Reality, Deconstructed
There is not much to say about Coheed and Cambria that hasn’t already been said. Although they used to churn out hard rock anthems like “Welcome Home,” nowadays they embody alternative pop rock at its best. Recently, the native New Yorkers re-released their hit 2015 LP, The Color Before the Sun, with a bevy of additional features. The new material primarily consists of live performances and previously unreleased demos, leading to a whopping 30-track body of work. This massive amount of content may, of course, overwhelm some listeners; however, most of the deluxe edition’s offerings–both new and old–are still upbeat and generally enjoyable.
Many tracks successfully highlight the band’s lyrical talent and creativity. For example, “Peace to the Mountain,” which is a soothing ballad, profoundly describes a journey of renewal. A man reflects back, as he continues his solitary existence, peacefully headed towards a mountain. The lyrics read, “peace to the mountain, girl, I’m gonna go, go…. so let me go.” This powerful imagery paints a picture of self-realization and resolve.
Of the entire deluxe edition of the album, “Ghost” is a standout. Although notably downtempo compared to the rest of the album, the song establishes wistful melodies and soothing acoustic textures that manage to firmly demand the listener’s interest. Singer Claudio Sanchez explained in a TeamRock interview that its lyrics describe his fear of becoming a new dad: “I wondered whether it was going to be an original experience / or if I was going to echo the ghost of my parents and their upbringing.” This is a concept many people can relate to. The track points out how children’s realities are often created by their parents, contributing to their essence as humans.
Thematically, it is clear that much of The Color Before the Sun is based on Sanchez’s life experiences. As a result, refreshingly, many of its songs are not about stereotypical topics like romance and heartbreak. For example, the title of “Young Love” would suggest that it describes two teenagers falling head over heels for one another–in truly hackneyed fashion. However, in actuality, Sanchez states (in the same TeamRock Interview) that the song is an apology to a house he and his wife couldn’t bear to part with due to its sentimental value. Their final decision was to rent it out to a family, planning to return in the near future. It turned out that the renters used the property to house a cannabis farm. In the song Sanchez sings, “you gave us so much, you believed in us, we broke your trust and we made for the coast, and in the wrong hands you were bruised and disposed.” The house is referred to as if it were a human entity, making the couple’s adoration for it a powerful metaphor.
Coheed and Cambria are a success story. They have gained significant exposure and recognition throughout the US. Along the way, they have also built a rabid fanbase. The Color Before the Sun (Deconstructed) will merely add to their already impressive following. It features some gorgeous renditions of the original album’s already impressive content. It also includes some old favorites. Live bootlegs of certain tracks from the band’s catalog make appearances towards the latter part of the album, quenching nostalgic fans’ desire for the classics as well.
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