Chimaira

Chimaira is proof that there is life after death. 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.

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?

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."