Chimaira

Chimaira will hit Australia in MArch for their first tour to the country since releasing their highly praised 2009 album 'The Infection'.

We caught up with vocalist Mark Hunter for a quick Q&A.

Could you please state your name, role in the band and favourite pizza topping?

Mark Hunter. Vocals. Pepperoni.

Bob Schigel who was responsible for The Impossibility of Reason and the Self-titled release was once again responsible for producing the album. What made you choose to return to this producer as opposed to shopping around?

Ben knows the band inside and out and since this was a very organic record, we needed a producer that already knew what to expect. We didn't want to waste time getting to know some new guy who wouldn't bring much in terms of creativity.

There seemed to be a bit of a dark patch with Chimaira in terms of members and labels. How did you find the inspiration to push on and continue as a band?

It' all about how bad you want to do this. If it is your life, you will make it work.

The Infection is your 5th studio release. What tricks of the trade have you learnt over time to make recording less painful than it has to be?

Practice, practice, practice.

The new tracks appear to be a lot darker, albeit groovier than any previous releases. What kind of mindset were you in when putting together the new tracks?

We wanted more muscle, songs that would hit you in the gut and leave your for dead.

The Infection reached number 30 in the billboard top 200. How does it feel to achieve such success in the metal industry considering a vast majority of music is downloaded?

Mind blowing. Considering the record industry seems to be on the way out, this is a huge success for us.

The band started long before the new wave of internet multi-media kicked off. What changes have you noticed in time considering becoming a successful band was once a result of writing and touring good music when now it is about having a fancy Myspace and a twitter account?

Since we started, the internet has been a major tool in promoting the band. We were heavily involved with napster, mp3.com, etc. The internet isn't a new tool for us, the websites just keep changing.

The Chimaira Australian tour kicks off in March.. How keen are you to get back to our shores?

We are very excited to have the opportunity to come back. The fans down under seem to get us. I expect epic shows.

What is on the cards for 2010?

Touring, releasing a DVD.

Three essential albums to survive in the tour bus with?

Deftones- White Pony, NIN - The Fragile, Alice In Chains - Black Gives Way To Blue.

Advice to upcoming metal bands?

Quit.

Final thanks and words?

Thanks for the support!

Chimaira's latest album 'The Infection' is out now via Riot. For all the upcoming tour dates and venues click here.