With that said, "This Shattered Symphony" is about the struggles of pleasing your fan base. I find it to be sarcastic in a way, because the lyrics seem to depict that while some fans have obviously been disappointed with the records lately, the band seems to be of the opinion that this doesn't matter. And frankly, I agree. Year of the Black Rainbow largely screams "fuck you" as much as it does speak about love and relationships, and this defiant theme is also heavily present within the concept.

It's not necessary that everyone must enjoy your work. Rather, it's frustrating to put out work you're proud of, only to have it bashed by your own fanbase. I'm not talking constructive criticism (of which I have seen in regards to this album, all of which if very fair), but pure lashing out for the simple fact that Coheed and Cambria have progressed musically beyond what was seen on The Second Stage Turbine Blade or In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3. The point is that they've changed. Music is art, and while it is the type of art that is meant to be shared with the public, it's still personal. Music should be written for the songwriter's intent. Whether the listener relates to it or likes it at all is hardly the point. The point is that Year of the Black Rainbow and the other records are reflections of who these guys are.

"This Shattered Symphony" is currently my favorite song, ironically enough. It's not for its message, however. The song is one of the most brutal and edgy songs to come out of their career. This type of heavy style of rock is what was largely left out of No World for Tomorrow. With low key guitar riffs, heavy bass lines, and Chris' insane drumming, the song has all the heaviness that was seen on such earlier work as "Welcome Home" and "Al the Killer," and even reminds me a bit of the riff seen on "Backend of Forever." And who said that Coheed strayed too far from their style? Simply put, the song is what it is to me because its a heavy dose of rock 'n' roll perfect for those angry, pissed off moments of your life. Claudio's vocalized screams make a return once again during the song's incredibly epic chorus -- "Go on and give me the gun! Nevermind what I've done! -- and during the bridge -- "Living eyes they judged mistakes."

As far as the story goes, it gets tricky from here. Again, I stress how the album doesn't follow the chronology of the novel. Even more strangely, the chapter entitled "This Shattered Symphony" really seems to be different from the song itself. Story-wise, once Wilhelm Ryan discovers the existence of Coheed and Cambria, he eventually finds out about their creator, Leonard. He kidnaps his wife, Pearl, and holds her hostage as a means to get the doctor to construct a deadly virus that has the ability to destroy the Keywork -- the Monstar. (Remember that thing, way back in SSTB? It's all coming together!) "This Shattered Symphony", to me, represents the event surrounding Pearl's eventual release and subsequent finding out about her husband's misdeeds. A brutal story indeed.

Back when I was reviewing the songs for IKSSE I mentioned the musical transition between the three songs of "The Camper Velourium" series, and how they progressed from bouncy to more heavy. Keep in mind during these next couple of reviews how "This Shattered Symphony" and the next two songs have a similar effect on each other.