Mark Hunter – Chimaira

Chimaira was founded back in 1998 by guitarist Jason Hager, and vocalist Mark Hunter. After numerous incarnations and line up changes, the band have now found a perfect line up to coincide with their new sound and style.

Metal Obsession chats with Chimaira front man, Mark Hunter. We discuss the band’s latest musical escapade, ‘The Age of Hell’ and also touch on Mark’s second passion, ambient and atmospheric music.

Metal Obsession: I take it you must be pretty excited to be playing on Soundwave next year?

Mark Hunter: Excited is definitely an understatement. [laughs] I’m pretty much blown away with that line up and to be apart of that is just surreal. That would be a good word to use I think.

MO: I take it your quite familiar with Australia since you’ve toured here in the past. Anything your looking forward too?

MH: I am, but not familiar enough.I really like the fans there and connecting with them and getting the chance to meet them all. There’s definitely going to be a lot of them. It’s such a big festival that I’ll probably go out and act like a fan. You’ll probably see me in the crowd. [laughs] I think I’ll want to be a kid again at that one!

MO: Are Chimaira confirmed for any sideshows?

MH: I think its to early to say. I hope so.

MO: You guys kicked off your US tour today. In Denver, I believe?

MH: We’ve been on the road for about a week but yes, we are in Denver today.

MO: Are you guys touring Detroit any time soon?

MH: Yeah man. Will be there November 11th.

MO: Because I have to clarify something. I’m unsure if you’ve heard, but a couple of months back it was confirmed that Detroit would be getting a life size statue of Robocop, similar to that of the Rocky statue in Philadelphia?

HM: No. [laughs] But I’m pretty excited to hear that!

MO: [laugh] About $60,000 has been raised so far. I just assumed you may have heard something from the grapevine?

MH: [laughs] No. Your the first to tell me this awesome news. Thank you!

[Editors notes: Click here to find out more about the Robocop statue project.]

MO: [laughs] Not a problem, mate. The turn around period of ‘The Age of Hell’ seemed relatively quick in comparison to previous releases. I assume this was due to you, Mark and Ben being the only creative force behind the album?

MH: I think the mix of us, all going through what we’ve been though in the past helped us. I mean this isn’t the first time we have all worked together. We’re considered season veterans at this point. So, its exciting to take on these roles and its a challenge to play something different and to get over a few hurdles in the process, but as I said before we are season veterans at this point. It wasn’t a problem.

MO: I guess you, Mark and Ben could be the new Chimaira and just hire season musicians to fill in the blanks?

MH: Hey, you never know what the hell we could do any more. There are no rules.

MO: Was there ever a moment of hostility towards a certain idea during the production process or are you all diplomatic in that respect?

MH: Yeah, I’d definitely say the latter. It was a very smooth process for all of us, honestly.

MO: How are you finding the transition from previous to new members in Chimaira?

MH: Awesome! It’s been very exciting period. All their attitudes rub off on me and they’re all positive guys and all exited to be playing with Chimaira. Excited to play these new songs and excited to perform them to the best of their ability. It just translates to the live shows we do with them. Its very infectious.

MO: Is there a reason why you chose to have a solid line up after ‘The Age of Hell’ was released?

MH: Well, just from the experience of how we’ve done albums before in the past. We thought it would be a much wiser decision to not integrate a bunch of new faces right before making an album.

MO: How have fans reacted towards the material and the new line up so far?

MH: This will be our first official tour with the new line. We have about 7 songs planned already to play off the new album, ‘The Age of Hell’. People are going balls to the wall nuts over it. It’s very exciting.

MO: Any experiences of late of fans just demanding to hear only the older Chimaira material?

MH: You’ll always get people yelling out to us to play an old song. You’ll get that with any band, for sure. But you know, they just want to hear their favourite song. But, no. Fans seem very pleased for us to put on the best show we possibly can and to be honest, they don’t care what we play, its funny. [laughs] I’ll be honest with you. If we got up there and just played a bunch of Pantera covers they’d probably be alright with that.

MO: You did most of the sampling on ‘The Age of Hell’, correct?

MH: Yes! That is correct.

MO: Is this something will perhaps see more of in the future. Perhaps you doing an atmospheric project of some kind?

MH: Its as if you already peered into my mind. [laughs] I’ve got some tricks up my sleeve, my friend. Yes, it would be in that vain. It’s been a thought of mine for a few months. I’ve been thinking about it because I really love electronic music and I really want to do something with it. I want to do something with it which hasn’t been done before. I want to incorporate it into an entirely different scene, I guess?

I would love to have it with the integrity for metal fans to love it, but I don’t want to be in just that genre. I would prefer it to be all over the place. More for everybody, you know? It’s just something I’m thinking about

MO: How would you define this project in terms of its influence with an artist or composer. As an example, would it be similar to say, Jerry Goldsmith, Basil Poledouris or perhaps Devin Townsend?

MH: I’d say my biggest influence from the atmospheric/electronic world would be Nine Inch Nails. I love how they seamlessly mix ambient elements with heavy riffs, definitely. It’s done brilliantly. As for composers…yeah, Basil Poledouris is awesome. Fucking Conan the Barbarian, man! [laughs] Conan the Barbarian is one of my favourite scores of all time. I’d definitely say that its my favourite score, ever! It just sounds so epic and the way it makes you feel is awesome.

I think the most exciting thing about creating electronic music is that its unique. In the sense of the sounds that you can create and how you can make it. You don’t have to follow a structure. I mean sure, you can pick up a keyboard and say “here is a sound” or you could take your keyboard, hot rod it to hell then run it through 30 different effects and you’d have something that no one has ever heard before. [laughs] I’m really interested in that kind of stuff, you know? Just breaking rules and to do something that’s not so conventional. But I do like to mix it with the conventional, so people are familiar with what I’m trying to do.

MO: I take it there is some social commentary behind the new album’s title?

MH: I look at the title as a couple of different things. The state of the world, in a sense of how people feel. Also, the state of the band and what it became. [laughs] But at the same time, the funny thing is when I first heard the phrase it was for a lecture on the birth of a planet. Explaining the process of how a planet is created and this area where its all fiery and chaotic and just before the planet cools down to a point where it can sustain life. They call this period ‘The Age of Hell’ and I look at it as a double meaning.

Firstly, It’s like you have your current state of affairs and how people feel towards certain things. Its a reflection on life and so forth. But its also the birth of something. I think all of these things have to happen for new consciousness to emerge. Its very reflective of the band as well. We had to have these certain changes happen to us for the birth of this new album to be created. I guess its a little spacey and a little out there, but I thought it was good. [laughs]

[Editors notes: My 15 minutes of fame with Mark Hunter was nearing an end at this point…]

MO: Having been in the industry for as long as you’ve been. What’s your take on it, as both a fan and a musician?

MH: I’m looking forward to the day, which will be very soon, of me being fully independent of the “music industry”. The time is coming. I’ve decided to not pay attention to it and just create my own path.

MO: Looks like we’re out of time. Any famous last words?

MH: (Long pause) No. [laughs] I just can’t wait to get back to Australia and…I don’t know. Smoke eucalyptus leaves? [laughs]

MO: [laughs] I’m sure that could be arranged.

MH: [laughs] It’s always a pleasure coming down and it will surely be a blast for all of us. To be apart of this line up is very humbling.

Check out Chimaira at Soundwave festival along with many more legendary bands next year. Tickets are currently on sale via the official Soundwave website and respect ticketing outlets. 

For further band info and ticket sales, go to: www.soundwavefestival.com

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