CHIMAIRA Guitarist Talks About Decision To Join SIX FEET UNDER

March 2, 2011

Just days after it was announced that he is the new guitar player for SIX FEET UNDER, CHIMAIRA's Rob Arnold has spoken exclusively with MetalSucks about how he came to join that band, the new material they're working on, their touring plans, and reuniting with ex-CHIMAIRA drummer Kevin Talley, who has also joined SIX FEET UNDER. Additionally, he provided an update on the new, still-to-be-titled CHIMAIRA album, which is scheduled for release later this year. An excerpt from the interview follows below.

How long have you been working with SIX FEET UNDER? How did the collaboration come about?

One day after a CHIMAIRA/SIX FEET UNDER show back in '05, [SIX FEET UNDER frontman Chris] Barnes said to me, "Rob, man… we gotta do something together… Me, you, and Talley! I want to do some fast shit again!" Just him saying that to me was as good as actually doing it. Even if we never even got together to strike a single note, I could be satisfied knowing that Chris fucking Barnes asked me to play music with him. "The Bleeding" [Barnes' final album with CANNIBAL CORPSE] is my second favorite album of all time (after [METALLICA's] "…And Justice For All", if anyone is interested),and [SIX FEET UNDER's debut album] "Haunted" is in my top ten. And so I think for ANY musician out there, having a guy from two of your top ten albums of all time ask you to make music with him is definitely something very special and unique. Anyway, for years, nothing ever really came of it. In the music business, everything takes longer than you're expecting. But this past December I got a text from Chris letting me know that he hadn't forgotten about me and was wondering if I'd be into collaborating on the new SIX FEET UNDER record. I guess he thought that maybe I could be a great addition to his band. He knows how big of a fan I am, and saw me on the side of the stage every night of that '05 tour jamming my balls off during SIX FEET UNDER's set. I think he was looking for just a little something or someone to spice things up a bit, or just a different perspective on things. In these times, I think you've got to constantly be evolving and trying new things. Much easier said than done I know, but the guy certainly deserves credit for trying. You can either be proactive in life, or sit around and let it pass you by. Obviously, you can see what road we're taking. And I'd also like to mention the other guys from SIX FEET UNDER, Terry [Butler], Greg [Gall], and Steve [Swanson]… I love those guys and had a great time with them on tour and each time we've hung since. Of course, I now feel this massive burden that my entrance into the mix may have had something to do with Greg and Terry's departure. Whether that be the case or not, I want them to know that I never had even the slightest ill intention, and innocently stepped into a once in a lifetime opportunity. I really hope we're still cool and wish those guys the absolute best luck. And Steve, I'm really looking forward to jamming with you brother."

You can read the complete interview at MetalSucks.

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