Chimaira have booked two “The Impossibility Of Reason” 20th anniversary shows for next year.
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Chimaira frontman Mark Hunter has been diagnosed with thyroid cancer.
After the exodus of the majority of the band in the past week, the remaining member of the band, vocalist Mark Hunter, has announced the end of Chimaira. As you can see from the picture above, Mark posted this statement on the band's official website:
After fifteen full blown ass ripping years, it is with great honor to announce the end of Chimaira.
"Thanks to everyone that supported the group in any way shape or form. Everyone involved with the band from members to fans put their heart and soul into this project.
"We achieved a lot. We bled a lot. It fucking ruled
Chimaira have debuted a brand new music video for their track, "Wrapped In Violence" surrounding the kick off of the "celebrate the chaos" tour this weekend. The tour will feature setlists compiled of all seven of the band's LP's. Support will come from iwrestledabearonce, Oceano and label-mates Reflections and Ffit For an Autopsy opening.
CHIMAIRA have debuted a brand new single called “All That’s Left is Blood" from their upcoming new LP "Crown Of Phantoms." Vocalist Mark Hunter weighs in on the single.
“‘All That’s Left is Blood’ is an exercise in musical evisceration. One almost feels guilty for screaming along to such audio violence. Here, Werstler’s soloing lays a daring fluidity over the riot-inciting main riff. It’s immediately recognizable as being another classic Chimaira track, trademarked territory yet radical with growth.”
THAT WAS THE AGE OF HELL
The last few years have been bizarre, to say the least.
Chimaira went through an insane amount of changes that would have killed 99% of the bands out there, and all things considered, probably should have killed us, too.
Since 2009, we’ve switched labels, management companies, booking agents, merchandisers, and unfortunately, band members.
Like many bands, we were tested in order to survive an ever-changing industry. There were various suggestions implemented to try and improve our situation; some methods worked, some not so much. Regardless, we all had different ideas and life goals that ultimately led to where we are today.
For over a year, we’ve been working incessantly to assemble a solid team that would represent Chimaira moving forward, all the while rebuilding the entire infrastructure. With the music industry being in a transitional period, it was imperative to align ourselves with the right people.
Thankfully, a new balance has been found and goals have been met. Though the past few years have been difficult (with actual blood, sweat, and tears), today I’m excited to announce that the machine is running stronger than ever.
I want to thank all of our dedicated fans for understanding that every change made was to keep Chimaira alive. A harrowing journey, the humility that accompanied each step of the path is a blessing, and your loyalty speaks volumes that will not go unrecognized.
I fully understand the vastness that is the flip side of the coin and empathize with the fact there are a few upset fans disappointed in the changes that happened.
The question (or scoff) I encounter regarding the lineup change is why I decided to keep the name Chimaira despite losing key members. It’s quite understandable as I’m the first person this riotous situation perplexed.
It’s unchallenging to say that after the guys split that my commitment to move forward with the name was for ego, or I’m holding on too long, call me Axl Rose, etc… while all of that is somewhat accurate (and innocuous), I hope you get the logical explanation as well, and discern the passion behind the motivation.
First, it’s not as straightforward as changing a band name. When I learned of Matt and Rob’s decision to leave the group, there were five months of announced tours on the agenda, there were contracts with my name on it – and there are still contracts with my name on it.
Record labels had invested over six figures into The Age Of Hell, which at the time had not been released. Closing out in the middle of a cycle is a complex scenario. Family members, crew, and beyond needed the wheels to spin in order to pay bills. Like many decisions, this was an intricate conundrum and needed to be respected with careful thought. I couldn’t walk away from that type of responsibility, nor was I about to disappoint our fans any further.
After securing the new lineup, I had no idea how the tours or the future would work out. There was no crystal ball to establish a fan reaction toward the new look and feel. What would the chemistry be like on the bus? There was a healthy amount of pressure on all of us and it was imperative to stay focused.
After spending a few months with Emil, Austin, Jeremy, Matt, and recent winner of the best beard in metal, Sean Z., our mission became clear, and everyone involved realized Chimaira was more relevant than previously imagined. Numbers went up across the board and are continuing to do so.
The audience seemed genuinely stoked and accepting, and we felt tight as a unit. One awesome aspect of the tour was meeting skeptical fans that walked in thinking the night would suck; then watching those same fans leave with a feeling that it might have been the best show they’d seen. The most fulfilling feeling was the sound of the name Chimaira chanted.
