In the realm of indie rock, few have caused quite as much commotion as the charismatic collective known as Coheed And Cambria. Looking at the musical form as a way to tell a story like an author looks at a typewriter, the band set out on their quest to weave a fantasy world revolving around characters represented by their very moniker. Their debut, the unique "The Second Stage Turbine Blade", began this tale, and the group quickly amassed themselves a healthy following that were held in awe by their artistic ability and kept in check by their screamo aesthetic. Now, after many tours and surviving through a near implosion that found the band on the brink of disbanding, they have returned with the second chapter to this epic dreamscape, "In Keeping Secrets Of Silent Earth: 3".

Everything about "In Keeping Secrets Of Silent Earth: 3" screams major event, and it is made clear that with this release Coheed And Cambria have decided to announce themselves to the world at large. Having stripped themselves of their hardcore tendencies, the band sound more confident than ever before. Much of this seems obvious, as their heavier edge always felt rather forced, and by erasing those elements from the design, they have had the time to fully realize their abilities as an enigmatic post-hardcore collective. The epic songs captured on the album's early half push the band to their breaking point, forcing them to put every skill possessed to test, and by and large they prove themselves capable of such lofty goals. Band frontman Claudio Sanchez utilizes his higher pitched voice wonderfully, at times becoming a more emotive version of Rush's Geddy Lee, or perhaps even an indie version of the king of pop. Meanwhile, the title track is a sensory overload that touches on the punk energy of A.F.I. and cascades out of the speakers with well-built pacing for an 8 minute opus.

Despite all this, the album deteriorates as it progresses, quite exactly with the bubbly Jimmy Eat World emo/pop drivel that is "Blood Red Summer". While the group do have a cheerful exuberance, there is little to distinguish this track as anything other than annoying bubblegum pop in the vein of Bow Wow Wow, WHAM! or an even more obnoxious version All-American Rejects. "The Velourium Camper" trilogy continues this less than pleasing nostalgia trip, as "Faint Of Hearts" borrows lightly from The Beatles and heavily from the 80's pop genre. "Backend Of Forever" is marginally better, offering a memorable chorus and cautious intimacy, yet they spiral downwards once more with "Al The Killer", a spastic track that tries to be Faith No More and sensitive emo at the same time and is successful at neither. Throughout it all, the group display their talents, and in that sense this should have made for a breakthrough album for the C&C corps. but it is treated with such overzealous giddiness and lavish cheesiness that they often turn these competent songs into wafer-thin pop filler. "The Light & The Glass" is a willowy beauty blooming from delicate acoustic strings to driving riffs with care, and by the time this exhausting closer (and subsequent hidden track) ends, you almost believe that Coheed And Cambria have accomplished something monumental. But alas, they simply flew too close to the sun on waxen wings, only to barely survive the deadly plummet from the sky.

This is an album that deserves recognition solely based on the extravagantly grandiose design it was built on, and Coheed And Cambria should be awarded for their consummate determination in creating the album of their career. Quite literally representing the second chapter in the labyrinthine novel which the group have chosen to write in musical form, this is arguably one of the most immense concept albums to be made and from that standpoint it is an emotional journey through darkness and joy. With that said though, many of the musical themes attempted here were just too much for the band to completely grasp, succumbing to pressure and coming undone midway through. There is a childlike naivete detectable throughout this process that is unnerving, persevering through thick and thin with an undying sense of goodness triumphing by the time the last note is struck. In literary or cinematic form this could be considered brilliant, but confined by it's musical limitations and the reliance on saccharine sweet melodies, this makes for an exciting yet flawed sophomore bow.