(6/6)
As I said, I'd been eagerly waiting for Afterman:The Ascension since last march. And the album was brilliant as I expounded in my previous entry.
Being a big fan of Coheed and Cambria and completely enamored with The Amory Wars I splurged and got the Deluxe Edition of the album, which came with Afterman(The Book).
While those who ordered the Deluxe Edition got the music downloads right on the release date, the book itself took a little longer to ship due to quality control issues. And it was longer still before I could find time to curl up with the coffee table sized book. (I was not about to throw that gorgeous book into a backpack and read it on the train.)
My gods that was worth the wait.
All of the things I extrapolated from the video log and my own wild-eyed imaginings were nothing compared to the sheer brilliance of the album along side the book. Combine a brilliant album with a wonderful story steeped in metaphor and drenched in layer upon layer of music and meaning and you have something breathtakingly profound. Toss in a sprinkling of the real life inspirations for the songs and you have a vulnerability that you don't see very often in the music world.
Music is so personal, and everyone takes something different from a piece, so it is easy for an artist to wave over the songs that strike a nerve. Author and front man Claudio Sanchez exposes the raw nerve without dwelling too deeply so that the story and experiences inform each other intricately.
I have never seen a piece like this before and I doubt I will again.
If you're a fan, find a copy of this book and throw on the album do it, it is beyond brilliant.
On top of all of the things I’ve mentioned, I would be doing the work a disservice if I neglected to mention the artwork. It is a perfect complement to the music, equally rich and complex. The use of color and contrast alone made my head reel. Every ounce of this piece is rich with subtleties, yet accessible to the new fans.
As I said, I'd been eagerly waiting for Afterman:The Ascension since last march. And the album was brilliant as I expounded in my previous entry.
Being a big fan of Coheed and Cambria and completely enamored with The Amory Wars I splurged and got the Deluxe Edition of the album, which came with Afterman(The Book).
While those who ordered the Deluxe Edition got the music downloads right on the release date, the book itself took a little longer to ship due to quality control issues. And it was longer still before I could find time to curl up with the coffee table sized book. (I was not about to throw that gorgeous book into a backpack and read it on the train.)
My gods that was worth the wait.
All of the things I extrapolated from the video log and my own wild-eyed imaginings were nothing compared to the sheer brilliance of the album along side the book. Combine a brilliant album with a wonderful story steeped in metaphor and drenched in layer upon layer of music and meaning and you have something breathtakingly profound. Toss in a sprinkling of the real life inspirations for the songs and you have a vulnerability that you don't see very often in the music world.
Music is so personal, and everyone takes something different from a piece, so it is easy for an artist to wave over the songs that strike a nerve. Author and front man Claudio Sanchez exposes the raw nerve without dwelling too deeply so that the story and experiences inform each other intricately.
I have never seen a piece like this before and I doubt I will again.
If you're a fan, find a copy of this book and throw on the album do it, it is beyond brilliant.
On top of all of the things I’ve mentioned, I would be doing the work a disservice if I neglected to mention the artwork. It is a perfect complement to the music, equally rich and complex. The use of color and contrast alone made my head reel. Every ounce of this piece is rich with subtleties, yet accessible to the new fans.