The band was named, and is still named “Chimaira” to represent a hybrid style of heavy metal. The Chimera is a mythological creature comprised of several different animals forming into one unique monster. In modern terms, it can be defined as follows: “ Biology: an organism containing a mixture of genetically different tissues, formed by processes such as fusion of early embryos, grafting, or mutation: the sleeplike goat chimera.
A DNA molecule with sequences derived from two or more different organisms, formed by laboratory manipulation. “
That sounds like us. I hope that puts an end to some of the confusion.
Will the new music sound like the old albums? None of our albums sound the same, but there are always familiarities. The five new Chimaira songs I’m listening to sound like the band you love without question.
Old school fans can be excited about the fact that we brought back the seven strings on a couple jams, and the thrash era can be excited for some of the most technical riffing yet. Like the ethereal, electronic, heavy as fuck, stoner sludge of the last two? It’s there. We have every intention of preserving the quality you expect from this band, while at the same time raising the bar to unreachable heights. It’s a powerful time.
Thanks again to everyone that continues to stick by our side through thick and thin. Now that everything is worked out behind the scenes and the business fun again, it’s time to go back and concentrate on what’s integral. The music. We plan to make an incredible album.
The Age Of Hell is over.
- Mark
Since the band’s genre defining release The Oncoming Storm, UNEARTH has continuously crisscrossed the globe, becoming one of the hardest – and most consistent – touring bands in all of hard rock. With Darkness In the Light, their fifth full-length, the quintet have delivered their most honest, powerful, and compelling statement to date, driving a fist into the collective gut of every image-obsessed wannabe metal band currently cluttering up the landscape, and setting a new standard when it comes to marrying precision brute force and exhilarating melody.
Earning themselves Top 200 Billboard Chart entries for all four of the band’s Metal Blade releases (The Oncoming Storm, III: In the Eyes of Fire, The March, and Darkness in the Light), UNEARTH is once again prepared to take the world by storm when they hit the road this fall with Cleveland, OH’s Chimaira. The tour will be joined by Athens, OH’s Skeletonwitch and Las Vegas, NV’s Molotov Solution.
Jägermeister, the brand that’s synonymous with music has a long history of supporting bands, both from a local and basement level to national amphitheater acts. The brand has spent almost two decades developing artists and has seen many go from obscurity to the top of their fields. “Both bands symbolize the attitude that Jägermeister shares with hard rock and metal music,” says Bill Henderson, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Advertising at Sidney Frank Importing Company, Inc. “Chimaira and UNEARTH have both worked with our brand for several years and it’s great that we can continue the relationship with this tour.”
“We are incredibly pleased to announce this fall’s Jägermeister tour in North America,” says Trevor Phipps of UNEARTH. “We will be supporting our new album Darkness in the Light and are anxious to play more tracks from that album. Hitting the road with us will be our old friends in Chimaira, Skeletonwitch and soon to be new friends in Molotov Solution. We would like to thank Jägermeister for supporting this tour and we look forward to seeing you all on the road! Let’s make this a fall tour to remember!!! Cheers!!!”
Tickets will be on sale to the general public starting September 23 through each venue’s ticketing outlet. Please check local listings or UNEARTH’s website HERE for more details.
Jägermeister presents UNEARTH/CHIMAIRA tour with Skeletonwitch & Molotov Solution
11/16 Hartford, CT Webster Theatre
11/17 Poughkeepsie, NY The Chance
11/18 Sayreville, NJ Starland Ballroom
11/19 Hampton Beach, NH Wally’s Pub
11/20 Springfield, VA JAXX
11/21 Asheville, NC The Orange Peel
11/22 Raleigh, NC Lincoln Theater
11/23 Myrtle Beach, SC House of Blues
11/25 Ft. Lauderdale, FL Revolution
11/26 St. Petersburg, FL State Theatre
11/27 Jacksonville, FL Freebird Live
11/29 Austin, TX Emo’s
11/30 Oklahoma City, OK Diamond Ballroom
12/01 Albuquerque, NM Sunshine Theater *
12/02 Grand Junction, CO Mesa Theater & Club
12/03 Colorado Springs, CO The Black Sheep *
12/04 Farmington, NM Top Deck
12/05 Tempe, AZ The Marquee Theatre *
12/07 Pomona, CA Glass House *
12/08 Reno, NV Knitting Factory
12/09 Boise, ID Knitting Factory
12/10 Spokane, WA Knitting Factory *
12/16 Cedar Falls, IA Wheelhouse
12/17 Madison, WI The Barrymore Theater
12/18 Grand Rapids, MI The Intersection
* Skeletonwitch is not appearing on these dates
Keep up with UNEARTH at the following locations:
http://www.facebook.com/unearthofficial
http://www.youtube.com/unearthofficial