Chimaira was formed in 1998 by rhythm guitarist Jason Hager, and vocalist Mark Hunter. The pair recruited Jason Genaro on drums and Andrew Ermlick on bass to complete the line-up. 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.
Before the release of the album, The Infection (2009), the band had been posting short clips on their web page from the upcoming album, which was written in Cleveland, Ohio with producer Ben Schigel, who previously produced the band's album The Impossibility of Reason and their self titled album. The Infection was mixed by Zeuss, who mixed and produced albums for Hatebreed and Shadows Fall, and was released on April 21, 2009. At its annual Chimaira Christmas show on December 30, 2008, they debuted a new song entitled "Secrets of the Dead."
The first single off The Infection was "Secrets of the Dead", which was released March 3, 2009. The Infection debuted at number 30 on the Billboard 200. During a number of European tour dates supporting The Infection, Chimaira had Emil Werstler of Dååth filling in for Matt DeVries, as DeVries' girlfriend had their first child.
The 10th annual Chimaira Christmas show was held at the House of Blues in Cleveland Ohio on December 27, 2009 and was filmed for a live DVD titled Coming Alive, which was released in 2010.
In late 2010, bassist Jim LaMarca retired from the band. Chimaira released the following statement regarding his departure "After a decade of good times and achievements, our friend and band mate Jim LaMarca [bass] has decided to retire from CHIMAIRA. We wish him nothing but the best as he settles in and starts a family. As for seeking a replacement… we'll cross that bridge down the line. In the meantime, consider it 'business as usual' with the CHIMAIRA you know and love." The band tapped Werstler once again, this time to replace LaMarca as a member of the band on bass.
By mid 2011, more lineup changes would occur. On April 5th, keyboard player Chris Spicuzza announced his departure from the band, citing a "negative environment and the general state of the music industry." A week later, drummer Andols Herrick also announced his departure. He stated he was asked to leave due to "differences." He also stated the band members had parted on good terms. Later in the year, it was announced that the annual Christmas show would be the last for guitarists Rob Arnold and Matt DeVries. Werstler was slid over to guitar duties and Jeremy Creamer, also of Daath, was brought in to replace him on bass. Matt Szlachta of Dirge Within was chosen to fill the other vacant guitar spot. Austin D'amond of Bleed the Sky and Sean Zatorsky of Daath have taken over drums and keyboard duties respectively.
America: Ferret
Europe: Nuclear Blast
Resurrection
Chimaira Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Finally tasting happiness
Five years of hell for nothing
Trapped inside the minds of failures
A wise man once said
That which does not kill us makes us stronger
Thought we were dead
Determination, perseverance, resolution, resurrection
Determination, perseverance, resolution, resurrection
Final straw
Underlying ignorance
Consumed by greed and hate (And hate)
Kept under the feet of tyrants
Reality kicked in
Raced against time just to start all over
Treated like shit
Pushed aside and expendable
Determination, perseverance, resolution, resurrection
Determination, perseverance, resolution, resurrection
We have become so god damn powerful
We have become so god damn powerful
We have become so god damn powerful
We have become so god damn powerful
We have become so god damn powerful
We have become so god damn powerful
All the beatings you gave us, we will use them against you
All the beatings you gave us, we will use them against you (Against you)
Determination, perseverance, resolution, resurrection
Determination, perseverance, resolution, resurrection
Free at last
Finally tasting happiness
The resurrection, resurrection, resurrection (resurrection)
The song Resurrection by Chimaira is about overcoming adversity and emerging victorious. The lyrics speak of being trapped in a dark place for years, consumed by failures and the tyranny of others. However, the singer never loses hope and keeps pushing forward, determined to overcome the obstacles in their way. They draw strength from the idea that what doesn't kill them makes them stronger and become invincible in the face of adversity.
As the song progresses, the singer faces one final straw, a culmination of greed and hate that threatens to consume them. But they refuse to give in, racing against time to start over and reclaim their power. They no longer see themselves as expendable or treated like shit, but instead, they become powerful and use the beatings they once endured as a source of strength. The "resurrection" referred to in the chorus signals a rebirth, a turning point in the singer's life where they finally taste happiness after years of hell.
The overall theme of the song is one of resilience and hope in the face of difficult circumstances. The lyrics urge the listener to embrace determination, perseverance, and resolution as they navigate life's challenges and to know that even in the darkest of moments, there is always a way to rise again.
Line by Line Meaning
Free at last
After being trapped in a difficult situation, we are now free
Finally tasting happiness
We are now experiencing happiness after a long time
Five years of hell for nothing
We suffered for a long period without any gains
Trapped inside the minds of failures
We were stuck with unsuccessful people and their negative thoughts
A wise man once said
There is a quote from someone who was smart and knowledgeable
That which does not kill us makes us stronger
Enduring difficult times can make us more resilient and strong
Thought we were dead
We believed that we were defeated and lost
So are we now invincible?
Can we now win against any challenge that comes our way?
Determination, perseverance, resolution, resurrection
Our strength and ability to come back are due to our determination, perseverance, and resolution
Final straw
This is the last time we will tolerate mistreatment
Underlying ignorance
Someone's lack of understanding and knowledge leads to their cruel behavior
Consumed by greed and hate (And hate)
These traits push people to do immoral things
Kept under the feet of tyrants
We were under the control of cruel people who only served their own interests
Reality kicked in
We suddenly became aware of the harsh truth
Raced against time just to start all over
We had a limited time to fix everything and start anew
Treated like shit
We were treated with complete disrespect and disdain
Pushed aside and expendable
We were ignored and considered to have no value
We have become so god damn powerful
Now, we have gained immense strength and influence
All the beatings you gave us, we will use them against you
We will use the hardships we faced to overcome our enemies
Against you
Our strength will be used directly to defeat our oppressors
The resurrection, resurrection, resurrection (resurrection)
Our revival or comeback has taken place
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: DAN N ARNOLD, ANTHONY BARRO, RUSSELL DIXON, CHRIS N FUDURICH, ASHLEY HITTESDORF
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@sergeystarostin8390
The most unappreciated metal band ever
@MarkS-tc7rr
I mean, not really, they were pretty big in their heyday
@MarkS-tc7rr
@Andrew Salter well define 'big' Andrew. They hit the nail when they needed to with IoR. Also the hence they broke up doesn't make any sense. You could say that about any band
@MarkS-tc7rr
@Andrew Salter why do I feel as though you're missing the point. I'm merely pointing to the fact that in the 2000's they were popular in the metal scene. I don't care why they broke up.
@MarkS-tc7rr
@Andrew Salter 🤣 where are you even coming from dude?! The man said he thinks they're underappreciated, and I said they weren't, they enjoyed many years of success and fandom.
@MarkS-tc7rr
@Andrew Salter he literally said 'the most unappreciated metal band ever'. I'm not interested in you trying to justify it with your essay because it's only your opinion. In my circles they were a popular band. That's it.
@suzuki1000ism
Filmed and audio recorded with a potato and this song still makes the bestest, hardest, crunchiest fries i ever had
@oikadela3543
Oi
@angryktulhu
Well the audio quality isn’t that bad actually
@ptbempire
After 33 yrs on planet Earth I have finally heard this amazing band, and now I'm hooked