Chimaira played their two first shows since 2017 in 2023 at the Agora in Cleveland, OH. Those shows were followed by appearances at Inkcarceration 2024 and Headbangers Boat 2024, and (so far) Welcome To Rockville in 2025. So Chimaira isn't exactly a full-time band, but they're not inactive either.
In a lengthy Facebook post, Chimaira frontman Mark Hunter explained how the band started playing shows again and why it's a little difficult to get everyone together. Hunter thanked Chimaira's fans for bringing them back to life as well, noting that as he continued to stream on Twitch he realized how much Chimaira meant to a lot of people.
"I'm proud to announce that Chimaira will perform at Welcome To Rockville on Sunday, May 18, 2025. We get to jam with many artists we admire, and thanks to our diehard fans, we continue to have a life well beyond what I thought was our expiration date.
"Ten years ago, I thought I'd closed the book on a life in which the industry had beaten me down. It was so much so that it was to the point where listening to anything besides a podcast was stressful. I hated everything about what I did, and I welcomed the band's demise. I truly understood what burnout was then. It was best to walk away.
"When the opportunity to reunite with my brothers presented itself in 2017 – the hope we could bury the hatchet and perform again was something I was eager to take part in. Our storybook ending sucked. We didn't work our entire lives to go out like chumps.
"The show was a massive success and far beyond our expectations, and I never expected we would play again after that. But the post-show excitement was there, and we were all on a high. We wanted to move forward.
"I won't bore you with all the details, but the attempt to get things rolling again was filled with technical hurdles. We didn't live in the same state. Everyone had careers—so many moving parts. Then COVID hit. All plans were tossed out the window. I put Chimaira behind me while Twitch became my new home.
"Through Twitch, I connected with thousands of Chimaira fans, and more importantly, it was a place where I fixed myself in more ways than one. I became a fan of music again. I would perform Chimaira songs during the pandemic and always had a blast seeing fans react in real-time. I got to see how much these tunes meant to people and also learned to appreciate our fans' unwavering passion for the band. The community got me through a lot—and still does.
"It's one of the main reasons the 2023 shows happened. Celebrating the anniversary of our most popular album and hanging out with my friends was the best way I could say thank you. Once again, I thought, 'THESE would be the last shows.' It probably doesn't make much sense to the world why we would put so much effort into two shows and not go out on tour. There are many reasons. Getting the band together is a fucking challenge.
"We've all been domesticated, and some of us have responsibilities that prevent us from doing this full-time. For example, I rarely leave the house because I am a caregiver for my mom. Life isn't the same as when we were in our 20s when our most significant responsibility was finding ice to keep beer cold.
"When we were asked to perform Inkcarceration, we said yes to experiencing that 'festival' vibe one more time—something everyone in the band had expressed they wanted to feel again, and I wholeheartedly agreed. It was a no-brainer and a decent excuse to come out of retirement—again. It was also a fun reminder of the camaraderie at those types of events—hanging with all the other bands – and seeing them rock out to you on the side of the stage – pretty awesome.
"Then Lamb of God said, 'Let's go party on a boat for a week.' How do you say no to that? You can't. We all walked onto the boat, thinking, 'Ok. THIS is it. THESE will be the final Chimaira shows.' Of course… as we were literally boarding the ship, we got an email from DWP about playing Welcome to Rockville. We have turned down every offer for 2025, and honestly, I'm tired of doing so. We have so many fans who want to hear these songs…
"2023-2024 solidified how much Chimaira means to you all, and I will do my best to continue giving you what you want, whether it be shows or merch releases—maybe some vinyl… Please realize, though, that this is highly complex.
"We treat every show as the last one and are beyond grateful for each opportunity. So here's to the 'possibility of reason' in 2025. Thanks again to our incredible fans. We wouldn't get this massive opportunity otherwise, and we are humbled that the world demands we see each other again. See you in the pit."
