Five Chimaira Members Announce Exit From Band
Chimaira have undergone yet another mass exodus of band members. First, guitarist Emil Werstler announced his departure from the band on Sept. 1, dubbing the decision necessary in order to take the next step in his career. However, the very next day, guitarist Matt Szlachta, keyboardist / vocalist Sean Zatorsky, bassist Jeremy Creamer and drummer Austin D'Amond all quit Chimaira as well.
When is the last time you heard of five musicians leaving a band in such a short time span? The answer may actually be 2011, when a very similar occurrence happened within Chimaira. Founding vocalist Mark Hunter was the only member to make it from the beginning of 2011 to the end, while key members chose to depart from Chimaira.
Mark Hunter is currently the sole member of Chimaira, and this reality began with Emil Werstler's exit:
My time in Chimaira has, unfortunately, come to an end. It is time for me to move on as I continue to focus on harvesting my abilities as a musician. I’m very fond of everyone in the band and wish them all the best in the future.
Although this was a difficult choice to make, I feel it was necessary in order to take the next step in my career. The best is still yet to come and I’m very excited for the multiple projects I am working on. I would like to thank the band, management, and, most importantly, all the fans for the endless support and understanding.
Longtime Chimaira bassist Jim LaMarca, who left the band in 2010, tweeted an oddly prophetic question after Werstler's exit was made public, followed by a jab aimed at Mark Hunter:
Just hours later, the remaining Chimaira members revealed their leave in a statement issued to Theprp.com:
In light of recent news, the rest of the band have decided to part ways with Chimaira. For us this was a great stepping stone, and an honor to play these songs live, and fulfill an incredible legacy. This was an an excellent platform to help continue playing music, when our collective bands either ended or went on a hiatus. Chimaira was an amazing experience and we look forward to future music endeavors with each other.
Is this the end of Chimaira? As of this posting, no official statement has been made by Mark Hunter. Stay tuned as this story develops.