Rob Arnold and Matt DeVries To Part with Chimaira After Xmas Show
Band Photo: Chimaira (?)
Chimaira frontman Mark Hunter has issued an update from the road, announcing that Rob Arnold and Matt DeVries will both be leaving the band as well. Their final shows with the band will be at the annual Christmas show in Cleveland, Ohio. Here's the update from Mark:
I would like to start off by thanking our fans for a great tour. This last run was a blast, and truly the most fun we’ve had in a long while. The energy from the audience was exactly what we needed, and a welcoming return. Thank you guys!
Unfortunately, as much fun as we were having, behind the scenes we were aware of some unfortunate realities that prevented us from “living the dream” and having the time of our lives. We had another bomb to drop on the fans.
Early in July we were informed that Rob Arnold and Matt DeVries would be leaving Chimaira at the end of 2011. Of course this was a huge blow, but there were no hard feelings. We understand that life invades art, everything runs its course, and we have to take different paths.
We respect their decision and wish them only the best. We made heavy metal history together and that is all that matters at the end of the day.
Chimaira Christmas 12 will be their last show, and we’ve been preparing to make it one that you’ll never forget.
I would personally like to thank Rob and Matt for all of their hard work, years of service to Chimaira, amazing songs, and for their friendship. Together we built something special that will remain for generations to come. I’m looking forward to spending another 5 weeks on the road with two of the best (and criminally underrated) guitarists in modern metal.
What’s next for Chimaira in 2012? More on that very soon.
Rather than try and make light of unpleasant news, or downplay this by hyping up a new line-up, let’s take a few to honor Rob and Matt.My favorite solo of Rob’s is on The Heart Of It All and my favorite riff of Matt’s is The Dehumanizing Process. I’ll be cranking those today. What about you?
See you in Detroit. - Mark
Chimaira parted with keyboardist Chris Spicuzza and then drummer Andols Herrick earlier this spring.
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29 Comments on "Rob Arnold and Matt DeVries To Part with Chimaira"
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Member
Wow, fvck that sh!t............
I can fvckin' believe this. Throughout all the lineup changes, loosing their bassist, drummer, and keyboardist I still had hope for this band because Mark, Rob, and Matt were still in the band and Rob Arnold was the sound of Chimaira. You can't just replace a guy like Rob. Matt is an amazing guitarist and yea he contributed a lot to this band, but Rob was in a different league. He was Chimaira's sound and without him this is going to be a completely different band. They really should call it a day after this last tour and just start a new band. Because trying to go on with Chimaira after this would just seem wrong. Or at least change the name or something to signify a new era in the history.
I mean when they lost and replaced almost their whole lineup I was really worried that their next album would be total sh!t. But they proved they could still crank when The Age Of Hell was released. But this is the end for them IMO. I'm GOING to listen to their next album when it comes out to see the direction they'll take and what new members they'll get. They better be seasoned players. I have no doubt they will be since this band is a respected established band in the metal community. I should've seen it coming..........
Wow this FUUUUCCCCKKKKING SUCKS!!!
I just moved up to Nunavut from British Columbia, Chimaira is playing Edmonton, AB in December, I would love to see them!!! but unfortunately my gf is pregnant so I can't see the show.
Well I wish Rob and Matt well with their future.
My favorite riff has to be the starting metal riff on 'the heart of it all' so goddamn heavy!!
What the hell is this crap? Please tell me it's because of something legit like making babies, else there's very little reason why "life invades art" to the extent of making you quit said art form.
Got to see them in one show, though. With Daath. Without having to drive over an hour away. GOGO Lancaster.
I have recently taken a liking to this band, but believe me Arnold is not the greatest guitarist in the world. I truly think he could be replaced by someone better. Like when The Black Dahlia got their new guitarist they just started getting better and better. There is still hope.
Member
@ZMA Napalm Death dont have a single original member in the band.
Their longest running member is Shane Embury(also in Brujeria) and he didnt get on until their second album. Every single other member of the band has been replaced at least four times.
Honestly, Chimaira will be fine. Possibly, this could make them better. Whoever they get to fill the spots is going to have to be ambitious as sh** to show off, and talented in the first place to get the position, so a new record could be great with new people.
