The Second Stage Turbine Blade
Coheed and Cambria
Playing just over 3 years as Coheed and Cambria the band members, Claudio Sanchez, Travis Stever, Michael Todd, and Joshua Eppard, history doesn't start there. The band goes back to their high school days in New York where they were Shabutie and had a bit of a different member roster. Over time Travis was integrated into the band, then Mike and Josh were added and in late 2000 Coheed and Cambria as we know them today was born.
Before Josh's addition to the band they recorded a two-song demo, which through a mutual friend landed in the hands of the people over at Equal Vision Records.
These demo recording were eventually reworked into their debut album, The Second Stage Turbine Blade, which was released on February 5, 2002.
Second Stage Turbine Blade
The intro track, it is a collection of noises and there really isn't a very related sound to it in comparison to the rest of the album. But it builds up the suspense for the next song. It has a very depressing feel to it but I think it's a great intro track that fades into the next song.
9/10
Time Consumer
The Second Stage Turbine Blade slides right into a very low-key melodic guitar part after it finishes. This guitar pattern continues for about 50 seconds and then we get a build up into the first verse. The verse is powerful with distorted guitars and Claudio belting out some crazy notes (As he always do). After the verse we move into the chorus with establishes the sci-fi edge of the cd with the main line being "me and my star Matthew good night". After some repeating of the verse and the chorus we break into a bridge and then it goes back to the intro piece, with a great solo performed by Dr. Know over it, then we get an incredible build up with Claudio making some great vocal sounds and it bursts back into the chorus. This is a great song lyrically and musically and also a great way to start of the track.
9.5/10
Devil In Jersey City
"Devil in Jersey City" is Coheed & Cambria's most powerful and catchy song to date. It is there first single and I am extremely surprised it wasn't a hit of 2002. This verse is incredibly catchy and the guitar trickles are orgasmic. After the verse we go into "Let's fire it up haha" which is a build up into the incredible chorus. The chorus is a slow sung "Don't let them scare you" followed by an explosion of sound with the lines "When your down on the floor bleeding bastard". In my opinion it is one of the greatest choruses ever composed by a band and it will get anyone singing along to it. We get into some repeating of the verse and the chorus and that it goes into a really slow melodic and soft bridge. Then for the outro we break into screaming and Claudio belting out some really emotional songs. It is incredible and will most likely give you chills the first time you hear it. This is one of my favorites of this album and is probably there most popular song besides "A Favor House Alantic "
10/10
Everything Evil
As Devil In Jersey City ends we break into a great drumbeat and than some great guitar work and lyric work. This is probably one of the easiest songs lyrically to relate to and understand in on this cd. The song has a much more subtle feel as apposed to "Devil in Jersey City" and it seems more "metal" in comparison. The chorus is somewhat of a let down in my opinion since it isn't as powerful lyrically as the rest of the song, although I think it fits perfectly. My favorite lyric in this song is probably the section of "blood hungry cannibalistic untied family ties". Again we break into a very melodic bridge after two repeats of verse in chorus where Claudio breaks out the lines "Stay until Wednesday and write me a child like letter pretending, at War here in Thursday lets make this our last day at home by the fence" These lyrics are extremely well sung and are very lullabyish. Then it breaks into a heavy hitting outro where Claudio is yelling, "Would you run!" with some screaming in the background. Another one of my favorites on the cd just because of it's incredible ending, and great lyrics.
10/10
Delirium Trigger
From the start of this song, you know it's going to be a great hard song. This song contains powerful riffs, Claudio's best lyrical achievement and a very menacing feel. This is in most opinions the highlight of SSTB. Before the chorus we get a very low-key vocal piece by Claudio, which goes "You made a good friend to me but while you were out numbered and torn they made us do things". Then chorus is an explosion of vocals and guitars bliss. After the chorus we go back to the good friends piece and some subtle guitar bass and drum playing. Claudio softly sings a few more low-key lyrics here, before it breaks out into an even heavier version of the chorus with a great build up towards it. One of the most incredible Coheed and Cambria songs in my opinion this is the second best track on the cd in my opinion.
10/10
Hearshot Kid Disaster
After three incredible songs the album has to give you a break. But at the beginning of this one you wouldn't suspect it. We get some heavy guitars and a huge section of screams, but then we break into a very poppy happy feeling song. "Hearshot Kid Disaster" is in my opinion the weakest track on the cd but that doesn't make it a bad song since most of the tracks on here are incredible. The main problem I have with it is the lack of affective lyrics in comparison to the last 3 songs. The highlight lyrically and musically is the transition from a small build-up into the chorus which starts about 2:30 through the song after the transition it breaks into some great guitar work and some great vocal performance by Claudio with some screaming working with him. After this great part it breaks into some very loose feeling riffs and vocals that encompass the idea of the rest of the song. Although I think this is the weakest track on the CD it's still a good listen, it's just sort of a let down after the last three tracks.
8/10
33
This is a very catchy song even though the lyrics are probably the hardest to decipher on the album. It's also one of the shorter more pop-punkish songs on the album. The "Patrick Short Flip" line is extremely confusing but also extremely catchy and one of the most singed lines at there concerts. Most of the song is the same pieces played over and over. Except towards the end when we get a breakdown with the lines "Let go of the youthful honesty". This is probably the most difficult song to get into on the cd, but once you do you'll realize how great it is.
9/10
Junesong Provision
The highlight is here in my opinion. Lyrically, this song is incredible. Vocally, this song is incredible. Musically, this song is incredible. Everything just fits into place on the song and it creates for a truly orgasmic experience. The highlight of this song is probably the lyrics "Is it the dream that one day you might be something you're not? Is it the dreams that make us real". Also another highlight is the ending with the great lyrics "Paper cut my heart in half and discard the evidence" You can hear the emotion pouring out of Claudio and the rest of the band in this part and it's a really amazing musical thing to here. I may seem kind of biased but this song is in my top 10 best songs ever list after the second time I heard it. It is incredible in all its ways and I think if you check out one Coheed song this should be it.
10/10
Neverender
This song starts of with the bass highlight of the album. Then it goes into a great verse with some really powerful lyrics. The chorus has some great vocal work done by Claudio, although is probably the least catchy chorus in the entire album. The song's beginning is mostly not very loud. The save the powerful part of the song for the end starting of with the lines "point your gun in another direction now that you've cried yourself to sleep" Then it comes into the second best ending in the album with some really powerful lyrics and guitar work. This helps keep up with the 3 great ending songs that "Junesong Provision" started.
10/10
God Send Conspirator
If you ever get the chance you should check out the original demo of this song, in my opinion it takes it and makes it even better. Still this is a great ending piece to the album. It follows Neverender in the fact that most of it is pretty quiet until the ending which explodes in the line "Your dreams can't last forever". The ending is one of the better on the album and the "When eye meets eye" part is classic. Another great track alluding to the finale of the album "I Robot".
10/10
I Robot
Coheed and Cambria totally change there sound on this track. They break into a very acoustic beautiful and enchanting song. The lyrics are quite amazing in this song and so is the vocal performance. The best part in my opinion is the ending with the fading out acoustic and the piano in the background. Although it is a secret track it is one of the best songs on the album along with Junesong Provision, Delirium Trigger, and Devil in Jersey City. If you want to download a couple of the tracks this should be one.
10/10
The Second Stage Turbine Blade is the best pop-punk album in the history of pop-punk. It is original, catchy, and overall extremely intelligent in its musical and lyrical aspects. This is one cd you do not want to miss.
5/5
This Message Edited On 06.12.05
