Much like the Browns fans in their native
Cleveland, the band Chimaira is relentless and loyal. They
cling to the concept that is heavy metal and rally behind
it. Shrugging off any external influences to go melodic
and open, Chimaira continues to produce pure heavy metal.
Drums crash, guitars thunder and the bellowing vocals hit
like a hurricane throughout the group’s latest release,
the self-titled Chimaira.
Mark Hunter bellows “Can you feel us?” throughout
the record’s second track, “Save Yourself”.
It must be a rhetorical question because listeners can’t
help but feel as battered and exhilarated as those in the
mosh pits the band inspires.
The opening song on the disc, “Nothing Remains”,
is perfect in that it gets the adrenaline flowing like
the first punch in a street fight. The double bass kicks
throughout the album keep it going and force you to move,
lest the pent up energy cause a killing spree.
Moments of metal perfection persist throughout Chimaira.
When the staccato backing guitars attack as an old school
guitar solo wails in “Inside The Horror”, the
impulse to headbang proves irresistible. The production
of “Salvation” with the guitars switching channels
along with a stellar solo and haunting backing vocals help
make it the album’s standout track. “Salvation” is
one of the few songs that don’t follow the yell,
charge, yell, solo formula.
This is not a happy album. During the assault of “Bloodlust” Mark
Hunter breathily bellows, “I never wanted this world
to be better. I always wanted this world to suffer.” Hunter
and company are pissed off and this music is their therapy.
The best part of art is that it allows you to empathize
and feel what the artist was feeling when they picked up
the brush or drum stick. Chimaira were pissed off when
they made this album and needed to get out that rage; listening
to it provides the same rush. |