Coheed & Cambria - Unheavenly Creatures

New Coheed. It must be hard to make new albums when you've already out put out some of the most epic rock albums in recent memory. I wasn't a big fan of The Color Before The Sun but this sounds like a step back towards older stuff. That's a good thing.

Coheed & Cambria - Wake Up

I was going to post something loud. It is Metal Monday after all. In lieu of monster riffs I've opted for some acoustic Claudio Sanchez and Travis Stever. I trust you'll forgive me.

Coheed & Cambria - Number City

Brand spankin' new video for this great track. Coheed with trumpets? Awesome!

Best of 2012 Part 7

Well here we are. It was a rush at the end, but I made it just in time. As I said in part 1, this was a strange year in music and though there were some good albums, there's probably only one or two that will eventually contend for any best-of-the-decade list. Instead many of these titles might in the future be looked at as turning point albums, after which the artists either achieved greatness or faded away. Only time will tell.

The three albums that sit atop my chart are probably the most polarizing of the list in that there is very little room for middle ground in their enjoyment. Either you'll love them, or hate them. It's obvious at this point that indie shoegaze isn't my thing, so if you're up for more guts and glory, then prepare for battle...

#3

Swans

The Seer

This is by some distance the darkest album I've listened to this year, and for a long time before that. The opening track is titled "Lunacy", which is eminently poignant given that large parts of this album sound as if it were written in an asylum. I cannot stress enough how insane it is. That it was conceived at all is near sorcery, and as a recording it is a triumph.

Nearly two hours of sheer terror are the best way to describe this. It's not a heavy metal album, it doesn't have shrieking vocals or slashing guitars, in fact just the opposite. This is a kind of slow torture, a creeping dread, a shrouded evil that seeps into your being in a droning, unrelenting, ever-building manner. You might be thinking "why would I subject myself to this?", and to be fair, you might be right. If you can handle the dark, however, you will go places few other auditory expositors are able, never mind willing, to take you. This is a monumental achievement in post-rock expressionism, and it is impossible to appreciate it from listening to clips or even a single track at a time, but here are some samples anyway. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Lunacy

The Seer Returns

Avatar

#2

Death Grips

The Money Store

When I first heard "Ex-Military" last year, I didn't really know what to think. In the end, I really liked it. Similarly, even with that past exposure and a general idea of what this album might be like, I still didn't know quite what to make of it on first listen. This is not controlled chaos, this is absolute madness. It makes Kanye's dark twisted fantasy look like a cotton candy carnival ride.

The production on this is just nuts. It's sharks with fricken laser beams on acid. Distorted wub bass, warped vocals, bit crushed kicks, this is future music and how. You probably hate it. Lots of people do. I can't explain why it's so cool, it just is. There is nobody that sounds like these guys, and as if one dope album wasn't enough for this year, they also put out No Love Web Deep, which is almost as awesome and very nearly also made this list. It's just mind boggling stuff that bashes its way into your psyche and leaves you wondering what on earth they could possibly come up with next.

Hustle Bones

I've Seen Footage

Hacker

#1

Coheed & Cambria

The Afterman: Ascension

I make no apologies for my admiration of Claudio Sanchez and his seriously awesome band Coheed and Cambria. For whatever reason these guys are often dismissed as being pop-punk because they have obsessive fans, many of whom are of the younger generation. They are also a concept band that has a fully-fleshed illustrated fantasy story to accompany the themes of their albums. Frankly, I couldn't care less about the comics. These guys kick ass, plain and simple. Claudio's voice can take some getting used to but writing soaring, epic progressive tracks is an art that he has mastered.

This is the first half of what is a two-part double album, but by itself this is the best album that Coheed have released since their sophomore album in 2003. The return of Josh Eppard to the drums and the addition of Zach Cooper on bass seem to have lifted the band to new heights and given them an energy not seen in ages. Though this is a short album, only nine songs and just under forty minutes, every track is memorable and as a whole the record feels like an adventure. The second part comes out in February and all indications are that it will be just as good if not better. It's been a big year for Sanchez, and long may his new found zeal continue.

Domino The Destitute

The Afterman

Goodnight, Fair Lady

EP #1

Brother Ali

The Bite Marked Heart

One of the good guys of hip hop came out with two discs this year, this being the first and shorter release, and also the best. With seven great tracks that all feature trademark smooth production and even smoother lyrics. The combination of soul and R&B vibes with tight beats keeps you bouncing from start to finish. The Brother just seems to be getting better and better.

Shine On

I'll Be Around

Years

That's all folks! See you in 2013!

Best of 2012 Part 6

Making good progress now, on we go!

#6

Marbert Rocel

Small Hours

Another hidden gem of the past year is this tidy little release from German trio Marbert Rocel. This is a side project of sorts for all three members, and it almost feels like a bit of an artistic release with its light, carefree tone and soothing moodiness. Experimental cabaret might be an accurate description. The production is very clean, almost minimal in parts but there is a subtlety to its depth that can sneak by unnoticed.

Vocalist Antje Seifarth's voice is soft and seductive, melding beautifully with the jazz pianos and acoustic guitars amidst recurring saxophone themes. It's jazzy, quaint, reserved yet ambitious. It could well be the year's most under-appreciated effort.

