No World For Tomorrow (Vinyl)

Once again this band has created a timeless rock masterpiece. For me, trying to choose a favorite Coheed album is futile. This band progresses with their music, mixes influences from their favorite bands into the songs, yet still manages to sound distinctly Coheed and Cambria.
This album is full of the typical catchy C&C riffs and choruses but also incorporates different styles not yet explored on previous albums. Claudio has a lot more variance in his vocal performance than on any other album and thus I think he has improved as a singer. The previous 'Good Apollo' album bears the most resemblence but 'No World' is overall more upbeat - having shorter simpler song arrangements without lacking any of the wonderfully weird and complex Coheed sound. Any fan of the band should be satisfied with this latest offering - if not blown away by it.

RECOMMENDATION: If you care about the packaging then make sure to purchase the deluxe edition. This edition is just the CD in a sleeve with no lyrics. The extra money may be worth it for the lyrics, the artwork, and the DVD.

THE BAND: Claudio Sanchez (lead vocals, guitars, keyboards, synth), Travis Stever (guitars, background vocals), Michael Todd (bass), Chris Pennie* (drums & percussion). *It is noted in the album liner notes that "Taylor Hawkins played all drums on this album".

THE DISC: (2007) 13 tracks clocking in at approximately 60 minutes. There are 2 versions of the release - the single disc in a slim cardboard sleeve (only); and the 2-disc 4-section foldout set containing the album on disc-1, and disc-2 being the DVD containing the making of the album with in-studio footage - including inspiration, turmoil, artwork concepts, etc (21+ minutes); original acoustic demos - 5 songs (27 minutes); "Mother Superior" performed live and acoustic (5+ minutes); and a tour photo album set to music (8 minutes). Included in the 2-disc set is a 14-page booklet containing song titles/credits, song lyrics, artwork pertaining to the story (by famed fantasy artist Ken Kelly), and thank you's. Recorded at The Pass Studios, Los Angeles, CA. Label - Columbia Records / Sony.

COMMENTS: After listening to Coheed & Cambria's 1st three albums... and then hearing this "Part IV - Vol. 2 - No World For Tomorrow"... it somehow just all fell together for me. Coheed & Cambria's 1st album - "The Second Stage Turbine Blade " (2002) was an odd listen. The music was incredibly intriguing for a debut. However, the vocals were the biggest obstacle for me to overcome. Five years and three complete albums later, I couldn't picture their music without the high-pitched creator and band leader Sanchez. The DVD lets you in on the mind of Sanchez - for the most part he's introverted and keeps to himself and his close-knit group of friends. And, that his music is a way for him to branch out and bring his innermost thoughts and fantasies to life. "No World For Tomorrow" is the 4th installment of Sanchez's sci-fi dream about the Amory Wars (want the full story - check out the series of comic books written by Sanchez and published by Evil Ink Comics). I've read that "The Running Free" is the first single to be released (a cool song with some great guitar work, minus the chipmunks gleeful background vocals with all the "ohs"). To date though, I am yet to hear any of this album on the radio. "No World For Tomorrow" starts off in mellow fashion. The gentle acoustic 1+ minute "The Reaping" sets the tone nicely for the title track (listen for the thunder in the background). Track 2 - the song "No World For Tomorrow" is my favorite on the disc (describing how the world is falling apart and there is great change coming). The melody is heavy - in my opinion, the heaviest and darkest thematically on the album. Other highlights include "Feathers" (an upbeat happier tune with some great rhythm guitars and a ripping solo); my 2nd favorite song on the disc - the intricate "Mother Superior" - with it's acoustic opening, rocking middle, and big ending (complete with orchestra strings); the rocking "Gravemakers & Gunslingers" with its fast pace and heavy guitars ("Go on and pull that trigger!"); as well as the entire 5-part "The End Complete" (tracks 8-13... the highlight being the album closer "On The Brink" - glorious guitars and bluesy undertone with an ending reminiscent of the prior album's last track, "The Willing Well IV: The Final Cut"). There is absolutely no filler on this album. I love the disc in its entirety. Out of the four Coheed albums to date, this "No World For Tomorrow" is my new favorite. In my opinion, it's more rock than progressive in tone. The band is extremely tight (showing maturity on their respective instruments) and the guitars are once again the show-piece of the band. Beware of the single disc purchase and the lack-there-of case and liner notes... go for the 2-disc set - it's worth it (5 stars).

I was first introduced to Coheed and Cambria when I heard "A Favorhouse Atlantic" on the radio. However, it wasn't until Good Apollo I'm Burning Star IV, Volume 1 that I gave into the temptation and gave them an honest listen. Since then, I haven't looked back. Co&Ca has been an almost permanent fixture in my car and on my computer ever since that CD. Then, I started digging deeper and realized that the members of Co&Ca were telling a story; a crazy, sci-fi rock opera that would ultimately span five CDs and contained more violence, melodrama, backstabbing and pain than any soap opera out there.

But, instead of turning me away, it drew me in and made me actively listen, trying to piece the puzzle together. Volume 1 also marked a huge change for the story as it introduced The Writer and brought the earlier themes of sci-fi to life. It made what was being told more human and introduced the Writer's own failings and insecurities. It was a defining moment for the band. Now, we have Volume 2: No World for Tomorrow and it promises to close shut the story of Coheed, Cambria, Claudio and the whole Kilganon family before the first chapter in the story is released.

Volume 2 is Co&Ca's masterpiece. It draws inspiration from all three of the previous albums, warps them and presents a unified front that is the culmination of everything that came before it. The songs effortlessly move from unabashed rock to power ballads to pop, all cemented with Claudio's soaring, albeit polarizing, voice. Some of the songs here standout as the absolute best of Co&Ca. In particular, "Mother Superior," "The End Complete" and "The Road and the Damned" are probably my favorite songs created by Co&Ca. What surprised me was how I could hear some of their earlier work pop out in the songs. A scream here, or a refrain, a lyric or the ending of the CD. It did what a good multi-part story should do and come full circle.

I could go through and list my feelings toward each track, but I won't. If you are new to Coheed and Cambria, this is easily their most accessible. But it's also one of their best. I know some fans haven't been really into Co&Ca since their last album. Their sound has changed. For me, it's changed for the better and Volume 2 equally takes from their previous album and their roots to create what is arguably their best album yet. Give them a try, if you're new. It's a wild journey.