They come from Ohio, packed with crunch and rammed full of riffs - Chimaira is the name and 'proper' American heavy-metal is their game - and now they return to the UK to invite you to join in and come out to play. Yes, the intense rock-act are back on these shores with a lengthy autumn tour to celebrate the release of a new DVD, provisionally entitled "Coming Alive", due out in July.

The sextet begin in Bristol on 30th September and continue to Colchester (5th Oct), Norwich (6th), Portsmouth (7th), Stoke (8th), Leeds (9th), Manchester (10th), Aberdeen (12th), Glasgow (13th), Liverpool (14th), London (Borderline - 15th) and finally Oxford (17th). All tickets are now available for around £13 - £15.

Chimaira formed part of the so-called New Wave of American Heavy Metal in the 90s, alongside bands such as Trivium (whom they supported on their recent tour), Biohazard, Disturbed, Atreyu and Slipknot (who sadly lost the late Paul Gray this week). After several years, the band finally hit big with their self-titled 2005 album, a powerful set of that benefitted from being a part of their then-label, Roadrunner's 25th anniversary. Their recent album "The Infection" came out in 2009, just old enough now to suggest the band may wheel out some new songs on this tour.

Meanwhile, if you want to know how drummer Andols Herrick pummels the living hell out of his skins, check out his free drumming-lessons sample on the band's website (check the "Chimaira - Drumming Lessons" link to the right) - within hours you'll be ready to cause a coronary in your neighbourhood.

Update - 13th August 2010: UK tour cancelled

Chimaira's UK tour has been cancelled. An official statment from the band reads:

Due to an acute illness, we must cancel our upcoming UK tour. The band was really looking forward to the shows especially coming off a successful run in the US as part of the Rockstar Energy Mayhem Festival. Alas, health comes first, as it should for us all. Sorry to those who planned on attending, but as the Governor of California once said, 'we'll be back'. or something like that. - Chimaira

Refunds can be obtained from your point of purchase.