LIVE REVIEW: Coheed and Cambria @ Academy, Manchester

With a career now spanning over twenty years and back with their fresh opus Vaxis – Act I: Unheavenly Creatures released to the world, excitement filled the air for progressive rock outfit COHEED AND CAMBRIA to take charge feeding their spectators at Manchester Academy.

For those who know or who are unaware of CHON, hailing from California, the four-piece took Manchester on a whimsical sonic journey witnessing their solid musicianship. The math rockers had their gathering nestled easily with their plethora of songs, albeit purely instrumental. With their sight set on cheers and smiles, CHON packed in many complex progressive structures with recognisable grooves into their thirty minute set, getting a very generous reaction and crowd interaction without the quartet’s instruction

Rating: 7/10

Leading the charge with their prologue commencing with The Dark Sentencer, COHEED AND CAMBRIA wasted no time in whipping their congregation into a frenzy. The New York quartet carried their crisp songs, illuminating their space with colour and experimental intensity. Bringing new sounds such as Unheavenly Creatures, The Gutter and Old Flames into the mix, it turned into crowd pleasers in all their live glory.

As the night progressed, sights were sold on why Claudio Sanchez has one of most unique voices in metal. Whether it was through the mellow croons of Wake Up or by the thrilling 10 minute epic In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3, brought Manchester into unity in full effect with his diverse range.

With a tight unit of songs from COHEED AND CAMBRIA‘s headline set, it did not fall short without their classics such as the rejoicing A Favor In House Atlantic, the crowd-stomping Island and their larger-than-life closer Welcome Home ending the night on the highest of highs.

Manchester was welcomed with a aural journey of wonder that left everyone satisfied with songs old and new, reaffirming just why COHEED AND CAMBRIA are so revered in our world.

Rating: 8/10

Check out our photo gallery from the night’s action in Manchester from Sabrina Ramdoyal Photography here: