‘No World for Tomorrow’ almost as hopeless as its title
October 25, 2007
Photo Courtesy of Coheed
Credit: Ron Soltys
The fourth album by rockers Coheed and Cambria is more regressive than progressive.
Good Apollo, I’m Burning Star IV, Volume 2: No World for Tomorrow, as it is officially titled, is very disappointing.
The album is overproduced, much more so than their previous album, which was also released by Columbia, along with the band’s original label, Equal Vision. The major label influence, however, is little excuse considering Good Apollo, I’m Burning Star IV, Volume 1: Fear Through the Eyes of Madness was actually on par with the band’s first two albums.
The first lyrics we hear on the album?
“Hell must know there are worse things I’ve done.”
Unless this statement refers to that particular song, it could not be further from the truth in describing this album. It does begin well with the melodic acoustic intro, “The Reaping,” which blends well into the equally enjoyable title track. From there, however, the album takes a nosedive with few hopes of recovery that are never fulfilled.
Unlike Coheed and Cambria’s previous albums, No World for Tomorrow is just hard to listen to without skipping tracks. Songs that probably should have been omitted are “Feathers” (self explanatory), “Mother Superior” and “The End Complete I, II, IV and V.” “The End Complete V: On the Brink” is on the brink of blatantly ripping off both Pink Floyd and Ministry, and it’s anti-climactic.
Beacons of hope are few and far between, even though some lack originality. Particularly, the third track “The Hound (of Blood and Rank)” begins with a synthesizer piece almost identical to that at the beginning of Queensr˜che’s concept album, Empire, and the rest of the song could be considered a tribute to the band. Both songs are good, though still far inferior to previous work. Also enjoyable is the first single from the album “The Running Free” and “The End Complete III: The End Complete,” which can be downloaded to avoid the rest of the duds Volume 2 serves up.
Contact all reporter Allan Lamb at [email protected].
