After releasing the latest chapter of Coheed and Cambria’s Amory Wars saga in 2022, lead singer Claudio Sanchez is hitting the road as his solo side project, The Prize Fighter Inferno, in 2024. Originally conceived of as a spinoff of The Amory Wars, Sanchez now considered The Prize Fighter Inferno, which is a blend of acoustic and electronic tracks, has become an entirely separate narrative. Tickets are already on sale for the 11-stop “Before They Bury Me Tour,” which has shows in Philadelphia, Detroit, New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Chicago. Speaking to ComicBook.com at San Diego Comic-Con, Sanchez explained why now, is the right time to bring back The Prize Inferno, after releasing the act’s latest album, The City Introvert, in 2021.
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“For me, for a long time, I felt guilt, being the figurehead of the band [Coheed and Cambria, and knowing that if I’m going to exercise a project like this, I’m going to take away this time from the others,” Sanchez explained. “Whereas I think everybody in the band is growing and have done are starting to do their own thing. So, for me, I feel less guilt about taking the project out.”
In addition to feeling like all of the performers in Coheed and Cambria are better occupied these days, Sanchez also mentions that the tour comes shortly after releasing the comic book adaptation of The Prize Fighter Inferno’s 2006 debut album, My Brother’s Blood Machine, through his publisher/record label, Evil Ink. “We did finally release the comics component of My Brother’s Blood Machine just recently,” he says, “so, I thought, ‘Well, why not? This makes a lot of sense now.”
Sanchez made the announcement that he’d be taking The Prize Fighter Inferno on tour in July. “The Before They Bury Me Tour” will follow Coheed and Cambria’s “Neverender: No World for a Waking Mind Tour” with Deafheaven later this year (tickets are also available to order for that tour).
“I’ve spent the last few months reacquainting myself with the early PFI material and I’m sparked with memories that glued triumphs to the tragedies, the spaces in-between, the highlight reel that many don’t get to see,” Sanchez said in a statement announcing the solo tour. “These intimate performances could inspire something, maybe even birth a whole new avenue of expression for me, and with that, I welcome the experience and hope the audience will too.”
The Prize Fighter tour kicks off in February, and tickets are on sale now. The six-issue comic book adaptation of My Brother’s Blood Machine is also available now.
