Track Listing

1. Resurrection
2. Pleasure In Pain
3. Worthless
4. Six5, No Reason To Live6, Killing The Beast
5. The Flame
6. End It All
7. Black Heart
8. Needle
9. Empire

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #15829 in Music
• Brand: CHIMAIRA
• Released on: 2007-03-06
• Number of discs: 1

Album Description
Chimaira are back! Beyond their demons. Beyond any limitations. Their new album, Resurrection features 11 tracks of obliterating metal produced by Jason Suecof (Trivium, God Forbid) and mixed by the legendary Andy Sneap. Vocalist Mark Hunter explains, "This is our fourth album and we as a band, are collectively and for the first time ever, in synch and in a `positive' new headspace; we are all really excited about the new material." After selling over 300,000 records over the past few years on Roadrunner, and touring the world with bands like Slayer; Chimaira are poised to be the breakthrough band of 2007. In fact, they are starting the year on one of the biggest metal tours of the winter alongside Killswtich Engage and Dragonforce.

About the Artist
Chimaira is proof that there is life after death.

The months following the release of the band's self-titled third album, despite the record's blistering and undeniably killer content, were a dark time. Band members threatened to leave. There were face-to-face arguments. Problems stacked up with their record label. In Cleveland, it seemed like the sky was falling.

"We had a wall in front of us. The question became: 'Are we going to just stare at it, or get over it?'" recalls Chimaira singer Mark Hunter. "We kicked ourselves in the ass. And now, we have life again."

The sound of that life is nothing less than a sledgehammer to the face.

An album cooked up in the rehearsal room with no pretenses beyond "making the heaviest music possible," like when the band began back in 1998. From the anthemic momentum of the title track to the epic experimentation of "Six" through the album's fist-pumping, breakneck-speed closing track, "Empire," Resurrection - Chimaira's first album for Ferret Music - is the sound of a band reborn.

"When we began writing we said, 'Let's just have fun writing this record. Let's not over-analyze anything,'" Hunter explains. "It felt like it did when we first started. After getting everyone in a circle, telling each other to fuck off, and getting all the demons out, we're all the best of friends again."

Resurrection is an electric charge through the world of metal and hard rock. Had the band decided to call it quits, they would have left behind a legacy their friends and peers could scarcely duplicate.

With their groundbreaking blend of metal, hardcore and electronic elements, Chimaira made a splash with a self-released EP that sold nearly 10,000 copies. Their debut album, Pass out of Existence, followed in 2001. But The Impossibility of Reason blew the lid off, putting the band on the road with Slipknot, Machine Head, Lamb Of God and Ozzfest. And then 2005's Chimaira raised the bar again.

But it was a hard record to make. "We were overly-analytical. We were studying how each person was picking a part!" Hunter laughs, looking back. "I'm proud of that record, but it sucked the life out of us."

This time around everything changed. For starters, guitarist Rob Arnold wrote nearly all of the last album by himself. Resurrection was a group effort. "We rejoined as a band, instead of a one-man show. Rob had a 'hot' hand on the last album, that was cool. But this time, everyone seemed to have a hot hand. The album is more of a roller coaster. It's a good mixture of our last two records, but it's all on steroids."

The biggest evidence of the newfound teamwork comes in the form of "Six," a song that began as a strange experiment. Guitarist Matt DeVries came up with three minutes of riffs on his own while Arnold and Hunter did the same. Next the entire band hit the practice room and mashed it all up.

"We took each other's riffs and built one of my favorite songs we've ever written in a matter of a few hours," Hunter exclaims. "It's so fun to listen to because it's so all-over-the-place. It really shows all of the sides of this band. Especially the stuff [drummer] Andols [Herrick] came up with. People will have aneurysms trying to figure out the time signatures at the end!"

Another big change is in the outro. Chimaira is known for having long, slow, nearly all-instrumental album closers. Resurrection goes out with a bang. "'Empire' is borderline black metal in parts," Mark laughs. "We really challenged ourselves on that one. We wanted to make something atypical of us."

Unsurprisingly it's the album's title track that best sums up the reborn Chimaira. "It's a document of the last five years. We're saying 'fuck all the bad times' and that we're in a much better place now," says Hunter. "That song kind of sets up the theme of the entire record, really."

Crushingly positive self-image? Check. Strength through perseverance? Yep. Album of their career? Duh. So, with their insides all stitched back together and ready for war, where does Chimaira see themselves within the greater heavy metal landscape?

"We're the kids that aren't allowed to play on the playground. We've always set out to do our own thing. The fact that we push ourselves and make different kinds of records all the time and still stay true to who we were when we started, I think that's why our fans are so loyal."

