Coheed & Cambria Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Volume One: From Fear Through The Eyes Of Madness CD

Coheed and Cambria: Travis Stever (vocals, guitar, lap steel guitar); Claudio Sanchez (vocals, guitar); Joshua Eppard (vocals, keyboards, drums); Michael Todd (vocals, bass guitar).
Additional personnel: Janiris Sanchez (spoken vocals); Danny Louis (keyboards); Daniel Sadownick (percussion); Sarah Kathryn Jacobs (background vocals).
Much like Death Cab for Cutie, emo devotees were aghast with horror when Coheed and Cambria left the shores of their indie label to depart for the good islands of major labeldom. And for those just catching up on their Coheed and Cambria folklore, this is first part of two, which will be the conclusion to their four-part concept album saga detailing the saga of two protagonists, Coheed and Cambria. It's not necessary to know all of the facts and story lines to enjoy IV, which is a prog rock opera on par with anything that Rush or Queensr˙che ever released. But the interesting thing to listen for is the evolution of the group's sound, since success sideswiped the group with 2003's In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth. The emo chords and songwriting dynamics have been shed in favor of a more prog rock, heavy metal sound that was so dominant throughout the '80s. Nowhere is this more evident than in the album's opener, "Welcome Home"; with its bombastic strings, dramatic buildups, breakdowns, and dual guitar solos, it's one of the best metal licks that 1985 never made. The album concludes with a four-part song cycle that acts as a subplot within the album, and will most likely act as a bridge for volume two when it's released. But conceptual plots aside, this is an album that finally lives up to the heavy metal promise and unapologetically delivers the goods with a full head of steam. ~ Rob Theakston
Ambition has never been a problem for Coheed & Cambria, but with GOOD APOLLO, I'M BURNING STAR IV..., the upstate New York progressive-metal quartet has succeeded in topping its already-adventurous previous outings. While extending its sonic reach, however, Coheed & Cambria has also hit new heights of accessibility, often sounding like a kinder, gentler Mars Volta, with soaringly melodic moments peeking through billowing, dense clouds of driving guitars and breakneck rhythms.
The group eases into GOOD APOLLO with a moody orchestral opening ("Keeping the Blade") and a deceptively benevolent acoustic track ("Always & Never"), before launching into the blisteringly heavy "Welcome Home." As always, frontman Claudio Sanchez carries the dynamic songs, belting out strangely narrative lyrics in his high, clear voice. Although Coheed & Cambria has been loosely categorized as an "emo" band, here the ensemble fully outgrows that tag, joining an elite company of inventive metal acts (like the aforementioned Mars Volta) that are determined to challenge and fascinate listeners.Rolling Stone (No. 985, p.78) - 3 out of 5 stars - "Coheed and Cambria's devotion to prog-rock complexity and Dungeons and Dragons fantasia is so over-the-top it's damn near awe-inspiring...."
CMJ (No. 903, p.8) - "Stuffed with atmospheric synths, string swells and acoustic ballads...Coheed's unapologetic love of prg-rock excess and technical prowess should please the band's oft-obsessive fanbase."
Mojo (Publisher) (p.109) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "Sanchez's grand vision is realised via a blend of prog rock, old-school heavy metal and modern emo..."