Review: Coheed and Cambria - The Father of Make Believe

Review: Coheed and Cambria – The Father of Make Believe

The third part of the 'Vaxis' story arc is Coheed at their most dynamic and affable.

When most of your discography is made up of a layered sci-fi saga, each release can carry an extra weight of expectation. That is where Coheed and Cambria frontman Claudio Sanchez finds himself as the band release their 11th album. ‘The Father of Make Believe’ is the third act in ‘Vaxis’ five-part narrative. However, Sanchez considers this album a “midlife crisis”. It sees him intertwining personal experiences into ‘Vaxis’ (and ‘The Amory Wars’) overarching narrative.

For example, the succulent power ballad, ‘Meri of Mercy’, sees him pay tribute to his late Grandparents in the form of familiar characters; Sirius and Meri Amory. Weaving loss into his fictional narrative allows Sanchez to reunite the pair.

Stylestically, early album cuts ‘Goodbye, Sunshine’ and ‘Searching For Tomorrow’ are executed with a sense of familiarity. The former is a bombastic blast of melodic rock with pop-punk flourishes. The latter sees Josh Eppard (drums), and Zach Cooper (bass) provide a rigid groove, as lead guitarist Travis Stever and Sanchez deliver a frenzied fretboard display alongside C&C‘s frequent anthemic rock hooks. It’s followed by the title track. It demonstrates Sanchez and company’s prog-inspired dramatic post-hardcore in full force, while lyrically allows Sanchez to acknowledge his role as ‘The Amory Wars” mastermind.

However, there are moments where Coheed take chances. ‘Blind Side Sonny’ sees them at their scrappiest, thrashing through rowdy, distorted vocals and sharp guitar riffs. It gives momentum to ‘Play The Poet’s genre-bending. From its warped nu-metal opening, blaring breakdown, and rollercoaster ending, it’s pretty satisfying to hear a frenzied Coheed. It’s countered by ‘Corner My Confidence,’ where Sanchez’s acoustic guitar twiddles through earnest words of adoration for his wife. It provides a heartfelt respite from the towering hook-laden rock that is scattered throughout ‘The Father of Make Believe’.

After the heartland rock of ‘Someone Who Can,’ we’re dropped back into the ‘Vaxis’ universe with a four-song arc of ‘The Continuum’. ‘Part I: Welcome To Forever, Mr Nobody’ is a hulking, riff-heavy foray, emphasised by Eppard’s punching drum work and Stever’s fiery guitar. ‘The Flood’ is an uplifting six-minute (plus) reminder of Coheed‘s dramatic flair. The lengthy onslaught highlights the quartet dynamic musicianship. Cascading riffs give way to a serene melody and strings that sees the quartet at their prog rock peak.

‘Part III: Tethered Together’ builds with tension, plucking away before vibrantly delivering one of the album’s strongest hooks, charging ahead with a rising melody. ‘So It Goes’ provides another musical turn, embracing a baroque pop tempo. In turn, it allows the album to end on a rich, upbeat note. Yet, just when you think we’re given a happy ending, brooding orchestration leaves longtime fans yearning for ‘Vaxis’ penultimate act.

Like much of Coheed‘s output, ‘The Father of Make Believe’ lets casual fans cherry pick, rather than get bogged down by its extensive backstory. However, unlike some recent records, this outing is possibly their most “accessible” since 2016’s ‘The Color Before The Sun’. Moments such as ‘Searching For Tomorrow’ and ‘One Last Miracle’ are rooted in Coheed‘s familiar sound, but radiantly delivered. While the genre curveballs are welcomed, keeping listeners engaged to the end.

Approaching a new Coheed and Cambria record can be daunting, however, with some perseverance ‘The Father of Make Believe’ proves to be a rewarding experience. Claudio Sanchez may have cornered himself with the weight of expectation, yet he and his band have pushed through to provide. It has resulted in another noteworthy chapter in their ever-growing legacy.

‘The Father of Make Believe’ by Coheed and Cambria is released on March 14th on Virgin Music Group.