Coheed and Cambria isn't the kind of band that just plays music. It's a band that plays rock ballads chronicling a sci-fi epic, a graphic novel known as The Amory Wars that goes hand-in-hand with each album.
This story — written by Claudio Sanchez, the band's lead singer — is told over five parts, and is now coming to a close with the production of the band's fifth album, Year of the Black Rainbow.
"The new album is a great representation of where we are now as a band" said Michael Todd, bassist for the band. "Ever since we've started we've really grown as musicians ... and we've gotten fatter too."
The band gets its name from the main characters in the epic — Coheed Kilgannon and Cambria Kilgannon — two cyborgs that are tricked into killing their offspring by Mayo Deftinwolf, the story's villain. This filicide is meant to destroy the Keywork, or the energy that holds the entire solar system together.
As a result, every album is an epic in terms of lyrical, musical and story content.
"The lyrics dictate the overall mood, it's how they operate," Todd said.
Each album, much like any good story, contains a cinematic intro, a growing middle and an explosive finish.
The structure and the ever-changing mood of each song on each album have actually made it quite difficult for the band to be placed in any certain genre. Coheed has received labels such as "Emo," "Metal," "Rock," and "Prog Rock."
Todd simply calls the band's genre "progressive rock."
|
Coheed and Cambria
Orbit Room,
Grand Rapids
Aug. 25, 7 p.m.
$27.50 in advance, $30 at door, 16+
(616) 942-1328
|
As a result of Coheed's unstable genre definition, the band has had its unlikely pairings.
"We tour with a diverse group of companions," Todd said. "Slipknot was weird to tour with, but it worked."
Since Year of the Black Rainbow was released in April, fans have been speculating on whether or not Coheed and Cambria will continue on, now that the storyline of The Amory Wars has come to a close. Todd's not sure, either. But he is certain that the band isn't going anywhere.
"We are always going to be Coheed and Cambria," said Todd, "as for the saga, we're not sure where it will go, we haven't really talked about it, but something is sure to work out."