Look at Ozzy's last two albums. Black Rain sucked a$$ for the most part, Zakk Wylde having lost his creativity and was simply playing recycled or b-side Black Label Society riffs. In comes Gus G on the new album, where he's trying to mimic Zakk's style so the sound is still consistent, but in his own way so as to stand out(Gus G being the guy from Firewind and the writer of the Arch Enemy song "Taking back my Soul" before he joined Ozzy.). And with that you get songs like this:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dHHZ6W2tsw
I hold that Ozzy's last album was critically underrated; the drama surounding his lawsuits with Sabbath, among other things made everyone think he's a corporate hack, forgetting that he's still capable of great songs.
So in that context, if they get somebody or somebodies with badass stuff under their belt already, and put him/them in the context of Chimaira, it could be great.
Member
Alright......
Broken, I listened to tracks from every single Six Feet Under record just to reacquaint myself with Chris Barnes and sadly this is still beating a dead horse dude. I just can't deal with his vocals. The only things he sounded remotely interesting to me in were The Enemy Inside and War Is Coming off their first 2 albums. After that he just gets sh!tty. I mean don't get me wrong, the lineups on any of their albums are good. Like the band I mean, they sound great. But as soon as Barnes comes in he fvcks it up for me. I respect what he's done for death metal but there are so many more better vocalists then him. That why this sucks for me, because Six Feet Under is probably gonna be badass now with them but I won't be able to open up to it. It's a shame really. Which brings me to what I said earlier......... Fvck Six Feet Under.
FAN, that is a good example and it'd work better if I actually liked Napalm Death.
I think it depends on where a band is in their career when they have lineup changes and it also depends on who leaves and who comes in to replace them. Like Threat Signal doesn't have any original members except Jon (lead singer). So when they released their second album not a lot of people seemed to like it. Then they had more lineup changes and released their newest self titled it sort of saved them. This is just what I've observed. Bands like Napalm Death have thrived throughout all the lineup changes they've went through.
Meanwhile another band could loose 1 member and just completely fall apart and if they replaced that member it could just get worse. So it really all depends on the situation ya know?
For this particular situation, I think Mark should just change the name of the band if he wants to keep going with the new lineup they'll have because without Rob this band just will not be Chimaira. He's been on every single album. He's Chimaira's sound. It's like if Dimebag and Vinnie just left Pantera and they replaced them with someone else. Like I'm sure they'd be good players, but you can't just fvckin' replace a dude like Dimebag. So that's what I mean I guess.
Dmasa, this is a continuation of what I was saying to FAN, but this is directed to you as well. I understand Rob isn't the best guitarist. Just like Dimebag wasn't the BEST guitarist. He was one of the best yes. But guys like him and Rob were "the sound" for their collective bands. They had their distinct styles of playing that when you heard it you instantly knew who you were listening to. So for this situation like I said they should change their name. Because they're loosing THE member that made this band Chimaira.
Writer
ZMA, you make a decent point, but I still think you should give Chimaira's future the benefit of the doubt, as per FAN's comment regarding Napalm Death. Don't get me wrong; I'm a longtime fan too, since Pass Out Of Existence hit shelves a decade ago. And I know Rob was very important. But I think when something like this occurs, we just need to wait and see how things turn out before we start chanting "Change the name!" That seems to be a typical, kneejerk lack of insight in response to major lineup changes. Don't be that guy.
Member
Esoteric, yes you should've lmao.
Overkill, totally get where you're coming from bro. That's why I said in post 2 that I'm going to listen to the next release when it drops to see who they got to replace Rob and Matt and how the band is going to sound. Like I said I'm sure they won't get sh!tty players, as this band has a long established career behind them. But I kinda have to go into this as if they were a new band and sort of cut the "Chimaira" name out of my head in order to give their next album a proper listen. Then if it's good I can open up to it more and say this is just another chapter in the history of this band. Sepultura did it ok lol.
But I kinda had to do that for Scar Symmetry when they replaced Christian Alvestam with those 2 singers. I had to look at it as a different band cause in a way it is a different band. And after 2 album they've established themselves for me again because The Unseen Empire was awesome. Don't worry I won't be "that guy." I'm gonna go into this with as much of an open mind as I can.
Member
some Fair points from u zma but non the less i personally an really excited to see what they can do with barnes. As for changin there name if there sound changes dramatically they have to change it, if not cool but like u all kno robs got a style thats guna b hard to mimic
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Member
So marks the last original member. They left chimaira to be in six feet under.