Coal Chamber - Biography
Logo
Biography
Formed in Los Angeles in sping of 1994, the music of coal chamber is the sound of internal combustion. Espousing a raw brutal down- tuned sound, their goth, hip-hop, and hardcore influences can be clearly heared in Dez Fafara's ominous whispers, guttural growls, and belligerent bellows, miguel "meegs" Rascon's anarchistic guitar playing, and rayna foss-rose and drummer mike cox's relentless, thundering rhythems. tension defined Coal Chamber thoughout its years existence and the music they left behind, as showcased on this compilation, serves as both a testament to their resilenceand a document of their demons.
(source: http://www.myspace.com/coalchambermusic)
Formation
The band gained a large following early in their career arguably because they were the first "darker" themed nu metal band with an image that had more in common with the goth subculture than hip hop culture.
Prior to Coal Chamber Dez Fafara and Meegs Rascón formed the band She's in Pain in 1992.
Chamber Music (1999-2001)
Chamber Music was release in late 1999. Chamber Music took a step away from the nu metal image egendered in their prior release having instead a more Gothic Metal inspired feel. With the bit of commercial success Coal Chamber received after Chamber Music the band toured on headlining and festival tours. The band managed to catch the attention of Ozzy Osbourne's wife Sharon Osbourne who became their manager. Coal Chamber later parted ways with Sharon over personal and creative differences, a theme which continued wihtin the band causing them to take a break from touring and resulting in their non-participation in the Tattoo the Earth tour in 2000.
Dark Days/Dispansion (2002-2003)
The band followed up with their third album Dark Days in early 2002 to mixed reviews. Bassist Rayna Foss had left the band to raise her daughter shortly after the album was recorded; she was replaced by Nadja Peulen who had taken Foss-Rose's place during her pregnancy between the first two albums. Rayna had a falling out with frontman Dez Fafara saying that she and her husband had "found Christ" and would be leaving Coal Chamber for good.
In May 2002, it was announced that Coal Chamber had broken up after an on-stage altercation between Dez and Meegs during a show in Lubbock, Texas. They had been fighting verbally before the show and continued to fight on-stage with Meegs hitting Dez in the head with the headstock of his guitar. Dez announced "This is the last Coal Chamber show ever!" and stormed offstage. The band attempted to continue the show with Meegs singing vocals but soon stopped the show altogether. Mikey demolished his drumkit before storming offstage. The band managed to patch things up long enough for an appearance on "Last Call With Carson Daly" and a summer tour with American Head Charge, Lollipop Lust Kill, and Medication. These would be the last shows the band would ever play.
In October 2002, Mikey "Bug" Cox was fired after several personal disputes with both Fafara and guitarist Meegs Rascón. The official release on the Coal Chamber website stated that the band was looking for a new drummer, although all band activities had come to a standstill.
Late summer 2003 saw the release of a compilation album titled Giving the Devil His Due which included several demo tracks submitted by the band prior to their signing with Roadrunner Records in 1997 along with several alternate studio recordings and remixes of various tracks from their previous releases. Coal Chamber officially called it a day in 2003 shortly after lead vocalist Dez Fafara continued with his new band DevilDriver.
In 2004 The Best Of Coal Chamber was released.
In June 2005 Fafara stated that Coal Chamber's hiatus is permanent and will not be reforming at any time in the future. He has also described a Coal Chamber reformation as "like repeating the 4th Grade again".
In September 2007 Rascon stated that "you never know what the future brings".
In September 2011, it was announced that Fafara, Cox and Rascón would reform the band with bass guitarist Chela Rhea Harper, to play the Soundwave shows in Australia.
(source: http://www.myspace.com/coalchambermusic)
Formation
The band gained a large following early in their career arguably because they were the first "darker" themed nu metal band with an image that had more in common with the goth subculture than hip hop culture.
Prior to Coal Chamber Dez Fafara and Meegs Rascón formed the band She's in Pain in 1992.
Chamber Music (1999-2001)
Chamber Music was release in late 1999. Chamber Music took a step away from the nu metal image egendered in their prior release having instead a more Gothic Metal inspired feel. With the bit of commercial success Coal Chamber received after Chamber Music the band toured on headlining and festival tours. The band managed to catch the attention of Ozzy Osbourne's wife Sharon Osbourne who became their manager. Coal Chamber later parted ways with Sharon over personal and creative differences, a theme which continued wihtin the band causing them to take a break from touring and resulting in their non-participation in the Tattoo the Earth tour in 2000.
Dark Days/Dispansion (2002-2003)
The band followed up with their third album Dark Days in early 2002 to mixed reviews. Bassist Rayna Foss had left the band to raise her daughter shortly after the album was recorded; she was replaced by Nadja Peulen who had taken Foss-Rose's place during her pregnancy between the first two albums. Rayna had a falling out with frontman Dez Fafara saying that she and her husband had "found Christ" and would be leaving Coal Chamber for good.
In May 2002, it was announced that Coal Chamber had broken up after an on-stage altercation between Dez and Meegs during a show in Lubbock, Texas. They had been fighting verbally before the show and continued to fight on-stage with Meegs hitting Dez in the head with the headstock of his guitar. Dez announced "This is the last Coal Chamber show ever!" and stormed offstage. The band attempted to continue the show with Meegs singing vocals but soon stopped the show altogether. Mikey demolished his drumkit before storming offstage. The band managed to patch things up long enough for an appearance on "Last Call With Carson Daly" and a summer tour with American Head Charge, Lollipop Lust Kill, and Medication. These would be the last shows the band would ever play.
In October 2002, Mikey "Bug" Cox was fired after several personal disputes with both Fafara and guitarist Meegs Rascón. The official release on the Coal Chamber website stated that the band was looking for a new drummer, although all band activities had come to a standstill.
Late summer 2003 saw the release of a compilation album titled Giving the Devil His Due which included several demo tracks submitted by the band prior to their signing with Roadrunner Records in 1997 along with several alternate studio recordings and remixes of various tracks from their previous releases. Coal Chamber officially called it a day in 2003 shortly after lead vocalist Dez Fafara continued with his new band DevilDriver.
In 2004 The Best Of Coal Chamber was released.
In June 2005 Fafara stated that Coal Chamber's hiatus is permanent and will not be reforming at any time in the future. He has also described a Coal Chamber reformation as "like repeating the 4th Grade again".
In September 2007 Rascon stated that "you never know what the future brings".
In September 2011, it was announced that Fafara, Cox and Rascón would reform the band with bass guitarist Chela Rhea Harper, to play the Soundwave shows in Australia.