Vaxis – Act I: The Unheavenly Creatures
Coheed and Cambria · 2018
158 min · 29 tracks · alternative rock
A sprawling narrative woven through dynamic shifts, blending progressive rock with emotionally charged storytelling and intricate instrumentation.
Top tracks — play these first
-
→
The Dark Sentencer Start here — Opening the record with a powerful introduction, this track encapsulates the album's thematic essence through its intense energy and elaborate musicality, setting the stage for the unfolding narrative.
-
→
Unheavenly Creatures — This title track combines haunting melodies with driving rhythms, reflecting the struggle between light and dark within its lyrical content, making it a pivotal moment in the album's story arc.
-
→
Queen of the Dark — Blending ethereal vocals with orchestral elements, this track explores themes of power and seduction, showcasing the band's ability to create atmospheric soundscapes that enhance their storytelling.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album showcases ambitious compositions and a cohesive narrative but has some uneven pacing.
What we noticed
- The first half of the album features tracks that consistently build in intensity, while the second half introduces more subdued moments and dynamic shifts.
- Composition 25% of the score
-
8/10
- Craft 20% of the score
-
7/10
- Durability 25% of the score
-
6/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
-
7/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
-
6/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- dynamic journey with emotional peaks
- patient unfolding of narrative arcs
- immersive experience for deep listening
- wave-like pacing with dramatic shifts
- exploration of ambitious melodies
Maybe skip if you
- prefer short, standalone tracks
- seek instant gratification in music
Where this album fits
- In the catalog
- Critical Peak — Represents a return to the band's conceptual roots with ambitious storytelling.
- Themes
- sci-fi narrative· inner conflict exploration· conceptual storytelling
- Career context
- Released in 2018, Vaxis – Act I: The Unheavenly Creatures marks Coheed and Cambria's eighth studio album, following 2015's The Color Before the Sun. This album represents a return to the band's conceptual roots, re-establishing their connection to the Amory Wars narrative that fueled their earlier work. The album showcases the band’s evolution in sound while maintaining their signature blend of progressive rock and alternative metal.
- Stylistic neighbors
- The Dear Hunter· Between the Buried and Me· Glassjaw
Tracklist
Disc 1
- 1 Prologue 2:07
- 2 The Dark Sentencer Start here 7:44
- 3 Unheavenly Creatures 4:13
- 4 Toys 6:27
- 5 Black Sunday 4:46
- 6 Queen of the Dark 5:51
- 7 True Ugly 5:25
- 8 Love Protocol 4:29
- 9 The Pavilion (A Long Way Back) 5:11
- 10 Night-Time Walkers 5:09
- 11 The Gutter 5:49
- 12 All on Fire 5:40
- 13 It Walks Among Us 5:29
- 14 Old Flames 5:50
- 15 Lucky Stars 5:07
Disc 2
- 1 The Dark Sentencer (demo) 9:03
- 2 Unheavenly Creatures (demo) 4:06
- 3 Toys (demo) 6:23
- 4 Black Sunday (demo) 4:48
- 5 Queen of the Dark (demo) 6:05
- 6 True Ugly (demo) 5:28
- 7 Love Protocol (Alt. Chorus) (demo) 5:03
- 8 The Pavilion (demo) 5:25
- 9 Night-Time Walkers (demo) 5:01
- 10 The Gutter (demo) 5:55
- 11 All on Fire (with Josh) (demo) 5:35
- 12 It Walks Among Us (demo) 5:12
- 13 Old Flames (demo) 5:09
- 14 Thank Your Lucky Stars (demo) 5:30
What to play next
Vaxis – Act II: A Window of the Waking Mind
2022
Continues the narrative and sonic exploration established in Act I.
Year of the Black Rainbow
2010
Sets a thematic foundation for the storytelling style in Vaxis.
If this landed
Records by other artists that run on the same instinct.
Act IV: Rebirth in Reprise
The Dear Hunter
Shares a grand narrative arc and intricate arrangements with emotional depth.
Colors
Between the Buried and Me
Explores complex themes through ambitious compositions and dynamic shifts in sound.
The 2nd Law
Muse
Combines sweeping melodies with sci-fi narratives and explores inner conflict through anthemic rock.
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
Sync your library
Everything you track here works immediately — no account needed. Create one when you want to sync across devices.