Many bands have become comic books — I’m looking at you, KISS — but few comic books become bands.
Vocalist/guitarist Claudio Sanchez had written a series of graphic novels titled The Bag.On.Line Adventures, which were renamed The Amory Wars; Sanchez had also co-founded the band Beautiful Loser with guitarist Travis Stever, which ultimately morphed into Shabutie. The Amory Wars’ thematic storyline lent itself to a musical translation and the band envisioned a side project dubbed Coheed and Cambria, after two characters in Sanchez’s story.
C&C quickly became the primary band after the acclaim heaped on their 2002 Metal/Prog/Post Hardcore debut, The Second Stage Turbine Blade, the launch point for the band’s decade-long Amory Wars narrative.
After completing the Amory Wars arc with 2007’s No World for Tomorrow, C&C constructed a prequel to the story with 2009’s Year of the Black Rainbow, a concept they continue with The Afterman: Ascension, the just-released first chapter of a two-part story (Descension will drop early next year). The Afterman chronicles the efforts of Sirius Amory to uncover the energy source that unifies the Keywork, the 78 worlds that comprise the Amory Wars’ universe.
Last year was rather contentious for Coheed and Cambria — longtime bassist Michael Todd was arrested on armed robbery charges and left the band by mutual agreement, while drummer Chris Pennie departed due to creative differences. The rhythm section was replaced with ex-AM to AM bassist Zach Cooper and C&C’s former timekeeper Josh Eppard. As for C&C’s creative outlook, Sanchez can explore any number of The Amory Wars’ peripheral characters’ stories or even imagine his universe’s distant future. Stay tuned, Amory warriors.
COHEED AND CAMBRIA performs with The Dear Hunter Wednesday, Oct. 17 at Bogart's in Corryville. Buy tickets, check out performance times and get venue details here.