With each album that they released, Cleveland-based metal band Chimaira proves time and time again that is is one of the hardest bands in the genre. Tomorrow, fans get two swift - yet awesome - haymakers to the face: Chimaira's fifth and heaviest, most progressive album to date, "The Infection," hits stores, and an amazing lineup that not only features Chimaira, but also Disturbed, Lacuna Coil and Killswitch Engage, takes over Bridgeport as the Music As A Weapon Tour hits the Arena At Harbor Yard.
Recently, The Daily Campus caught up with Chimaira guitarist Rob Arnold to talk the tour, the album and future plans for the band.
Daily Campus: Let's talk your current tour, Music As A Weapon. You've got Disturbed, Killswitch Engage and Lacuna Coil. How's the road been treating you?
Rob Arnold: Yea, it's been an excellent opportunity for us to come out. It's the first major tour for the new album, "The Infection," and to be on a big tour like this with a high-profile band like Disturbed has been great. Every night is packed.
DC: So, you guys are stopping here in Connecticut Tuesday night, in Bridgeport - the same day that "The Infection" drops in stores. What should fans expect?
RA: Just a killer show, like they've all been. It's just another day for us performing, but it's great that our album is coming out that day as well. Really looking forward to that. There's been a lot of anticipation, a lot of hype around it. We can't wait for the day.
DC: There certainly has been quite a lot of hype. Every Web site or album preview you come across just loves it. I've had the opportunity to listen to the album over the past few weeks and I think it kicks ass. You guys have had this huge marketing campaign what with your Web site - spreadtheinfection.com - whose idea was it?
RA: Basically, our singer Mark [Hunter] came up with the idea and he worked the label. And then our keyboardist Chris [Spicuzza] got together with them and decided that, with the name of the album, we can do this great marketing campaign and get the whole band and the fans involved. It's different though, because street teams of the early 2000s were just employees getting paid to go hand out fliers and stickers and stuff after the show. With this, it's about the actual band, and we're all passionate about our work so when they go hand out a sticker or make a flyer or spray paint our logo on a wall, it's because they actually love the band and they want people to know about it.
DC: What went into the process of naming the album? By looking at the track listings and the artwork, I'm getting a post-apocalyptic, plague vibe. What's the inspiration?
RA: Um, I don't really know. Like a bio-hazard, chemical, hospital type vibe? I think? The name came around because we thought the riffs and the songs were very infectious; you'll be singing them in your head the next day or a week later or whatever; just a very infectious vibe to it. The artwork and stuff really isn't my department, but as long as it looks cool, I'm behind it.
DC: As I mentioned, I really enjoyed the album. "Impending Doom" and "The Venom Inside" are probably my favorite tracks. Was there anything behind the album as a whole in the writing process?
RA: Nope, there was nothing behind it. It was the last tour of the "Resurrection" cycle and Mark and I kinda said to ourselves, "Well, we gotta write a new record. What do you wanna do?" We took advantage of that tour by setting up a studio in the back lounge and thought we would just write some riffs and see what happened. The first riff that came out was the intro to the song "Try To Survive," and thought it was good and we finished up that song that night and kept on writing. That song really set up the tone and the vibe for the record.
DC: I saw a brief clip on the making of "Infection" in which you state that you feel this is your guys' best album yet. "Resurrection" was highly received by critics and fans alike. What in your mind sets this apart from such a big part of your career?
RA: I'd say we matured even more. We're two years older, two years wiser and two more years of playing together. We're in a different mindset. I think it's a little more progressive. We have a slower vibe on this record and it just gives everything more room to breathe.
DC: With the Music as a Weapon Tour winding down in about a month, there's going to be plenty of prime summer touring time left. Does the band have any plans to continue touring on your own or supporting someone else?
RA: We have two more U.S. tours and a European tour scheduled for the rest of 2009, and then we'll probably start doing some headlining stuff in 2010.
Catch Chimaira tomorrow night on the Music As A Weapon Tour with Disturbed, Lacuna Coil and Killswitch Engage at Bridgeport's Arena At Harbor Yard. Tickets are $39.75 and doors open at 7 p.m.
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