Coheed and Cambria

In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3 (2003)

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I swear, the first time you hear this band, you're going to think this is Geddy Lee's 'emo-core' side project; but, as soon as you get past the striking similarities to Rush's lead singer, Coheed and Cambria really does have something special to add to the 'scene'.. or.. whatever.

In Keeping Secrets Of Silent Earth: 3 does not only have a strange name, but features some of the catchiest, darkest, most melodic songs I've heard all year from any band. The eerie contrast in 'A Favor House Atlantic' between the seemingly happy instrumentals, and the twisted and surely emotional lyrics (Good eye, sniper/I shoot, you run/The words you scribbled on the walls/With the loss of friends you didn't have/I called you and the time is right/Are you in or are you out?).

From there, you've got the songs that are purely twisted and emotional, like 'The Camper Velorium III: Al The Killer' (ok, I don't know what's up with these track names either, maybe I'm not 'emo-core' enough). This song is about as dark as you can get (When I kill her, I'll have her./Dance upon the graves of the dead, upon your name/Die white girls, die white girls./Dance upon the graves of the dead, upon the graves of the dead) but it's just as catchy as the rest of the songs, and it's what makes Coheed and Cambria special.

Usually with bands like this, they're just purely emotional, and they don't make much of an attempt to make it listenable. I think that we've had enough screaming and crying in albums, and that it's time for some innovation. It's a hard concept to grasp, I know. This band proves that if you want to be sad, be sad, but you can still make some good music; and if you want to listen to the harmonies, listen to the harmonies, and if you want to get real fucked up listening to these lyrics, go right ahead. The level of depth to this band is amazing, and it's what sets them apart from bands like Thursday or Thrice (who, coincidentally, they are currently on tour with).

From the odd track titles, to the ridiculously catchy melodies and dark lyrics, it's not hard to realize that Coheed and Cambria is one special band. This eleven track dynamo will have you enticed from the time you buy it, to at least like, three weeks after. Buy this album.