COHEED AND CAMBRIA has shared a rare standalone track, “The Joke”. The new song comes from the “Vaxis II” LP sessions, and the band is happy for it to finally see the light of day. It comes paired with the B-side “Deranged”, a remixed and remastered version of the track which was previously released in 2011 as part of the “Batman: Arkham City” soundtrack. “The Joke” is available everywhere digitally via Evil Ink / Virgin Music, and COHEED AND CAMBRIA is offering two different colored seven-inch vinyl versions via www.coheedandcambria.com. In addition, Revolver and Brooklyn Vegan will be offering their own exclusive versions of the seven-inch, as will singer Claudio Sanchez‘s label www.evilink.com.
“The meaning behind ‘The Joke’ is, basically, if you need a punching bag, I’ll be that guy,” shares Sanchez. The song is coupled with a video where we find one of COHEED‘s “The Amory Wars” universe’s fan favorite characters “Al The Killer” being bullied by a nefarious prankster. “Deranged” focuses on the co-dependent relationship between Batman and The Joker. The song has been remixed and remastered for its return to DSPs after being unavailable for the past few years. Both tracks were mixed by Zakk Cervini.
Speaking of “The Amory Wars”, the first new issue of Sanchez‘s revered sci-fi comic series, “The Amory Wars: No World For Tomorrow”, is in stores today via Boom! Studios. You can find the issue at your local comic book shop or get it online via www.boom-studios.com.
The new music comes in advance of COHEED AND CAMBRIA‘s extensive summer 2024 tour plans. The band is set to co-headline shows in July and August with PRIMUS before supporting INCUBUS in the late summer and early fall. This October will see COHEED AND CAMBRIA headline Furnace Fest as well as appear as a featured act at the When We Were Young festival, where they will be performing their 2005 album “Good Apollo, I’m Burning Star IV: From Fear Through The Eyes Of Madness” in full.
In the summer of 2022, COHEED AND CAMBRIA released their widely celebrated new album and the latest chapter of “The Amory Wars” saga with “Vaxis II: A Window Of The Waking Mind”. The 13-song collection landed at No. 1 on Billboard‘s “Top Hard Rock Albums” chart marking the band’s fourth No. 1 on the tally.
Produced by the band’s own Claudio Sanchez and Zakk Cervini, “Vaxis II: A Window Of The Waking Mind” features the singles “A Dissapearing Act”, “Comatose”, “Rise, Naianasha (Cut The Cord)”, “The Liars Club” and “Shoulders”, which broke into the Top 10 on the Active Rock radio charts.
For the last 20-plus years, COHEED AND CAMBRIA have continuously broken the mold of what a rock band can be, forging their own path and building a universe around their music unlike any other. Whether it is in the way their genre-spanning approach to songwriting has allowed them to bridge worlds without being contained to one, or the multifaceted story arc of their albums and comic book series which mark the longest running concept story in music, COHEED AND CAMBRIA have consistently shaped new standards, never conformed. Comprised of Claudio Sanchez (vocals / guitar),Travis Stever (guitar),Josh Eppard (drums) and Zach Cooper (bass) the band has gripped listeners and press around the globe with their visionary compositions and conceptual mastery.
Photo credit: Earnie Falconer