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Andols
Herrick - Drums |
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Jim
LaMarca - Bass |
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Rob
Arnold - Guitars |
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Jason
Hager - Guitars |
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Mark
Hunter - Vocals |
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Chris
Spicuzza - Sampler |
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biography
"There’s more to rock
‘n’ roll in Ohio than the kind found in the Hall Of Fame. On This
Present Darkness, Cleveland metalcore quintet Chimaira brings to mind the
big, thrashy riffs and heavy guitar tone of classic Machine Head, paired
with blood vessel-bursting vocal screams similar to Zao."-CMJ New
Music Report
Chimaira (pronounced Ki-meer-a) was spawned in 1998, by guitarist
Jason Hager of the now defunct Cleveland hardcore-metal outfit Ascension.
After several U.S. tours, and receving national attention, Hager decided
to pursue a different musical direction. Luckily he didn’t have to look
much farther than his own backyard.
Due to his strength as a songwriter and his intense drive, Mark Hunter,
formerly of Cleveland’s Skipline, was the most obvious choice when it
came time to look for vocal talent. Mark’s lyrical content transcends
that of the average musician, attacking the darker side of human emotions
brought on by traumatic relationships and lost loved ones, fresh scabs
itching to be picked away.
After countless trials, the Chimaira family was finally solidified
after recruiting guitarist Rob Arnold, drummer Andy Herrick , bassist Jim
LaMarca, and Chris Spicuzza on electronics.
Homer describes the Chimæra as a creature with a goat’s body, a
lion’s head, and a dragon’s tail, a group of animals combining to form
one grotesque new monster. This description isn’t that far off. The
ugliness brought forth by Chimaira’s intense mix of blinding aggression,
scathing melody and sheer brutality has already started to leave its mark
on an unsuspecting world.
In their first few months together, Chimaira shared billing in support of
national acts Machine Head, The Misfits, S.O.D, Vision of Disorder,
Cannibal Corpse, Six Feet Under, Napalm Death, Puya, Snapcase, Will Haven,
Candiria, Overkill, and Zao to huge response.
And, the band has as of late found an ally in the form of Des Moines death
merchants Slipknot, who in the middle of a recent interview on a major
Cleveland radio station forced the DJ to stop the interview to play
Chimaira’s "Dead Inside".
But, the release of their debut EP, "This Present Darkness",
on East Coast Empire Records, had helped the band generate some radio
action of their own. On the strength of EP track "Painting the White
to Grey" the band spent over 3 months on all the major radio charts
including CMJ, FMQB and Album Network, most of that time residing
comfortably in the top 10, receiving spins on hundreds of major market
stations like 93X and WSOU.
Chimaira has since embarked on a mission to destroy everything in their
paths, reeking havoc everywhere they go. The band’s massive fan base
comes out in droves every time they play, often turning a simple show into
a near-riot. And from the first pummeling note, Chimaira’s aggression
animates on stage as every instrument unearths emotions better left buried,
combining to unleash the collective monster lurking beneath the surface.
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