Earlier this month, Dez Fafara (now of Devildriver) said that he’d be willing to do a few shows with his former Coal Chamber bandmates. Well it looks like it took no time for the nu metal group to book a couple of reunion shows.
Fafara has confirmed that Coal Chamber will be reforming specifically for the Australian Soundwave Festival next year (exact dates and lineup for the 2012 edition have not been announced yet). The frontman had the following to say about the reunion shows:
“Coal Chamber is playing SOUNDWAVE Down Under! These reunion shows are for the fans that want to see us again as well as all the people that never got to see Coal Chamber. It is and always will be a very special part of my life, so these few shows are for those people and for us. If you’re not from Australia, better get a ticket now to come see this event!
We’ve all grown up and put the personal past behind us now and are moving forward with these few shows in a spirit of friendship through music. You must remember where you came from in order to know where you are going.”
Guitarist Meegs Rascón also had the following to say:
“Australia has never seen us, nor have we seen them. It will be an extraordinary exchange of energy and adrenaline. Hello Aussies, nice to meet you!
This reunion will mark a decade since we last played together, so staring at my brothers on stage face to face will be an emotional rollercoaster for me. Tears of joy would be an understatement to say the least. You know, all of us have gone through our separate journeys in life, but we’re coming back to rekindle this and throw the past in the past and put the future in our hands.”
Drummer Mike Cox added:
“Of all the great achievements Coal Chamber made in the past, getting back together after all we’ve been through will be the greatest achievement to date.”
According to the band’s newly launched website, Fafara, Rascón and Cox will be joined by Chela Rhea Harper (best known for her work with Sarasvati). We’re not too surprise to learn that original bassist Rayna Foss is not a part of this reunion given the feud that arose between her ex-husband Morgan Rose (drummer of Sevendust) and Fafara. However, we’re somewhat surprised that Foss’ replacement Nadja Peulen isn’t a part of the reformed lineup, especially since her and Cox had been collaborating on a new project.
While we expect more dates to follow their Soundwave performances, we also wouldn’t hold our breath for a full tour. As Fafara stated shortly after his original comments about a Coal Chamber reunion hit the web, Devildriver is booked through February 2013 (including a possibly gigantic tour?) and already have plans to hit the studio soon. On top of that, Cox and Rascón have been apparently keeping themselves busy with a new group called We Are The Riot. So it’s safe to say the newly reformed Coal Chamber won’t be going on a full blown reunion tour anytime soon. We have to imagine, though, that they’ll play at least one U.S. show in the near future.