If I’m not mistaken, Chimaira vocalist Mark Hunter has now been interviewed for MetalSucks more times than any other musician — which is fine by me. Not only is he one of my favorite front men all of modern metal, but I always come away from these interviews feeling like I actually learned something about a band I love. In a world where it increasingly feels like too many folks are giving what I’d call “paint by numbers” answers to interview questions, Hunter’s willingness to be so sincere is always refreshing.

And, besides, Chimaira’s new album, The Age of Hell (out today on eOne — stream it here, buy physical copies here, or download it from iTunes here), is not only totally awesome, but it arrives admist a flurry of drama and controversy, as the band changed fifty percent of the line-up in the intervening years since 2009′s The Infection. So there was certainly plenty to discuss this go-’round!

After the jump, read the full transcript of my most recent chat with Hunter, in which he discusses those line-up changes, Hell‘s creation, the band’s upcoming tour plans, and much, much more.

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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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UPDATE: Vocalist Mark Hunter has addressed fans’ concerns that this means the end of electronic elements to Chimaira’s music: “there are definitely samples, keys, electronics, and all sorts of other wizardry on this record. we’ve spent the past 12 years creating the atmospheric side of chimaira, and we can’t imagine listening to us without those cool bits either.” Read his full statement here.

I always say that no two Chimaira albums are alike, and while we’ve only heard just the teensiest lil’ bit of the band’s forthcoming release, we already know one huge difference their new album and 2009′s The Infection: not only will bassist Jim LaMarca no longer be in the band, but neither will keyboardist/programmer Chris Spicuzza.

Here are some excerpts from a statement Spicuzza released to The PRP:

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We’re shuttering the Mansion gates early today for tomorrow’s Thanksgiving holiday, ’cause let’s face it: you’ve all gone home already and have long since put up your “I am out of the office. If it’s urgent, call my cell phone” auto-responders. Please, people: no one cares about you. Get over it!

Here’s what happened in this abbreviated week while might or might not have been checking your Blackberries:

• Two bears reviewed Daath’s new record and called us faggots.
• Haste the Day decided to hang it up, as did Chimaira’s Jim LaMarca.
• Two Greeks showed us the only proper way to react to a brass band busking on the street.
• All of J.S. Bach’s organ works are available for free download; know your metal forefathers, son!
• Revocation’s Dave Davidson kept us up to date with the latest shenanigans to befall The Legacy Tour with Darkest Hour, Veil of Maya and Periphery, while Daath’s Eyal Levi thinks the picture looks bleak for today’s unsigned metal bands hoping to make it big.
• Are there single songs you like by bands you otherwise abhor?
• Crowbar released a new jam!
• Bob Cock spoke with Slough Feg’s Mike Scalzi.
• We Contaminated our Cooking by making baked mac and cheese and collard greens with Woe’s Chris Griggs.

We’ll be stuffing our faces full of food and booze tomorrow and recovering all day Friday. See ya Monday!

-VN

I definitely woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, most likely because I fucking hate Thanksgiving and just want it to be over with already. So I could have used some good news, like maybe Pig Destroyer surprising everyone with a new song, or a leaked Cristina Scabbia/Marta lesbian sex tape, or someone raising Chuck Schuldiner from the dead in order to have him wipe deathcore from the face of the planet.

Instead, I see this statement from Chimaira on The PRP:

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A lot has happened since Chimaira released their first full-length DVD, The Dehumanizing Process, in 2004; as captured by director Todd Bell, the band portrayed in that DVD is struggling to make the album they want to make, struggling to stay signed, struggling to get good tours, struggling just to stay together. The Chimaira of Coming Alive — the band’s third excellent collaboration with Bell — are opening for Disturbed, playing arenas, and taking bets on how many copies The Infection will sell in its first week. We’re obviously not in Metallica territory or anything here, and we do see that the band’s members are still working their collective ass off (a scene in which bassist Jim LaMarca personally hands out band stickers and canvasses fans is particularly striking) — but Coming Alive has less conflict and drama than its predecessor. And while no one should begrudge a band this talented and hard-working, unfortunately, conflict and drama are the things great stories are made of.

It’s the biggest — and, really, the only — strike against Coming Alive. Luckily, Bell is such a talented guy that it also really doesn’t matter in the scheme of things.

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Photo by Mart Reinson

While winding down their recent European trek with Unearth, Daath and Throwdown, Mark Hunter, vocalist of perennial MetalSucks favorites Chimaira, was cool enough to answer some questions via e-mail. After the jump, get Mark’s thoughts on European audiences versus American audiences, eating at McDonald’s abroad, the joys of Don “The Dragon” Wilson, showers in Germany, and more.

