New York prog rockers Coheed and Cambria have just embarked on a headlining tour of the United States in support of their eighth studio album “The Color Before The Sun.” The band has really gone out on a limb this time with their first non-conceptual album. Gone is frontman Claudio Sanchez’s scifi fantasy world of “The Amory Wars” and the result is surprisingly refreshing.
For the first time, the songs are not based on a work of fiction and stand alone as individual tunes. The upbeat “Island” starts things off with a fresh and fun feel which lends itself to the entire album. The vibe is definitely lighter with simpler melodies and an understated laidback feel. Of course there are still beauitful layers of sound but they are not the main focus as they were in past releases. The vocals of Sanchez are pure and heartfelt within this semi-stripped down style. The band lets their lush musical stylings interweave with the melodies on the acoustic “Ghost” without seeming overpowering and show their fun side on the first single “You Got Spirit Kid.”
Coheed and Cambria took a chance and strayed from their tried and true formula with “The Color Before The Sun.” The outcome of their experiment is an invigorating album of prog-pop at its finest.
