"The Afterman: Ascension", the new album from New York progressive rockers COHEED AND CAMBRIA, sold 49,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 5 on The Billboard 200 chart.

"The Afterman" is being released in two separate full-length volumes. The first volume, "The Afterman: Ascension", was made available on both physical and digital platforms in the U.S. on October 9 via Hundred Handed/Everything Evil, and distributed through Fontana/Ingrooves (available in Canada via Universal Music Canada). The second volume, "The Afterman: Descension", is due in February 2013.

"The Afterman: Ascension" track listing:

01. The Hollow
02. Key Entity Extraction I: Domino The Destitute
03. The Afterman
04. Mothers Of Men
05. Goodnight, Fair Lady
06. Key Entity Extraction II: Hollywood The Cracked
07. Key Entity Extraction III: Vic The Butcher
08. Key Entity Extraction IV: Evagria The Faithful
09. Subtraction

A deluxe version of "The Afterman" includes a hardcover coffee-table book with expansive art by Heidi Taillefer and Nathan Spoor with collaborative written work from singer/creator Claudio Sanchez and writer Peter David that creates a song-by-song experience.

The two records follow-up to 2010's "Year Of The Black Rainbow", and feature new bassist Zach Cooper and returning drummer Josh Eppard, who have replaced Michael Todd and Chris Pennie, respectively.

The concept albums continue to be set in the band's alternate universe of "Heaven's Fence", which are part of their series titled "The Amory Wars". "The Amory Wars" is currently being developed by Mark Wahlberg and Stephen Levinson of Leverage Productions for a live-action feature film. It follows the story of a superhuman dictator named Wilhelm Ryan, and a family that may have the ability to free the world from his control.

"The Afterman" albums focus on a character named Sirius Amory, a scientist who discovers an energy force that can connect the universe's 78 planets together.

COHEED AND CAMBRIA frontman Claudio Sanchez said of the album: "This is, without a doubt, the most honest record I've ever written. Though all the songs can be interpreted through our main character in the story, they were initially written in a very spontaneous manner. In the past, I've always had a predetermined idea of what the story was going to be when I approached the songs. With 'The Afterman' being a new story within 'The Amory Wars' arc, I allowed the events of my life to drive the concept, and therefore opened up the songwriting to a fuller degree."