COHEED AND CAMBRIA guitarist Travis Stever is featured in a new interview with the Rockstar Energy Uproar Festival, discussing the band’s new album The Afterman: Ascension and The Afterman: Descension.

Uproar: The music can go untraditional routes, but you still maintain hooks and song structure.

Travis: "Thank you! That’s a huge compliment. That’s what we try to do. We like experimenting and stretching in all different directions, but we never want to lose where the song initially came from, especially with the melodies Claudio built out in his vocals. I think those need to be the standout characteristics of the song. As with most bands, those are what people are waiting for. I think that’s what carries the songs and gives them their hooks. You can connect with those vocal melodies that are happening. That’s a big part of it. Whatever weirdness or experimenting we’re going to do, the song is the first thing that matters."

Uproar: What’s your favorite song on the album right now?

Travis: "I loved it the first time Claudio played it acoustic for me. However, the band version of 'Key Entity Extraction V: Sentry the Defiant'seems like it’s a landmark in the set right now. It’s really cool because we’re mixing a lot of our new songs in the set. There was a familiarity for kids when they heard the demo version and live version of 'Sentry', Claudio did acoustically a year ago. We began doing it live last spring, knowing it wouldn’t be until this was released that people would hear it as a band. They were hearing it acoustically. They had no idea of the nuances we were adding. It’s cool to have it out there. When something is played live, it registers, but you don’t really get it until you hear the studio version. I’d say that’s the song I’m most excited about and stoked to play. Then, of course, there’s 'Dark Side of Me'. We just played it on Conan. I enjoy playing those two, and I’m really proud of them."

Go to this location for the complete interview.

Coheed And Cambria's sixth studio album, a double concept album entitled The Afterman, was released as two separate full-length volumes. The first volume, The Afterman: Ascension, was released on both physical and digital platforms in the US on October 9th, 2012 via Hundred Handed/Everything Evil, and distributed through Fontana/Ingrooves (in Canada via Universal Music Canada). The second volume, The Afterman: Descension was issued on February 5th.

The tracklilsting:

'Pretelethal'

'Key Entity Extraction V: Sentry The Defiant'

'The Hard Sell'

'Number City'

'Gravity's Union'

'Away We Go'

'Iron Fist'

'Dark Side Of Me'

'2's My Favorite 1'

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