Coheed and Cambria - Vaxis II: A Window of the Waking Mind (June 24, 2022) Album • Page 48

One week after release day I get an email that my day one vinyl pre-order was canceled. My disappointment is immeasurable and my day is ruined.

 

I’d just go buy one at my local shop if you’re preorder hasn’t arrived. Their records always hold their value if you had to sell at some point.

 

I wouldn’t want to be out another $50 just to have it a bit earlier tbh but to each their own

 

I think the performance of Iron Fist they did for their acoustic set during the SSTB anniversary tour was really good and so is the regular acoustic version available on the deluxe version of Descensus, but, yeah, the version that made the album is inferior to other renditions, which is a shame because I love the song otherwise

 

The light and the glass and 2113 were the perfect 1-2 punch to end IKS. 2113 is very personal to me for reasons I won’t divulge but are present in the lyrics. The callback to Time Consumer and I-Robot just complete it so perfectly.

I for one love the sound of SSTB on some days it’s my favorite record. But that’s how it goes with Coheed ask me tomorrow and I’ll give another album or another song as my favorite because they are just that damn good.

 

This is the version of Iron Fist that I was talking about before. Claudio didn’t settle on the solo yet, though the performance at my date I think was much closer to the solo on the final version, but I really enjoy this performance and I think Chris crushed it on the small kit setup he had. I think he nailed the feel of this song better than Josh.

 

Vaxis version of the Neverender concerts please

2032 can't come soon enough

 

God the last 4 mins of the closer are just

 

Their opening acoustic set was so tight on that tour. I wish they released more acoustic versions of songs. If anyone would like a copy I have their whole show from Club Nokia '11.

 

I finally got around to this.

It’s good. And I like good things.

 

Picked up tickets for their Bridgeview, IL show. It’ll be my fiancée’s first Coheed show (my fifth) and I can’t wait to bask in it with her.

 

This is what I ended up doing. Found a new repress of Run the Jewels II while I was there too so it turned out to be a good haul.

 

This album is so good. Blood is becoming one of my favorites.


Also like others mentioned there’s a story obviously. Though just from the perspective of Claudio as a father this hits heavy. I connect with it a lot in that regard. The title track does everything this band excels in and dials it up to the max. I can’t get enough of the title track.

I’ll take him home this child of ourrrrssss

 

Just realized Bad Man’s drumming reminds me a little of Phil Collins’ In the Air Tonight.

 

Someone else mentioned that and yeah it’s awesome

 

Ha yeah, it was @Dinkleberg back on release week. I read that and subconsciously must’ve remembered today.

 

I’m glad I’m not the only one to make the comparison!

 

This might be the first time ever I’ll be actively avoiding set lists for the tour before my show.

 

Finished my discog run so I’ll leave you all with my rankings and some thoughts to them for those interested.

1. In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3 - Nostalgia certainly plays a bit of a part here, but I love this album a lot. As I’ve mentioned before, this album has the perfect balance of the pop hooks, prog tendencies, and rock epics. Cringey lyrics (and that’s putting it nicely) aside, this album will always have a special place in my heart. It may not have been the first Coheed album I listened to (maybe not even second, I can’t remember), but it has been my favorite since my first listen. Simply anthemic.
Favorite songs: In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3, Three Evils, The Crowing

2. Vaxis - Act I: The Unheavenly Creatures - Any given day, I could argue that this is their best album. While this album is lacking in the prog department that was present on their earlier albums, I love that the band dialed it up to 11 on every song here. This album is massive hook after massive hook. I love it’s balance of heavy and dark songs against upbeat and light ones. I see some say this album could be trimmed down, but I honestly wouldn’t cut a thing. I love this album a lot.
Favorite songs: Toys, Love Protocol, The Gutter

3. Vaxis II: A Window of the Waking Mind - This album is nuts. They took what worked so well on The Unheavenly Creatures and took it to a higher level. I’m still becoming acquainted with this album, but I’m finding more and more to sink my teeth into (ears into?) with every listen. I love the direction they’ve gone in here and this is the best Josh has sounded on a Coheed record in many many years.
Favorite songs: Beautiful Loses, Comatose, The Liars Club

