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Everyone's Replaceable

ROB ARNOLD AND MATT DEVRIES LEAVE CHIMAIRA

 Thursday, November 10th, 2011 at 3:30pm by


First, read vocalist — and now sole remaining original member — Mark Hunter’s statement on the matter. My own thoughts follow.

I would like to start off by thanking our fans for a great tour. This last run was a blast, and truly the most fun we’ve had in a long while. The energy from the audience was exactly what we needed, and a welcoming return. Thank you guys!

Unfortunately, as much fun as we were having, behind the scenes we were aware of some unfortunate realities that prevented us from “living the dream” and having the time of our lives. We had another bomb to drop on the fans.

Early in July we were informed that Rob Arnold and Matt DeVries would be leaving Chimaira at the end of 2011. Of course this was a huge blow, but there were no hard feelings. We understand that life invades art, everything runs its course, and we have to take different paths.

We respect their decision and wish them only the best. We made heavy metal history together and that is all that matters at the end of the day.

Chimaira Christmas 12 will be their last show, and we’ve been preparing to make it one that you’ll never forget.

I would personally like to thank Rob and Matt for all of their hard work, years of service to Chimaira, amazing songs, and for their friendship. Together we built something special that will remain for generations to come. I’m looking forward to spending another 5 weeks on the road with two of the best (and criminally underrated) guitarists in modern metal.

What’s next for Chimaira in 2012?

More on that very soon.

Rather than try and make light of unpleasant news, or downplay this by hyping up a new line-up, let’s take a few to honor Rob and Matt.

My favorite solo of Rob’s is on The Heart Of It All and my favorite riff of Matt’s is The Dehumanizing Process. I’ll be cranking those today. What about you?

See you in Detroit.

- Mark

Alright, so, obviously, this is a bummer. I’ve been saying ever since the band shed fifty percent of its line-up last year that Hunter and Arnold are the real driving creative force behind Chimaira, and as long as they’re in the band, all will be well.

Without Arnold? I honestly don’t know. I’m a huge fan of Hunter’s. I’m also a huge fan of Arnold’s. I’m trying to be optimistic about this… I would like nothing more than for Chimaira to go on and continue to be awesome and thrive. But there’s no denying that Arnold was a HUGE part of the band’s sound, and I don’t know how his absence will or will not change that sound. We call the category we use to post about band members’ departures “Everyone’s Replaceable,” but that’s obviously not true.

That being said, here’s something to be optimistic about: Emil Werstler is already in the band playing bass. If they slide him over to lead guitar, well… that dude is an amazing amazing amazing guitarist and a great songwriter. And it could all work out! Of course, we don’t even know for a fact Werstler is stepping into the position, but… well, he must at least be an option, right?

But right now I really don’t know. I wish I had more insight into this, but… I don’t. This is, for better or worse, going to be one of those situations where we just have to wait and see and keep our fingers crossed.

Share your thoughts in the comments section. You can get all upcoming Chimaira tour dates here.

-AR

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  • Stu1

    It would be better for everyone if the band changed names if they go with the new Daath line up, as you’re suggesting. The Chimaira name is beyond tattered at this point.

  • Brian Kessler

    Wrestler is indeed an amazing guitar player…but can he write songs in the way Chimaira has.  No offense to Daath, but Chimaira’s song writing is (was?) MUCH better.

    Otherwise, I agree with you.  I fucking LOVE this band, and am huge fan of Hunter…but I am not sure he can carry the whole band.

    At least I get to see this line-up one more time next Friday in NJ.

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=506137459 Chuck Wagner

      Have you even listened to The Concealers? The Day of Endless Light…that is all.

      • Ben

        I’ve listened to every album by both bands and, sorry, Brian Kessler is right,  The guys in Daath are phenomenal musicians but they are nowhere near the songwriters that Chimaira have proven they are time and time again.  Of course, rejigger things like this and, who knows, maybe it’s simply the configuration of Daath that leads to a rather than b.  I guess we’ll see (assuming, of course, the Daath guys even stick around)

  • Nicholas Crouch

    chimaira will never be the same, they might as well change their name now.

  • Ltmetal

    WOW

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=506137459 Chuck Wagner

    It’s time. They can always come back if the economy shapes up.

  • http://www.facebook.com/ben.alden2 Ben Alden

    Bummer :/ I remember when they were on Music AS A Weapon 4, and when they played in my hometown the whole band came into the gym my mom worked at earlier in the day…my mom ended up talking with Rob, Andols, and Mark for a good half hour just about their music and their life (She had no idea of any of their types of music, but knew that they were on of my favorites and I was seeing them that night) She’s still got a picture of her with the band on the wall in the living room, so fucking awesome. 

