Playing to the tune of his own guitar

True talent is hard to come by these days. With P. Diddy spitting out bands left and right and "American Idol" rolling pop-rock stars out at factory speed, it is difficult to sort through the fluff and get to something that is worth more than just one single. Enter Claudio Sanchez.

Claudio Sanchez is the lead singer and second lead guitar player for the alternative progressive band Coheed and Cambria. He is also the front man of his personal side project, The Prize Fighter Inferno.

Did I mention that he is writing a story that follows not only the music of Coheed and Cambria but the band's own comic book series titled, "The Amory Wars?" Sure, it seems like he may have a lot on his artistic palate, but rest assured he does not disappoint in any of his endeavors.

Coheed and Cambria are still relatively new on the scene as far as major popularity goes; however, they were recently honored on the pop culture phenomenon Rock Band with their song "Welcome Home."

Sanchez and band mate Travis Stever began the foundations for Coheed and Cambria back in 1995 under the name Shabutie. Several band members came and went, but in 2002, along with Michael Todd and Josh Eppard (now replaced by Chris Pennie, former drummer of The Dillinger Escape Plan), Coheed and Cambria released its first album Second Stage and the Turbine Blade. From there, they have released three more albums, all with a common theme intertwined in the music.

Coheed and Cambria produce music that follows the story of Claudio-not to be confused with the lead singer-a young man charged with the mission of saving mankind. Coheed and Cambria are also characters in the epic story-they play Claudio's parents. Claudio, the character, is somewhat fortune's fool; his parents are forced to kill his three siblings, and eventually they too are killed (all by the first album which is the second part of the story) and still he is left as mankind's only hope not to be enslaved by their evil lords, known as the Mage. The story itself is extremely intricate but outstanding nonetheless.

Claudio, the singer, is definitely a modern-day poet given the lyrics he drapes over already breathtaking music behind this band. While the lyrics explain the story in a decoding fashion of sorts, one thing is for sure: It takes a lot of substance to incorporate hard-hitting words that follow such a story.

Sanchez stepped outside of the band when he was dreaming up The Prize Fighter Inferno. He released My Brothers Blood Machine in 2006, which is a prequel to the Coheed and Cambria story, as told from the prospective of Jesse, Coheed's brother.

Speaking of prequels, Sanchez has recently said that Coheed and Cambria will be coming out with their fifth album, currently untitled. It will be the first chapter of the story and will pull together and explain everything that is played out in the previous four.

The album will likely be released in about a year. Bands come and go, but an epic story like this will last a lifetime. Do yourself a favor and treat your ears to musical majesty.

This writer can be contacted at opinion@theeastcarolinian.com.