Whether The Night

Small Hours

Song For You

#5

Zammuto

Zammuto

The self-titled debut solo album of Nick Zammuto will take you by surprise if you are unfamiliar with his previous works with The Books. Even then, while there are certainly similarities between the two, the new material has a distinctly more effervescent feel to it. Piled on top of the little glitchy percussion samples are thick layers of synth organs, effected guitars, and a heavily processed vocals that give a strange, oblique feel to otherwise whimsical lyrics. While vocoders aren't always a good choice, Zammuto achieves a very particular sound with them that just seems to work seamlessly.

Featured among the tracks are a couple that had been previously released on the "Idiom Wind" EP, including an absolute monstrosity of a song that is probably my favorite track released all year. I don't really have any idea what "F U C-3PO" is supposed to be about, though just like the rest of the album the lyrics are captivating not just in content but in construction. It's a bit crazy, in a good way, and illustrates once again that the medium is indeed the message. Just what that message is I can't say, but I'm more than happy to listen to it over, and over, and over.

F U C-3PO

The Shape Of Things To Come

Idiom Wind

#4

Fiona Apple

The Idler Wheel

For whatever reason, excessively long song and/or album titles really grind my gears. Maybe it was because it made labeling needlessly difficult, but I just don't see the point in trying to make a statement within a title. If one must do so, do it succinctly. Nobody is ever going to call this album anything other than "The Idler Wheel", so why put a short essay on the cover? Thankfully Miss Apple had the decency to abstain from repeating the process with the song titles, which could have annoyed me to the point of disregarding the album completely. Well, probably not, but still. I digress...

Fiona has always been among the more talented singer songwriters around, and her emotional intensity is at its fever pitch on this album, her first in seven years. It's not the type of record you can throw on halfheartedly and enjoy on the first sitting, it requires a certain level of commitment to absorb all of its intention, and even then I must admit there are elements here that feel too uniquely feminine in their experience for me to properly appreciate. It's teeth-gnashing gut-check stuff in the form of musical theater, and it's utterly spellbinding at times. This is arguably her finest work, and certainly her most refined. Worthy of all the plaudits and one of the year's most memorable albums.

Every Single Night

Valentine

Daredevil

EP #2

The Prize Fighter Inferno

Half Measures

While I am a fan of Claudio Sanchez, I have not, to date, been big on his side project, The Prize Fighter Inferno. This new EP, however, is far more accessible than anything else to come out under the moniker. The electronic backdrop remains, but the guitars are predominantly acoustic this time and the song writing more cohesive. Sanchez' writing style is unique and easily recognizable, though the melancholic themes that have imbued his work thus far remain, they take on a much more upbeat tone this time around. 

Elm Street Loverboy

Half Measures

Simple Fix

Next up, the grand finale!

Coheed & Cambria - A Rush And A Push And The Land Is Ours

A cool acoustic cover of The Smiths by Travis Stever and Claudio Sanchez.

Coheed & Cambria - Iron Fist

This is from an album that will be released next year. Awesome.

Coheed & Cambria - Somebody That I Used To Know

Oh look, somebody else covered this song, and it's awesome!

Claudio Sanchez - Sentry The Defiant

Late afternoon addition! Claudio just posted this one, it's an acoustic version of one of the songs from the upcoming Coheed & Cambria album. The description reads:

"Instead of making you wait until the album is released, I thought I'd share my excitement for this song with you now. I decided with this piece to video document its creation. This is literally the first time I played the song through in its entirety. His name is Sentry The Defiant. - Claudio"

Coheed & Cambria - Delerium Trigger

The Franchise went to see Coheed & Cambria last night at the Sound Academy in Toronto. He had a ticket for me and sadly I still couldn't make it to Ontario to see it. This has been a recurring theme for me, I've previously had tickets for ridiculous bands I won't even mention (Tool was one) only having to miss out for various reasons. As I'm currently vigorously planning my overtaking of the world, I'm hoping that this will never happen again.

The good news is that after three months of work and waiting for parts, I have finally successfully repaired my old failed hard drive and restored countless hours of awesomeness that will soon be released upon the electronic universe to change everything. The anticipation is killing me.

I digress. Coheed & Cambria are awesome. One of my favourite bands ever, easily top 10, and this song might be my favourite of theirs. This is from their DVD "The Last Supper" which was taken from the Hammerstein Ballroom, and it's awesome.

Sorry I missed it Patrick, the next show's on me.

Claudio Sanchez - Here We Are Juggernaut

This is Coheed & Cambria lead singer Claudio Sanchez playing a brilliant acoustic version of the epic track off of the new album "Year Of The Black Rainbow". It's not the best Coheed album, but that's kind of like saying it's the least greatest chocolate in a stack of Swiss decadence. You can check out the original version here for comparison. This guy's probably my favourite lead singer out there right now, and this is a pretty good example of why.

And this guy writes comic books in his spare time...

Coheed & Cambria - In Keeping Secrets Of Silent Earth: 3

I stand corrected. As much as Bonnaroo looks awesome, Coachella looks even better. Could it be that I'm actually completely out of touch with the goings-on of the massive summer festivals? Could there yet be ever better ones to venture to? The plot thickens.

One of the main reasons that I think the Coachella has a better lineup is that besides having many of the great acts signed up for Bonnaroo, it also has some other bands that I absolutely love. First and foremost has to be Coheed & Cambria. Probably my favourite band right now, and I can just imagine being in the audience and seeing the kind of mayhem I've posted below. This is probably the greatest intro to a music DVD I've ever seen. Actually I can't really imagine being there. That's why I need to see it in person.

Mind-blowing DVD. By the way they have a new track out for anyone interested...