    Gonna miss you dudes.

    • KRANG

      Chimaira gang-banged your Mom? That is a pretty cool story. 

      • Nold

        *band-banged

  • Mitch K.

    FUCK! FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK! FUCK! FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK! why must my favourite band in the world keep falling apart every year?

  • Metalguy

    Whatever they do will be better than the the last album

    • Trux

      The last album was great and one of my favs from the band….

      Not sure what are you talking about here….

      • Metalguy

        Bland songwriting is what I’m on about

  • Anonymous

    This is probably the most suckass news of the day.

  • KRANG

    That does suck. Rob’s sound was so recognizable that it would be tough to go on without him. Having said that…Chimaira was getting stale to my ears. Hopefully Mark makes the best of this and starts something new and awesome.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1315346890 Phil Freeman

    Werstler may be a great guitarist, but Daath has never written a song in their entire careers. They are MASTERS of riff salad, but I can’t remember a single chorus. I can’t remember if their songs even have choruses.

    • Anonymous

      You just made it quite clear that you opinion is based on your absence of knowledge.

      • Ben

        No.  That’s not what he said at all.

      • Sir Peras

        Nah, Phil is right, I’ve listened to Daath’s albums a few times and I only remember ONE chorus from that album with the blue cover. Great musicians though, but that doesn’t make you a great songwriter.

      • http://twitter.com/JOE2369 Joe Moor

        butthurt much?

    • Nold

      So what ? Choruses are for sellouts.

  • TheNothing

    Honestly, They have to pack it in.  This was their final run and thats it.  No reason playing songs that nobody in the band wrote.  Hunter either needs to start a new band and go with something new and different or just start working at Pizza Hut again.  I would choose the first if I were him.  I’m sure his rolodex is just filled with heavy metal musicians to collaborate with.  Emil being his first option just because Emil is Emazing (see what I did there?).  Not to mention, DAATH.  Where the fuck are they?  

  • Sickboy666

    “My own thoughts follow.”
    (…)
    “But right now I really don’t know. I wish I had more insight into this, but… I don’t.”

    Damn, Axl. Try harder, dude.

  • http://waitingforearthquakes.wordpress.com/ Physcos

    Mark is a victim of the paranoid

  • Douchenozzle

    Oh God hahaha I was anxious to read what you had to say about this when I read the news on Lambgoat earlier. This is fucking hilarious. 

  • Sir Peras

    Awright, so that was it! five-six albums? Most of them pretty solid. I would proudly “bury” Chimaira at the Xmas Gig with a Fina Reunion if possible, it has been one of the best bands of the last 6 years but it has lost too many important members to keep on being called Chimaira.

  • TF

    At this point with nearly the entire band leaving, it would probably be best just to break the band up after their Christmas show and let Mark start a new band. He could probably recruit Emil and Sean Z. to work on it, but Rob was the heart of Chimaira. Andols leaving was bad enough, but without Rob this band will not be Chimaira. 

  • Anonymous

    They had a good run.

  • Kingrichardthe666th

     Before they leave for six feet under, can somebody show them the Chris Barnes used car commercial.

  • Marco

    Shitty, shitty news

  • http://www.facebook.com/ken.wilhelm Ken Wilhelm

    Tis a shame, they played a LONG and blistering set last thursday in NYC, excellent show.

    • Pygmyjesus

      When they were here last the crowd had energy, but wasn’t all that large.  I’m wondering if that is part of the problem.

  • The_I

    I wasn’t really into The Age of Hell. Let’s hope Chimaira’s work doesn’t suffer much further because of this… Perhaps a new lineup will allow them to reinvigorate their sound, but that’s probably way too optimistic.

  • Pansho

    Just like many have said, might as well start something new. Not to shit on anybody in the band, but without Rob, Chimaira is pretty much done. All the best to those guys.

  • http://twitter.com/JOE2369 Joe Moor

    have chimaira’s last two albums been any good? I listened to the infection once or twice but can’t remember much

  • Jason

    If you didn’t see this coming, you are an idiot with zero perception skills. The writing was on the wall for a looooong time. Having a bass player who is a much better guitar player than either
    actual guitarist as well as a singer who is a better vocalist can not
    make for a positive band harmony. Doesn’t hurt that the new album is absolutely awful. Those talking about Chimaira’s awesome writing skills obviously haven’t heard it. In fact, the last record lacked anything memorable as well. Before that, they were very good and I will continue to crank those records for sure.

