Coheed and Cambria - The Second Stage Turbine Blade [2002]

Let me just preface this post with telling you that I love Coheed. Way too much. I have a wall in my room that is reserved specifically for Coheed merch, I have spent several hundred dollars on them, and I've discovered some of my other favorite bands thanks to these guys. So if I come off a bit strong, you'll know why.

This album is amazing. From the exquisite vocals to the heavy guitars, the story-tinged lyrics to the well placed screams, the instrumentation to the interludes, I love it all. Claudio and crew's first record under the Coheed and Cambria moniker is arguably their best. It's progressive, but has some definite hardcore elements (think At The Drive-In hardcore) that keep it full of energy. Claudio Sanchez's voice rides smoothly over his and Travis Stever's powerful guitar riffs while Mic Todd's basslines and Josh Eppard's drumming perfectly accentuate each section. The band works amazingly well and cohesively to create a sound all their own that makes your fist want to shoot into the air. Standout tracks are "Everything Evil," which starts off quiet and intricate but builds up to a loud and powerful finale; "Delirium Trigger," a fan favorite that's one of Coheed's heavier songs; and "Time Consumer," the album opener featuring Dr. Know of the punk band Bad Brains. This is easily one of the best albums of the 2000's.

Genre: Progressive, Hardcore
For Fans Of: At The Drive-In, Circa Survive, Thursday
Contact: Myspace
Tracklisting:
1. Second Stage Turbine Blade
2. Time Consumer
3. Devil in Jersey City
4. Everything Evil
5. Delirium Trigger
6. Hearshot Kid Disaster
7. 33
8. Junesong Provision
9. Neverender
10. God Send Conspirator
11. Elf Tower New Mexico (B-Side)
12. Junesong Provision" (Acoustic Demo)
13. Everything Evil (Demo)

**Note: This is the 2005 re-release, the original version lacked the last 3 tracks and the secret song "IRO-Bot" was placed at the end of "God Send Conspirator" after several minutes of silence instead of at the end of the "Everything Evil (Demo)"**


-A