The raw-emotion earnestness of Coheed and Cambria's sci-fi leaning concept rock hasn't exactly given the group a rep for being kings of comedy, but the band are dropping a bitter punchline through new standalone single "The Joke."
Tracked during the same sessions as 2022's Vaxis – Act II: A Window of the Waking Mind, "The Joke" is a punchy display of prog-pop tunesmithing from the veteran act. Vocalist-guitarist Claudio Sanchez gives the song a soft helium huff of self-deprecation, as the full band wham through hard-crunching hooks and glitchy circuit board effects.
"The meaning behind 'The Joke' is basically, if you need a punching bag, I'll be that guy," Sanchez explained of the song. You can check out the track in a new music video — where an interstellar prankster is giving Amory Wars character Al The Killer the business — up above.
"The Joke" is streaming now through Evil Ink/Virgin Music, and is also being pressed up on 7-inch vinyl. The B-side is a remixed and remastered version of "Deranged," Coheed's ode on the toxic relationship between Batman and the Joker, which the band had originally tracked in 2011 for the Batman: Arkham City soundtrack.
You can order two different vinyl variants from the band here, and you can order Revolver's exclusive "half and half sea blue and black" colorway — limited to 500 — at our shop.