And by the way, there’s a NSFW image in this interview. You were warned.

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I am SO PISSED that I missed Chimaira’s most recent tour (with Hatebreed), because a) Chimaira slay live and b) I’m fucking dying to hear some more material from The Infection in a live setting – when I saw the band on this spring’s Music as a Weapon tour, the album had literally just come out that day and the band were, consequently, only playing two new songs.

So. Rhythm guitarist Matt DeVries had to pull a Mark Morton and leave the tour early so he could get home for the birth of his new child, Austin (Mazel tov, Matt!); filling in for him is Daath co-guitarist/all around cool dude Emil Werstler. I am using this little fact as an excuse to post this video I saw on Blabbermouth of the Wersterful Chimaira performing “The Venom Inside.” Also, to point out that bassist Jim LaMarca seems to have shed his signature locks. That leaves DeVries as the only dude in Chimaira capable of windmilling. Just sayin’.

Chimaira continue to decimate Europe alongside Unearth, Throwdown, and our friends in Daath through October 12; then, at the end of the month, they hit the States again with Trivium, Whitechapel and Dirge Within. Get dates here.

-AR

As I mentioned earlier this week, a little while back I got an e-mail from The Autumn Offering vocalist Matt McChesney to discuss an extremely negative review I’d given the band’s last album, Fear Will Cast No Shadow. McChesney could have been a total dick about the whole thing, but as it turns out, he’s a very even headed, intelligent, and cool dude. So what else was there to do but interview him about the band’s new album, Requiem, which will come out June 9 on Victory. McChesney was even good enough to let us debut the first single off of that album, “The Curtain Hits The Cast,” for which the band will shoot a video in the coming weeks.

I still haven’t heard the new album, but I do already like this song way, way more than anything from Fear Will Cast No Shadow; it’s catchy and it doesn’t sound overly processed, which, I think, is what The Autumn Offering were striving for. Check out the song below, and then my conversation with Matt McChesney after the jump! (FYI – for fear that this was all a set-up for Matt to have me murdered, the interview was conducted by e-mail.)

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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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The release of Chimaira’s new skull crushing, testicle tearing album, The Infection, is now less than a week away, and will be streaming in its entirety on the band’s MySpace page as of tomorrow! To celebrate, we’re teaming up with the band and Ferret Music to give you the opportunity to win a limited deluxe fan edition of the album, signed by all six members of the band!

Here’s what’s in this ridiculously cool box set:

Metal Briefcase packaging (pictured above)
Chimaira Infection Logo Flag (pictured above)
CD/DVD Edition of the album (Features the bonus track “Revenge” and a “Making of” DVD)
“Syringe” USB in metal box featuring the bonus tracks “Convictions” and “Warpath”, The Infection demos, Wallpapers, Buddy Icons and more (pictured above)
Guitar Pick Pack featuring signature picks of all guitarists (pictured above)
Booklet featuring never before seen photos of the band in studio (NOT pictured above)
Laminate (NOT pictured above)

How friggin’ cool is that?

All you have to do to win is answer the following Chimaira trivia question:

CHIMAIRA BASSIST JIM LAMARCA’S FAMILY OWNS A PIZZA SHOP IN CLEVELAND. WHAT IS THE NAME OF THAT SHOP?

E-mail your answer as well as your name and mailing address to axl AT metalsucks DOT net by midnight EST on April 21, and be sure to put CHIMAIRA CONTEST in the subject line. We’ll randomly select one (1) winner from everyone who correctly answers the question, and that lucky son of a bitch will win the box set. Please note that this contest is open to U.S. residents only, as shipping costs are a bitch.

And don’t be too sad if you don’t win – you can always order one directly from Ferret!

After the jump, be sure to check out some awesome photos of the box set being assembled! And good luck everyone!

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I was kinda wondering whatever happened to Uranium, Fuse’s answer to Headbanger’s Ball. As it turns out, it’s still around – it just airs on Fuse on Demand. Which is good to know, especially since throughout April they have a special on the making of Chimaira’s The Infection, which is one of the 2009 releases that I am personally most excited about it. In case you couldn’t tell by my constant posting about the record.

ANYWAY, here’s a clip to get you all hot n’ bothered. Don’t you just wanna pinch Jim LaMarca’s cheeks?

Like I said, you can watch the entire thing on Fuse on Demand all month.

-AR

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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