Coheed mainman Claudio Sanchez has described this album as a midlife crisis of sorts, having started to question his satisfaction with being known as the ‘science fiction rock’n’roll guy’. The Father Of Make Believe is another instalment of the ongoing Amory Wars saga, forming the third part of the Vaxis arc, but the allegories and real-world references embedded in the world-building are more upfront than ever before.
Longtime fans will be familiar with the characters Sirius and Meri Amory, modelled on Claudio’s grand- parents. Here they take centre-stage on Meri Of Mercy, a fragile ballad that reunites the departed pair. Goodbye, Sunshine sees Claudio ruminating on the future endpoint of this creative journey via a brightly brittle pop punk anthem with more than a flicked fringe of 2000s emo about it. The title track is a layered mini-epic with a dramatic post-hardcore sweep and Claudio revelling in his role of creator.
