Chimaira-The Infection-(Deluxe Edition)-2009-FNT

Artist: Chimaira

Album: The Infection

Label: Ferret

Playtime: 57:19 min

Genre: Metal

URL: http://www.last.fm/music/Chimaira/

Rip date: 2009-04-17

Street date: 2009-04-21

Size: 95.13 MB

Type: Deluxe Edition

Quality: 227 kbps / 4410kHz / Joint Stereo



- Release Notes ------------------------------------------------------------- -



Chimaira is a six-membered metal band from Cleveland, Ohio, whose name comes

from a monster in ancient Greek mythology: a lion, with an additional head of

a goat located in the neck, and a snake as its tail. Its members describe the

band as being of “The new wave of American Heavy metal” and are firmly in the

post-thrash metalcore slot in their music style.



Chimaira was formed in 1998, composing itself of Mark Hunter (Vocals), Jason

Hager (Guitar), Rob Arnold (Guitar), Jim LaMarca (Bass), Andols Herrick

(Drums) and Chris Spicuzza (Keyboards and Electronics). Their first EP, This

Present Darkness, was released on January 11, 2000, on East Coast Empire

records. This EP featured a few songs that were later re-recorded for their

major label release on Roadrunner Records, entitled Pass Out of Existence.

Jason Hager later left the band after Pass Out Of Existence due to family

issues and the band gained Matt DeVries, a long time friend of the band and

guitarist for the Cleveland based band Ascension. Pass Out of Existence

didn’t sell that many records when it was released in 2001, but The

Impossibility of Reason, released in 2003, was enough to fund Chimaira’s

extensive touring with In Flames, and their second-stage performance at

Ozzfest, also in 2003.



Musically, Pass Out of Existence had a much more “electronic” sound than The

Impossibility of Reason, with Chris Spicuzza’s pronounced electronic loops

featured in many songs. This sound was often compared to artists like Fear

Factory, Spineshank and Slipknot. The Impossibility of Reason kept with a

more pure, metal-esque instrumentation, akin to metalcore bands such as

Killswitch Engage, and this was found to be very popular—the album reached #2

on Billboard’s “Heatseekers” chart.



Their self-titled album, released in August 2005, built upon the progress of

The Impossibility of Reason. The electronic feel of Pass Out of Existence and

This Present Darkness is much reduced, and the guitar riffs and solos are

taking a more central position to the band’s music. The band hired Kevin

Talley (Dying Fetus, Misery Index) to fill position behind the drumkit.

The themes of “rejection, revenge and repercussion” [1] from The

Impossibility of Reason remain, although there are exceptions here - the

track “Lazarus” is named for, and written about a friend of Mark Hunter’s

(singer) commiting suicide. In mid-2006 Chimaira and Roadrunner announced

they would amicably part ways.



On March 6th, 2007, Chimaira released “Resurrection” on Nuclear Blast/Ferret

Records, with some special packs containing a DVD of the making of the album.

Andols Herrick returned to the band, and musically the album is an evolution

of previous efforts. The songs feature heavy and pounding riffs, as in the

likes of “Chimaira”, but also features more thoughtful melodic parts and,

what can be considered, more progressive solo parts and arrangements. Also

from Chris Spicuzza on keyboard there is a heavier contribution than on the

last album. The band even manage to create a black-metal-esque song with the

help of Morgoth The Impaler on keyboards. Unsurprisingly, the song

“Resurrection” was written about the new lease of life the band (especially

Mark Hunter) felt upon release from Roadrunner, who they felt, were not

promoting the band as much as the band felt they deserved.



- Track List ---------------------------------------------------------------- -



01. The Venom Inside ( 4:05)

02. Frozen in Time ( 4:05)

03. Coming Alive ( 3:04)

04. Secrets of the Dead ( 4:24)

05. The Disappearing Sun ( 4:24)

06. Impending Doom ( 6:05)

07. On Broken Glass ( 3:46)

08. Destroy and Dominate ( 4:42)

09. Try to Survive ( 4:40)

10. The Heart of it All (14:52)

11. Revenge (Bonus Track) ( 3:12)