    • Pygmyjesus

      When I saw them last month, that bassist was fucking rad.  So much energy!

  • Steverazorberry

    I thought Rob Arnold was the kingpin of this band. Without his unique, groove-laden playing style I don’t see this band continuing. This sucks. Chimaira was my favorite of the modern thrash bands. Andols, Spicuzza, and LaMarca leaving was bad enough. With Arnold gone it is best to just disband.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1485185269 Grey Price

    maybe its for the best, not all bands need to go on forever. If Hunter calls it quits after what 6 great albums and countless awesome memories, who are we to complain?

  • Satans Wizard

    Maybe Mark Hunter should have stared in a used car commercial.  Then maybe members of other bands would be flocking to him?  Times are tough…..

  • Anthonykerr86

    Rob IS chimaira. There is no way they sound the same from here on out. However, that.doesn’t mean they won’t be good.

  • http://www.facebook.com/D.Norbs Norbus W Maximus

    Horrible, horrible news.  Now I am REALLY pissed that I decided to skip out on the NYC show.

    Damn!  Thought Hunter’s little blurb was classy.  I don’t think the new “Chimaira” will be the Chimaira that many of us know and love, but Hunter will probably put together a quality lineup that will be solid, but obviously much different.

  • Anthony

    It’s a good thing they’re finishing out the rest of this current tour at least. Now on Sunday I can hopefully say hi to them after the show and thank them for all their music and passion.

  • SMOKING FAT BONG RIPS

    Solution: End Chimaira after the chirstmas show and have Daath with Mark Hunter doing lead vocals.  Chimaira were the best metal band the 216 ever had and one of the few good things about living in Cleveland was Chimaira christmas.  I don’t know how I would feel about Chimaira going on as the Daath/Mark Hunter project, but if they just decided to play as Daath I would be amped as fuck. 

    • Stu1

      The “Daath” name is almost as damaged as Chimaira. Start a new band.

  • Pianoekiez

    Glad I don’t have to hear about this shitty band anymore :)

  • http://twitter.com/metal_legions Mark G

    I’m going to try and see them when they hit Grand Rapids, MI.  This sucks.  I really hope Mark finds something new.  He’s an awesome dude.

  • Ray

    This was a terrible way to start my long weekend.  Awful news.  I hope Mark folds Chimaira and moves on.  I cant picture this band without Rob, the dude made the riffs what they were.

  • paganheart

    Well that just sucks…wonder if this is what led to Mark Hunter’s Twitter rampage a few weeks back. Not terribly surprised to see Matt leaving; it doesn’t appear he contributed at all to the writing or recording of the last album, and apparently he has a son now and some sort of “regular job” when he’s off the road, so maybe he’s decided it’s time to forego the music life for a more normal existence. As for Rob…wow. This is like Jeff Loomis leaving Nevermore; when you lose the guitar player whose sound basically defines the band, can it really be the same band anymore? I suppose Mark can continue on making music under the Chimaira name with a rotating cast of support players—think Trent Reznor/Nine Inch Nails—but it definitely won’t be the same (and I’ll bet good money Emil’s back on guitar going forward.) Rob’s a seriously underrated guitar player so hopefully he’ll land on his feet in Six Feet Under or some other project worthy of his talent.  Given that Mark and Rob were the creative core of the band you can’t help but smell some serious drama behind the scenes; at least they are handling things publically in a classy way, and giving Rob and Matt a chance to take a final bow. I’ll have to make a point of seeing Chimaira on this tour, it could very well be their last. Best of luck to everyone in the band going forward. They’ll need it.  

  • Anonymous

    Chimaira was never the same after the self titled album. Things just felt forced to me on Resurrection. There were some good parts in that album but it just never resonated with me. After that album, it was like Chimaira was a totally different band.

  • Perpetual Black Screen Name

    Wow, so shitty. I think it may be time for them to call it day. I still respect the fuck out of Mark and love Chimaira’s music but shit, enough is enough. At some point the revolving door becomes laughable. If Hunter is still so into being in a band and creating music, he should just start a new one with some of the awesome musicians whose bands have broken up in the last 5 years or so.

  • Grizzle

    This is ok. Chimaira have had their time, and unless you’re Mustaine (even then), you’re cred is subject in changing 3/5th’s of the band.  Loved all that they’ve done, but nothing so much as the Gold Room and before.  Not so excited with the latest Daath, perhaps Mark can change that up.  Regardless, hopefully young (old, uh Dez?) enough to create something new to get excited about.