And so it is that Chimaira enters 2007 with a clean slate and a work of art that's more of an arsenal than album, full of their hardest hitting bombshells. The ceiling is gone. There are no lofty expectations, which ironically, further ensures that the sky is the limit. "I just want to go out and have fun with it and see the reaction for ourselves. We're humbled now. Compared to maybe where we were two albums ago," Hunter laughs. "The fact that I don't have to deliver pizzas on the side, that's great. We just want to go out, see what this album can do, and be surprised."

Customer Reviews

Why aren't they getting the recognition they deserve?!!!
Chimaira has done it again, they've released an album that rips you to shreds and then stomps you flat! Like with their self titled album Chimaira, they've set a new standard for themselves and for the metal scene. Also, they've stayed true to their roots and at the same time experimented and tried new things.

The album starts off full blast with the title track "Resurrection," the pounding "Pleasure in Pain," followed by the crushing assault, "Worthless." Early Metallica comes to mind when they get more experimental with the 9 minute epic "Six." The solos are very memorable and its definitely much slower than their old work, well worth listening to . Then things get more intense with the thrash-like "No Reason To Live."

The second half of the album tends to slow down more, but picks up toward the end. The slowest song "Killing The Beast," is personally my least favorite song, I typically skip it, but listen to it once in a while. Mark Hunter experiments more vocally on this song, it works but not to the extent you'd expect from Chimaira (no "Salvation"-like screams here). Then the slightly faster "The Frame" ensues. Its a great metal song, but not up to Chimaira's standards. The last part of the song sounds similar to how "Inside The Horror" ends. Then things really pick up with "End It All." Andols Herrick's hammering drums are at full throttle throughout the song, especially during the chorus. It's then followed by the heavy "Black Heart," and the mind blowing "Needle." Herrick's drums on "Needle" alone should put Chimaira up for a Best Metal Performance Award. Then lastly, we get to "Empire." The orchestra work really gives it a dark, atmospheric sound. The lyrics give great depth:

Do you believe in me
Enough to sacrifice
Do you believe in me
Enough to end your life
.....
When you walk the path
You will discover a world undreamed of
Your suffering will be legendary
Do you believe in suffering

It took a couple listens to really have it sink in, but overall, this album is as powerful as their self titled effort. Except for two mediocre songs, "Resurrection" will definitely stand strong among 2007's best metal albums.

Probably Chimaira's Best Album
One of the few bands in metal that actually keep getting better as time goes by. Each record always seems to top the previous and there is always growth and maturity to each album that is made. One of the best characteristics about this band is that they maintain their signature sound while never making the same album twice. This bands mission statement was to always remain an extremely heavy band without getting sappy and they've done just that. This album will definitely be in the top 5 metal releases of 2007 and definitely a classic as time goes by. Standout tracks include Resurrection, Pleasure in Pain, Worthless, Six, No Reason To Live, The Flame and Needle.

GREAT ALBUM FROM THE MOST UNDERRATED BAND IN METAL
I have a hard time believing this album has so many bad reviews when it is easily Chimaira's best. Is it to thrashy and heavy for all the teenage headbangers; to groovy, with too many touches of industrial, and Nu metal for the old-timer metal fans? Is it overly angry, or not angry enough? While I liked oldschool Chimaira classics like Nothing Remains, and Pure Hatred, this album is what made me a true fan. Just over fifty minutes of pummeling hatred and pure evil metal, with hardcore influences, this release kills, and I place it on the upper echelon of metal albums in this decade, or any other for that matter.

The title track is pure mosh pit metal, which I learned first hand at each of their concerts I attended. The whole album just flows from there on, with bruising beats, and thrashy riffs, and the keyboards just add an eerie feel which crawls into your skin, and permeates your soul. Mark Hunter's punishing vocals are as good here as they have ever been.

Along with the title track, Worthless, No Reason to Live, End It All, and Empire are fast, heavy mosh friendly songs. Modern thrash, carrying on where Pantera left off. Then the dark progressively evil masterpieces like Six, Killing The Beast, and The Flame, fill in the blanks in brutally scary fashion.

I know this album is a couple years old, and they have since released The Infection, which is a solid CD, but I felt I had to chime in, since it seems only non fans or confused Chimaira newcomers were reviewing this. Or maybe people who like this band like them for different reasons than I do. I love the Slayer/Metallica/Pantera influenced modern thrash band with progressive, death, and sublte Nu metal inclanations. Two and a half years later it still sounds as good if not better than when it landed on the shores of metal.

While many unfairly put this band in the "Metalcore" genre, I think they are simply 21st century metal. They are much heavier than most "metalcore" acts, and don't fit in with deathcore, or retro-thrash, so maybe that is why they are ignored. But this is a great metal album, from front to back. I think it is a must have for all True metal fans, and for those of you who gave this a subpar review, listen to it again, because it is better than you think.