/r/TheFence Song of the Day Database Update - The Color Before the Sun Edition, Day #1: Island

What's up r/TheFence! We've got a new album out and while many of us are still riding the high of the release tour which wrapped up this last Easter Sunday (I know I still am), it may have been some time since many of our members have had some regular discussion during the down-time that always plagues small subreddits such as ourselves. I'd like to delay that down-time as much as possible, so with the blessing of our one and only u/smoomoo31, I would like to welcome you to the Day 1 update to our Song of the Day Database, The Color Before the Sun edition!

The Fiction: "Island" begins a grand adventure of truly epic proportions, which kicks off with Claudio and crew, along with the Key Entities (lead by Key Entity VI: Al the Killer, all resurrected by the Writing Writer because fuck it he's the writer and he can do whatever he wants) meet up in the subway to attend a boxing match between The Prizefighter Inferno and Domino the Destitute. A foolish referee call will lead our protagonists down a trans-dimensional journey of deception and betrayal that will conclude with a game of charades to determine the fate of the multiverse. It's a long story.

Ahem... guys there is no fiction, so where appropriate, this section will be replaced with a new section "The Video". Though... does anyone else think Al the Killer would make a damn good Key Entity Extraction? Moving on.

The Real: "Island" continues the band's tradition of upbeat, poppy songs with a serious and somber message. The song is filled with self-doubt and uncertainty, and the song opens with background vocals telling the listener (or perhaps even the singer) to "get off the island". The metaphorical island is Claudio's comfort zone, which is of course his music, or more specifically, his concept.

We've already heard both from the band themselves and in their music in songs like "The Hard Sell" that Coheed's music has evolved, and they have very much confirmed it will continue to evolve and change direction. I believe that in The Afterman double album, and even much of the writing for The Color Before the Sun, Claudio did not know what that new direction was. By calling himself "off the island", Claudio is telling himself to move out of that comfort zone, and what we received from that calling was a departure from the concept albums of the past. Claudio isn't concealing his words and thoughts behind grand stories of tri-mages or armies or space men in a blue hued afterlife, he's laying his thoughts bare in a way he has never done before. Many of the fanbase was disappointed of Coheed and Cambria's departure from the concept band formula, and while "The Hard Sell" told us to suck it up because this is how it is, "Island" tells us why.

The Video: Island actually has 2 music videos, a quality it shares with their earlier hit, A Favor House Atlantic. Links to the Official Music Video and the Band Video here, the latter preceding the former in terms of release date.

The Official Video stars two cosplayers, portraying Superman and Batman. Batman, while posing in Times Square, is offered a small sum of cash to have a "fight" with a nearby Superman, which they both happily oblige, drawing a sizable crowd. Batman is shown going home, enjoying dinner with a smile on his face. Later, Batman is shown in Times Square again, and the gloomy weather reflects his little success. He sits alone in the rain, when he sees his fast friend Superman, who is being kicked out of his "spot" by some mascots. Batman swoops in to save the day, and the video ends on a rather, um, gay vibe.

I'll be honest, the kiss threw me off. I'm not sure what was meant by it, but the video was fun, and in my opinion a higher quality video than the Band video. The story is simple, but charming. On that note...

The Band video is honestly quite simplistic, and consists of video of the Band playing in an empty basement interspersed with cuts to Claudio, riding the subway into the city. It isn't complex, it certainly isn't unique, but that's fine. I do have difficulty calling this video good, but Coheed's mastery lies in the music, so I'm willing to let that slide.

The Part: I'm gonna give this to the opening. The ambient sounds of a subway station in the background introduce us to the concept of a "departure" before the first instruments hit, and damn does Josh's energetic drumming get me hooked. My steering wheel has taken a beating thanks to this song, and combined with Gravity's Union, I may need to replace it soon.

That's my bit, I leave the floor to The Audience.

Jesus that was longer than I expected. I'd like to hear everyone else's opinions, not just listen to myself... type? So unless this sort of length is desired, I'll be condensing this significantly for the remainder of the SotD. Sorry guys, I just love doing analyses.