4. The Afterman: Descension - This may surprised some, but I love this album. I find it to be the more consistent of the Afterman albums and I enjoy its melancholy feel, especially when paired alongside its upbeat songs. It’s short and sweet, something that many Coheed’s are not, and I think that adds to its unique charm. I just wish Iron Fist were more like its demo version.
Favorite songs: Sentry the Defiant, Number City, 2’s My Favorite 1

5. The Second Stage Turbine Blade - This album could honestly be as high as four, or even three, for me any given day of the week. I always seem to underrate or forget how much I love this album until I’m listening to it. Perhaps that’s because I don’t find it to be as memorable as other Coheed albums, but it still has its fair share of hooks along with some tight musicianship, which is very impressive for a debut album.
Favorite songs: Time Consumer, Everything Evil, Delirium Trigger

6. The Afterman: Ascension - I enjoy this album, but I’ll admit that it hasn’t held up for me as well as other Coheed albums have for me over time. I find it to be inconsistent from song to song, which results in me revisiting my highlights from the album more than the entire album itself. With that said, this album is still good and offer plenty of different styles of rock for fans to enjoy.
Favorite songs: Domino the Destitute, Vic the Butcher, Evagria the Faithful

7. Good Apollo, I’m Burning Star IV, Vol. 2: No World for Tomorrow - This album rips. It’s just banger after banger after banger. It took me a long time to get into, but I’ve come to enjoy it’s classic rock and metal influences more in recent years. As I’ve mentioned before, I just wish it didn’t end on what I think is easily the weakest song on the album. Otherwise, I think this album would be higher…perhaps much higher.
Favorite songs: No World for Tomorrow, Gravemakers & Gunslingers, The End Complete

8. Good Apollo, I’m Burning Star IV, Vol. 1: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness - This album is a weird one for me. There are some songs I absolutely love on here, and I love the musicianship and prog tendencies throughout much of it, but I think this album is perhaps a bit too long for its own good. It’s never clicked for me like it has for a lot of Coheed fans and I’ve accepted that. Despite some fluff and a good deal of bad lyrics (this album is a cringe fest), I still enjoy this album overall.
Favorite songs: Welcome Home, The Suffering, Mother May I

9. Year of the Black Rainbow - I know this is ranked ninth for me, but I think this album is so underrated. The mix is a bit odd for the band, but I appreciate what they were going for. I miss Josh too, but Chris still kills it on the kit. I think this album has plenty of big hooks to go around and still has some impressive musicianship throughout. Truth be told, I thought about ranking this ahead of GA1. Josh’s presence on the latter kept this at nine for me. I love drums, what can I say?
Favorite songs: The Broken, Here We Are Juggernaut, Far

10. The Color Before the Sun - This is the only Coheed album that I don’t think is at least good. I’m always left wanting more from it. I think it’s okay overall and I know what they were going for with a more accessible and straightforward take on their sound, but I think just about every other album they’ve done has more memorable songs and hooks than this one. Maybe one of these days, it’ll click for me. For now, it’s easily at the bottom.
Favorite songs: Here to Mars, Atlas, You Got Spirit Kid

Now, whose feathers am I ruffling?

 

gasp

 

you know what, i'll ignore the fact that GA1 is so low because its a well thought out and well written post

 

Ga1 8th is not something I expected.

 

I realize I’m definitely lower than consensus on GA1. I used to be much more into it when I was younger. I think the Afterman and Vaxis albums are what caused it to fall so far because I do still enjoy GA1.

Also, I’m happy to dive deeper into any particular album to elaborate further. I just wanted to post shorter, more general thoughts and discuss from there with anyone interested!

 

I enjoyed the read.

 

Give me an album I’ll dive a bit deeper. Otherwise, I’m gonna be here for an hour or two trying to go deep on all then haha