CHIMAIRA

Words and Photos: Charlie Wallis

Tonight hardcore metal heroes Chimaira take to The Waterfront as part of their following last years’s release of new album “The Age of Hell”. The venue isn’t full by any stretch of the imagination but the fans that are here whilst lacking in number, are not lacking in fervour. The problem Chimaira arguably face is the lineup is almost unrecognisable due to so many changes in recent years.

First band on tonight are Neosis who bring their own brand and synth infused metal to the stage. Lead singer Tom does a good job to start to ignite the audience’s excitement. Hair starts to wave and fists start to pound of the chugging metal riffs start to beat the crowd’s eardrums but the lack of bodies in the venue make it hard to generate much of an atmosphere. There’s nothing overwhelmingly spectacular about this opening performance but it’s hard rock done very well and acts as a solid appetiser for the metallic main meal that’s yet to come.

Neosis

Welsh thrashers Revoker are up next and inject some life into the evening. There’s and air of bigger bands surrounding this band and lead singer Jamie Mathias is something of a young Rob Flynn with a power behind his vocals that’s hard to accomplish in all but the most successful metal bands. What sets these guys apart from other bands in their genre and indeed other bands on the bill tonight is the element of fun they bring to the proceedings with the foot on the monitor hair slinging madness that really gets to the heart of why people love this style of music. Songs like internet favourite “Stay Down” go down a storm and set a high bar for tonight’s headliners to meet.

Revoker

Finally, what everyone’s been waiting for, Chimaira take to the stage in a blaze of chugging guitars, bass drum thumps and bass drops. Singer Mark Hunter smacks of a man on a mission to bring his once prominent band back into the limelight of the hard rock and metal world. Opening with firm favourite “Powertrip” it doesn’t take the crowd long to remember why they loved Chimaira in the first place. The whole experience is a hard hitting reminder of what this band can offer. One issue is the fact that the songs sound remarkably similar from one song to the next with only one or two really standing out amongst the rest. Set closer “Resurrection” goes down particularly well. Chimaira haven’t done anything radically different to redefine themselves in the metal world, however their fans got exactly what they came for and few will have left disappointed.

Chimaira

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