Chimaira

Chimaira biography

Chimaira () is an American metal band from Cleveland, Ohio. Formed in 1998, the group is a notable member of the New Wave of American Heavy Metal scene. The band's name is derived from the word Chimera, a monstrous creature in Greek mythology. Their musical style is mainly groove metal, tied-along with metalcore, industrial metal, nu metal and death metal influences.

Biography

Early days (1998-1999)

Chimaira was founded during 1998 by guitarist Jason Hager, and vocalist Mark Hunter. The pair contacted friends and recruited Jason Genaro on drums and Andrew Ermlick on bass to complete the required positions for a line-up.

After a few practice sessions, the four decided that the band needed a "thicker" guitar sound. With their suggestions of adding a second guitarist along, Ermlick recommended that Rob Arnold, a former bandmate from his time in Common Thread, could be recruited into the band as a guitarist. Arnold's band at the time, Sanctum had recently split, and the guitarist was available to join Chimaira. By 1999, Arnold joined the band soon after as lead guitarist to which Hager was then moved down to play rhythm.

The band recorded its first demo in January 1999, and during the recording, Arnold recommended to Hunter and Hager that they replace Genaro with Arnold's former drummer Andols Herrick in the band Sanctum. After observing a cassette recording featuring Herrick's percussion, the band agreed to replace Genaro in favor of Herrick. Herrick then came along to the studio with the other four and recorded the drums for the demo the very next day.

The band spent much of 1999 doing various live shows around the United States, and during that year Andrew Ermlick left the band to concentrate on his college studies, and was replaced by Rob Lesniak.

The band recorded a second demo during that year, and it began to receive widespread airplay on several college radio stations around the area. After landing a spot performing "Dead Inside" on the short lived USA Network show Farmclub.com, Chimaira was signed to Roadrunner Records.

This Present Darkness and Pass out of Existence (2000-2002)

Eventually, the band recorded its first EP, called This Present Darkness, which was released in 2000. Banking on the success of the EP, the band was signed by Roadrunner Records and quickly recorded its debut album Pass out of Existence in 2001, by this time Jim LaMarca was now bassist and Chris Spicuzza was handling all electronics duties. Shortly after the release of the album and the tour that was to follow, Jason Hager left the band when he discovered he was going to become a father. Matt DeVries, from another local band called Ascension, was recruited to take over as rhythm guitarist.

The Impossibility of Reason (2003-2004)

The band returned home in late 2002 to begin writing and recording its next full-length album, The Impossibility of Reason. The making of the album was documented and later seen on their debut DVD release called The Dehumanizing Process. After the release and ensuing tours, drummer Andols Herrick decided to leave the band. As evidenced in the DVD documentary, Herrick appeared to be unenthusiastic about constantly being on the road. He returned home to attend college to obtain a music degree.

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