that's how art progresses.

And now, the concluding chapter of The Amory Wars.