During the past few years there have been changes in the music industry which have lead to new age genres and combinations. The one thing that cannot and will not change is metal. Chimaira is staying true to their roots and not taking any bull from these new age rockers. Setting the music scene apart, their new record Resurrection has crawled under your skin and taken its throne at the top of the charts. Even through countless lineup changes and competing bands, Chimaira has risen above all expectations. Growing up but not growing out of the scene has taken their music to a new level. Adding more industrialized songs and a couple of new messages to their fans, Chimaira isn’t going anywhere.

On the No Fear Music Tour now with their friends Killswitch Engage, Chimaira offers a show that is anything but boring. The energy, the crowd, and the thrashing guitars keep your eyes darting trying to take it all in. That is, IF you got a ticket, since shows have been selling out left and right. These dudes have been so busy promoting their new album and touring that I couldn’t even sit down with them for five minutes to do an interview. However they are down to earth enough to call my phone instead and chit chat. You know you want to read on about their switch from Roadrunner Records, their new album, and a naked Corey Taylor…

S!: There were a lot of lineup changes before you joined. How did you get recruited into Chimaira?

Matt DeVries: Hmmm, basically it happened around 2001 and one of the members didn’t necessarily want to leave but he was having a kid. I had been friends and watched Chimaira before and I was in another band at the time but it kind of came about that I didn’t really care because it was Chimaira. [laughs]

S!: Coming from Ohio, do you feel it was more difficult to obtain exposure?

Matt: I don’t think it matters where you come from, it is still hard. Everyone wants to be in a band these days so it can be a lot harder to get started.

S!: What was it like during the making of The Dehumanizing Process?

Matt: That was fun. It was a long time ago. Our friend went to film school and wanted to film us. We thought about how cool it would be to make a DVD and he just followed us around and we couldn’t be happier with it.

S!: What was your most memorable moment during that filming?

Matt: Ummm…shit. I don’t even know. A lot of things happened during the filming of it. I don’t even know where to begin. [laughs] Trying to think…oh! The one thing that stands out is Corey coming out onstage half naked from Slipknot, that kind of burned an image in my head. I doubt I could ever forget that.

S!: You were on Roadrunner Records for a while before the switch to Ferret. Why did you leave?

Matt: In a nutshell, we weren’t happy with the last record and getting us to where we could be. They kind of shoved us to the bottom of the totem poll and didn’t put anything towards promoting us. We didn’t feel that we got the push that we deserved, so we asked to leave and they let us go and here we are now. They just dropped the ball on us basically.

S!: Congratulations on having just released your latest album Resurrection! How do you feel the band has changed over the past few years?

Matt: Thank you! I think we have grown as far as maturity, everyone getting along and just being a tight knit family, especially with Talley on drums again, just the vibe is better.

S!: Is there anything you would change about Resurrection?

Matt: Actually, absolutely not. For the first time ever we achieved 100% of what we wanted. It all came together.

S!: How did you get involved with the No Fear Tour?

Matt: Well we were friends with Killswitch Engage and have toured with them for years. They have been blowing up and I guess they don’t forget who their friends are and they were nice enough to ask us to do it. It turned out to be quite beneficial to us. Every night has been sold out and it has been crazy just like the show you saw in Atlanta.

S!: We got Resurrection this year, what is in store for us next year?

Matt: Umm, just touring. Getting that CD out. I don’t know when we’ll hit the studio to record another record again. Not for a while though. We’ll probably tour for the next year and a half, or two years. Then we’ll get back in and record.

S!: Any last words for our readers?

Matt: Thanks for all your support and go out there and buy the new record, on sale now!

• Official Site: http://www.chimaira.com/
• MySpace URL: http://www.myspace.com/chimaira