Two decades deep into a career of crafting intricate concept albums and genre-defting rock operas, Coheed and Cambria have returned with The Father of Make Believe, their monumental 10th studio album. Released via Virgin Music Group on March 14, 2025, this expansive new chapter continues the band’s signature blend of progressive rock, punk, emo, and metal while pushing their sound—and frontman Claudio Sanchez’s songwriting—to new personal and narrative depths.

Longtime fans will find familiar footing in The Father of Make Believe, which further explores Coheed’s sprawling Armory Wars/Vaxis narrative universe. Yet, for all its science fiction grandiosity, the album stands apart as Sanchez’s most personal work to date. While previous records masked personal stories within galactic conflicts, The Father of Make Believe sees the singer fully step into the role of protragonist—the “Father” himself—reflecting openly on family, legacy, addiction, and the realities of raising a child in a complex world.

From the opener, “Yesterday’s Lost,” Sanchez sets a contemplative tone, singing over soaring melodies and tightly wound guitar work. The emotional weight behind tracks like “Searching For Tomorrow” and “Blind Eye Sonny” adds an immediacy that makes this album more relatable than some of their earlier cosmic tales.

Musically, The Father of Make Believe is everything you’d expect from Coheed and Cambria—complex, layered, and theatrical—but honed with a slicker, more polished edge. Sanchez’s vocals remain as emotive and agile as ever, while guitar Travis Steever, drummer Josh Eppard, and bassist Zach Cooper lay down the kind of tight, dynamic instrumentation that has made them a mainstay in modern progressive rock.

The band’s signature sound in tracks like “Goodbye, Sunshine“—a stadium-sized anthem that balances melancholy with uplift—and the cinematic, multi-part suite “The Continuum,” which closes the album across four tracks. From the crunch of “Meri of Mercy” to the delicate beauty of “One Last Miracle,” The Father of Make Believe showcases a band comfortable in its skin, unafraid to experiment but still anchored by familiar elements.

Standout tracks:

• “Goodbye, Sunshine:” One of the album’s singles, this track offers infectious hooks and an emotional punch that ranks among Coheed’s best anthems.
• “The Father of Make Believe:” The title track delivers an introspective and atmospheric experience, melding personal storytelling with the album’s conceptual themes.
• “The Continuum I-IV:” A sweeping, four-part finale that blends the band’s knack for progressive suites with a cinematic sense of closure.

Critics have likened The Father of Make Believe to a “Broadway rock opera,” and the comparison is apt. The album’s production is big and theatrical, with a bright sheen that enhances its narrative scope without losing the band’s raw energy. Sanchez’s storytelling takes center stage, but the band’s musicianship shines just as brightly. This isn’t merely a prog-rock record—it’s a fully realized sonic experience.

Coheed and Cambria have long defied categorization, and The Father of Make Believe is no exception. It’s an album that invites deep listening, whether you’re a long-term fan tracing the threads of the Armory Wars saga or a newcomer drawn in by the band’s ever-expanding sound.

Balancing personal confession with cosmic storytelling, this is Coheed at their emotionally maximalist best. The result is an album that feels both grand and grounded—an achievement that only a band of this caliber could deliver.

Catch Coheed and Cambria on their co-headline arena tour with Mastodon this spring and with Taking Back Sunday this summer. For a more intimate experience, don’t miss their acoustic set and signing at Rough Trade East in London on July 6.

The Father of Make Believe is out now on all streaming platforms and available in deluxe box set formats via coheedandcambria.com.