The second album, In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth:3, from the band Coheed and Cambria was, to this date, one of the very best pieces of work they released. The production quality was great, the talent in the playing was also very good, as well as the vocals. From one song to the next, you are gifted with an auditory masterpiece, with each and every song having their own sound, yet keeping true to the overall sound of the album. Nothing is overdone, in the sense that neither Claudio Sanchez nor Travis Stever shred the guitar like it was their last day on Earth. Every bit of playing was an impressive bit of simple yet skillful guitar. Not to mention the work done by Michael Todd on bass and Josh Eppard on drums, the entirety of the music was inspired.

It's not just the playing that brings you in to this album, either. Just like all of Coheed's other albums, IKSSE:3 offers more than just each song having a story. Although that is the case, with each song having its own piece of the story, the album tells one large story. Being part 2 of the four album story, you can tell there is a lot of depth in the story and album.

And just a tidbit, hidden tracks are always a nice surprise had you not known about it before hand.

I got this product because I had already been blown away by the band's first album, and boy did they ever deliver. Since then, I have still listened to each song on the album constantly, learning almost every bit of guitar and all the lyrics.

In depth:
There are 23 tracks on this album, many of which convey different genres and feelings to the listener.

Track One: The Ring in Return.
This song is [mostly] instrumental, starting off with a ringing phone, then footsteps heard and a woman answers, asking "hello?" An ominous sound is heard throughout it, among a piano piece played multiple times in the first album of the band. The song is ended by a man saying, "hello, Apollo. Where should I begin?"

The symbolism of the phone ringing is explained by the singer/guitarist/writer of the band, Claudio Sanchez, saying that one of his biggest fears of being on tour was getting a phone call saying that someone was ill, and that was why it was included. The line the man says at the end of the song relates to the corresponding story of the album where the character, Claudio, tells his story to a friend's dog, Apollo.

Track Two: In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth:3
One of the longest songs on the album, the song runs for over 8 minutes. It begins with a quiet build up of guitar and then drums and bass. As a whole, this song is one of the more "epic" songs on the album.

Track Three: Cuts Marked in the March of Men
This song is a great song, but perhaps one of Coheed's less unique songs. A lack of specific uniqueness is not exactly a flaw, as it does not really take away from the song, it is just not quite as stand-outish as many others.

Track Four: Three Evils (Embodied in Love and Shadow)
The first of the more progressive songs on the album, Three Evils starts off as a pretty poppy sounding track, which, after the second chorus is completed, changes into a heavier part. The song still continues on with a poppy overtone, but still has a very intense feeling at the same time. In my opinion, one of the best on the album.

Track Five: The Crowing
Despite what other reviews have said, I actually find this song to be one of the most unique Coheed and Cambria songs. It advocates perfectly the ability of Coheed as musicians, with nothing being overly complicated, and the ability to change the style of the song in an instant.

Track Six: Blood Red Summer
I have also read that this song is too out of place, but again I disagree. This is perhaps Coheed's most poppy song to date, and its story is quite dark, and I find that the two go together quite well. This is another one of my favourites, as it just gives me a boosted feeling.

Track Seven-Nine: The Camper Velourium I- Faint of Heart, II- Backend of Forever, III- Al the Killer
These songs make up Coheed's first mini-story in their albums, and it tells the one of the character Al the Killer. Al is a psychopathic killer who has had a bit of heartbreak, which leads him to some "rash decisions" (you know, murder). In terms of the music, all three of these have a very different sound. Faint of Heart has a slightly more poppy sound, whereas Backend of Forever has a rather dark and ominous sound. Al the Killer, however, is even more different. One of Coheed's darkest songs in both content and sound, this song is pretty heavy (for Coheed). The character, Al, is also a racist, which gives way for the lyrics in the chorus, "die, white girls." All three are all very good, and this shows another way Coheed is very talented- the ability to not allow one single genre to define their music.

Track Ten: A Favor House Atlantic
In contention for one of Coheed's most poppy song, A Favor House Atlantic is also one of their most well known and popular. Still a very good song, I actually find that this song is the least unique Coheed song.

Track Eleven: The Light and the Glass
Coheed's second longest song (by a mere 7 seconds), which runs for 9 minutes and 39 seconds. Another really progressive song, as it starts off very lightly and the chorus is also pretty easy. Around the 5 minute mark, the song takes off into a more heavy direction, and gives a similar epic feeling to track two. The song fades off into a chorusline singing the last lines of the song. After some silence, a xylophone (I believe) kicks in playing the same piece that the piano played in track one, and the song ends.

Track 23: 21:13 (Tracks Twelve through 22 are all silence)
21:13 is a hidden track on the album, and is also Coheed's longest song, which goes for 9 minutes and 46 seconds. The song begins with a pretty creepy feeling being given off, and the song continues the whole way through with a weird but very cool feeling. A note: midway, a riff from the song Time Consumer (in the first Coheed album) is played

Recommended: Yes

Great Music to Play While: Listening