So yesterday, now-former Chimaira guitarist and current Six Feet Under six stringer Rob Arnold tweeted that “Work has begun on the new project with” Andols Herrick — the twice-departed Chimaira drummer whose most recent split with the band came about over a year ago and was announced this past April — and posted the above photo, I guess in case there was any doubt that, yes, work has indeed begun on a new project with Herrick. (Although this picture, which was posted a little while later with the caption “Metal is timeless,” is much more fun.)

And, hey, it’s no secret that I’m a massive Chimaira fan — so it’s not like I bummed that these dudes are working on something new together. I am, however, a little surprised. ‘Cause remember what Herrick said following his second departure from that band? Here, I’ll remind you:

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It’s kind of a weird time to be a Chimaira fan — we know the band is working on a new album for a new label (eOne), and we’ve even gotten to hear the slightest sliver of new music, and yet the band has shed half its line-up since November. (Drummer Andols Herrick just announced his split with the group yesterday.)

I’ve said time and again that I’m really not worried about the ongoing quality of the band’s music, since none of the now-departed members were known for being the songwriters in the group, and, let’s be real, at the end of the day, it really is all about the quality of the songs. That being said, I understand why some Chimaira fans are feeling kinda anxious right now; as fans, these are musicians we’ve come to know and love (and Todd Bell’s various behind-the-scenes DVDs do a really incredible job of making fans feel like they know each member of the band, regardless of whether or not that’s actually true), so, yeah, one might find it a little disconcerting to see these guys fly the coop.

The band understands your concern, though, and are planning to address those concerns in a live chat tonight at 9pm EST/6pm PST. Says vocalist Mark Hunter:

“In addition to answering questions about the new album, we will discuss the past, the present, and the future. We’re looking forward to seeing you all, and please help spread the word. Thank you!”

You can watch the chat here. I’m not sure if I’m gonna be able to be near a computer at 9 pm tonight, so, um, everyone please watch/participate so you can fill me in later!

-AR

[via The PRP]

Alright, so I was out of the office this afternoon at a meeting, and I walk out and check my e-mail on my phone to find like a thousand e-mails from readers pointing us towards this post on The PRP, in which drummer Andols Herrick announces his departure from Chimaira.

Here are some excerpts from Herrick’s statement:

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Andols Herrick is easliy one of my favorite drummers in modern metal. And when he’s not working with the mighty Chimaira, he’s giving drum lessons! So while you might usually think “Gee, that’s awesome, I wish I lived near him in Cleveland so I could study with him,” Herrick is now going to be offering lessons via Skype, which means you can study with him no matter where you live. Sez Ballsinrmouth:

The lessons will be similar to the in-person ones done in Cleveland — usually split between focusing on hands and focusing on the whole kit (or just kick drum pads, if noise is a problem). As long as you have either a webcam or a built-in one on your laptop, all you have to do is download Skype and the video to video interaction doesn’t cost anything.

If I played drums or even had the hand-eye coordination necessary to try and play drums, I would totally take advantage of this opportunity. And while I’ve only met Andols for like a fraction of a minute, everything about him screamed “Incredibly nice dude!”  Interested parties can contact Andols at drummerandolsherrick AT yahoo DOT com.

-AR

Chimaira have never made the same exact album twice, so the only thing a listener can assume about a new Chimaira record is this: it’s going to be crushingly heavy. This band makes truly unpleasant, misanthropic Metal with a capital fucking “M.” Fuck, their most famous song is all about how they don’t like you very much.

The Infection is no exception. It sounds at once both distinctly like Chimaira and yet not precisely like anything the band has ever made before. The dichotomy of it, though, is that the vitriol is wrapped the catchiest and, in some ways, most optimistic music the Cleveland sextet has ever created.

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Few bands in modern metal are as exciting as Chimaira. That’s because few bands constantly undergo such a dramatic and undeniable evolutions from album to album – and do so with a bare minimum of line-up changes. From their 2000 self-released debut, This Present Darkness, right up to 2007′s Resurrection, Chimaira have never made the same album twice. Elements of thrash, death, groove, black, and even prog metal and punk abound, and, ultimately, the only thing you ever know for sure about a new Chimaira album is this: it’s gonna be heavy as a motherfucker, and just as catchy.

As the band – which includes guitarists Rob Arnold and Matt DeVries, bassist Jim LaMarca, drummer Andols Herrick, and keyboardist/sampler Chris Spicuzza – anticipates the April 21 release of their sixth album, The Infection, we were lucky enough to snag an exclusive e-mail interview with vocalist Mark Hunter. After the jump, read Mark’s thoughts on the group’s latest offering, the ongoing metamorphosis of their sound, reuniting with longtime producer Ben Schigel, the internet as a marketing tool, the state of his pure hatred, and more.

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So as you may have heard by now, Chimaira are allowing fans to watch them live in the studio as they record their new album. The way it works is, you go to their official site and if the “Live Cam” icon in the upper right corner of the screen is red, you can click on it and watch whatever the fuck they’re doing at the moment. Sounds pretty cool, right?

Unfortunately, as I watched drummer Andols Herrick finish up his tracks yesterday afternoon, I remembered something I already knew: being in the studio is not super exciting. In fact, it’s pretty tedious. Herrick played some drums, picked his cuticles, played the same song again, picked his cuticles some more, fucked around with the cymbals a little, spoke (inaudibly) with producer Ben Schigel, played the same song again… and then I woke up an hour later with drool all over my keyboard.

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