The third line of the press release announcing Coheed & Cambria’s new album The Color Before the Sun proclaims that it’ll be the band’s first non-conceptual work. That placement indicates that clearly the band and their people think this is a pretty big deal, and, well, it is; this is a band that’s amassed a loyal following due at least in part to the intricate, fantastical storylines they’ve weaved into their albums, and the Amory Wars mythology has become a huge part of the Coheed story. Says the press release:

The Color Before The Sun marks the first time Claudio Sanchez is exposing his raw feelings, narrated from his own perspective. “I kind of want people to know that Coheed can write that sort of record,” he explained of the album’s departure from The Amory Wars. “I’ve always said in the past that there’s never been a limitation on the band. It makes no sense to me to draw a line in the sand and never cross it.”

Totally understandable; being limited by one’s fans sucks.

Will the diehards be disappointed? Probably. But for the rest of us casual Coheed appreciators it’s maybe a small sigh of relief; not that we couldn’t just enjoy the music without worrying about the mythology before, but doesn’t it just somehow seem easier and more light-hearted this way? Even if the subject matter is serious.

In any case, “You Got Spirit, Kid” is the first single we’re getting from The Color Before the Sun, and you can stream it below via Coheed’s official website. It sounds great — a whole lot like Coheed & Cambria, shockingly — and really not any different from the Amory Wars stuff. Which is fine! Coheed have always been consistently consistent, and we love them for it.

The Color Before the Sun comes out October 9th via 300 Entertainment, the label founded by industry veterans Lyor Cohen, Roger Gold, Kevin Liles and Todd Moscowitz and distributed by Atlantic Records. Upcoming tour dates here.