Coheed and Cambria are winning The Amory Wars

The New York rock group Coheed and Cambria have built up a huge cult following since they formed in 1995. Combining elements of metal, punk and classic rock, they are among the few groups who have adopted a theme and stuck to it throughout their careers. In Coheed and Cambria's case, it is the science-fiction story The Amory Wars, which has also been made into a series of comic books and a full-length novel by lead singer Claudio Sanchez. He speaks to The Irish Times ahead of the band's Dublin show.

For the uninitiated, how do you explain Coheed and Cambria's music to the public?
We just play rock'n'roll. There are progressive elements here, classic elements over here, even pop elements over there. But at the end of the day, it's rock'n'roll.

You've been described as progressive metal. Is that a label that you feel comfortable with?
Progressive yes, in the sense that it's always evolving and moving forward. We have very little metal elements. I think the one common thread with our music is variation. It's hard to pigeonhole.

Explain what The Amory Wars are about?
'The Amory Wars' is the name of the concept that is reflected in the lyrics, and is elaborated on in the comics of the same name. It's a sci-fi tale which began with the main characters Coheed and Cambria, who have since passed on, and continues on with the story of their son, Claudio, who is the sole survivor of the Kilgannon family.

Your current record is a double-concept album The Afterman: Descension and The Afterman: Ascension. Why did you record two albums?
We completed the central arc of The Amory Wars with our previous album, Year of the Black Rainbow. With The Afterman, we stayed in the same alternate universe, but went back in time before The Amory Wars and told the story of Sirius Amory, the namesake of the story. We had a lot of material, and felt all of it deserved to be heard.

Why did you release the albums at different dates?
Eighteen songs is a lot to digest at once. We felt it was best to allow our audiences time to absorb each album individually, and therefore be able to introduce each song to them more effectively. It worked.

Do you have to be a science-fiction fan to be a fan of Coheed and Cambria?
Not at all. The lyrics can be interpreted any way you see fit, as they are all influenced by actual events. The sci-fi story is simply there for those who want to add another dimension to the music.

Do you ever see The Amory Wars being made into a film?
Well, there is talk of it happening, that would be great obviously if it was. It'll happen someday.

Has Mark Wahlberg's interest helped get the project to fruition?
Well, it's certainly helped the conversation along. It's an ambitious project. A lot of things have to align just right for it to get to that point. We're patient and we'll just keep doing what we're doing and good things will happen.

How have the comic books influenced record sales?
Certainly the popularity of the band has helped stir interest in the comics, and every year more and more comic fans are discovering the music. It's always nice when we hear someone picks one of the comics and they have no idea who the band is.

Have you considered recording albums that are not part of The Armory Wars?
Yes, but usually it's fleeting. We love to write music in concept form. It's what Coheed and Cambria is.

You've toured with Iron Maiden. Have they been an influence on your career?
They were huge in the early development of the band members as musicians. The tour was really a dream come true. An incredible experience, such good people, you can't imagine.

You've also toured with Heaven and Hell, the Ronnie James Dio version of Black Sabbath. How was that?
That was really special. The first concert I ever attended was Black Sabbath with Dio singing. To be able to tour with Ronnie and Tony and Geezer and Vinny – and watch them play every night. So inspiring.