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Coal Chamber is an American
nu metal Nu metal (sometimes stylized as nü-metal, with a metal umlaut) is a subgenre of that combines elements of heavy metal music with elements of other music genres such as hip hop music, hip hop, funk, industrial music, industrial, and grunge. Nu ...
band formed by
Dez Fafara Bradley James "Dez" Fafara is an American vocalist who performs in the metal bands DevilDriver and Coal Chamber. Early life Fafara is of Portuguese and Italian descent. His father, Tiger Fafara, and his late uncle, Stanley Fafara, were child ...
and Meegs Rascón in Los Angeles in 1992, initially under the name She's in Pain. The original lineup also consisted of bassist Rayna Foss and drummer Jon Tor. Mike Cox replaced Tor on drums in 1995, and the Coal Chamber lineup was complete. After signing to
Roadrunner Records Roadrunner Records is a Dutch–American record label focused on Heavy metal music, heavy metal and hard rock music. Founded in the Netherlands in 1980, it is now a division of Warner Music Group and is based in New York City. Formerly seen as ...
, they released their debut album, ''
Coal Chamber Coal Chamber is an American nu metal band formed by Dez Fafara and Meegs Rascón in Los Angeles in 1992, initially under the name She's in Pain. The original lineup also consisted of bassist Rayna Foss and drummer Jon Tor. Mike Cox replaced Tor ...
'', in 1997. ''
Chamber Music Chamber music is a form of classical music that is composed for a small group of Musical instrument, instruments—traditionally a group that could fit in a Great chamber, palace chamber or a large room. Most broadly, it includes any art music ...
'' followed two years later and featured the band's only charting single in the US, a cover of
Peter Gabriel Peter Brian Gabriel (born 13 February 1950) is an English singer, songwriter, musician, and human rights activist. He came to prominence as the original frontman of the rock band Genesis. He left the band in 1975 and launched a solo career wit ...
's "
Shock the Monkey "Shock the Monkey" is a song by the English rock musician Peter Gabriel. It was released in September 1982 as the first single from his fourth self-titled studio album, issued in the US under the title ''Security''. The song peaked at number 29 ...
", featuring
Ozzy Osbourne John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne (born 3 December 1948) is an English singer, songwriter, and media personality. He rose to prominence during the 1970s as the lead singer of the heavy metal music, heavy metal band Black Sabbath, during which per ...
as a guest vocalist. Their third album, '' Dark Days'', was released in the spring of 2002. Nadja Peulen temporarily replaced Foss on bass for touring commitments, before joining on a permanent basis in 2002. Coal Chamber disbanded in 2003, after ten years together, and then reunited in 2011, with the lineup of Fafara, Cox, and Rascón, along with Chela Rhea Harper on bass. Peulen rejoined the band on bass in 2013, and Coal Chamber released their fourth album, ''
Rivals A rivalry is the state of two people or Social group, groups engaging in a lasting competitive relationship. Rivalry is the "against each other" spirit between two competing sides. The relationship itself may also be called "a rivalry", and each ...
'', in 2015, before disbanding again in 2016. They then reunited a second time in 2022.


History


Formation and early years (1992–1995)

Coal Chamber was originally formed in 1992 under the name She's in Pain by vocalist Dez Fafara and guitarist Miguel "Meegs" Rascón, based on a mutual love for
the Sisters of Mercy The Sisters of Mercy are an English rock band formed in Leeds in 1980. After achieving early underground fame, the band experienced a commercial breakthrough in the mid-1980s, sustaining their success until the early 1990s, when they halted th ...
. After a few shows, they decided to change the band's lineup, and they adopted their present name in 1993. Bassist Rayna Foss was recruited through a newspaper ad. According to Foss, the band at the time was named "Coal", while Rascón wanted to name it "Chamber", and they ended up combining the two words. The band had two drummers in the two-and-a-half years prior to their signing with a label, the longest-lasting being John Tor. In late 1994,
Dino Cazares Dino Cazares (born September 2, 1966) is an American musician, best known as the guitarist and one of the co-founders of industrial metal band Fear Factory. He is also a co-founder of Divine Heresy, Asesino, and Brujeria (band), Brujeria. Cazar ...
of
Fear Factory Fear Factory is an American industrial metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1989. Throughout the band's career, they have released ten full-length albums and have evolved through a succession of sounds, all in their main style of industrial met ...
championed a demo tape by Coal Chamber, causing a huge local stir with gigs at
the Roxy Theatre The Roxy Theatre (often just the Roxy) is a nightclub on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, California, owned by Lou Adler and his son, Nic. History The Roxy was opened on September 20, 1973, by Elmer Valentine and Lou Adler, along with ...
and
Whisky a Go Go The Whisky a Go Go (informally nicknamed The Whisky) is a historic nightclub in West Hollywood, California, United States. It is located at 8901 Sunset Boulevard on the Sunset Strip, corner North Clark Street, opposite North San Vicente Boulev ...
, eventually leading
Roadrunner Records Roadrunner Records is a Dutch–American record label focused on Heavy metal music, heavy metal and hard rock music. Founded in the Netherlands in 1980, it is now a division of Warner Music Group and is based in New York City. Formerly seen as ...
to offer the band a contract. Fafara dropped out quite suddenly due to disagreements with his wife about the band. In early 1995, he reunited with Coal Chamber, which ended his marriage but revitalized the band. With a renewed sense of energy, Coal Chamber was able to regain their deal with Roadrunner, which they signed in December 1995. A few weeks prior, John Tor was fired for "constantly fighting" with Rascón, per Fafara. Around the same time, they auditioned Mikey Cox and his brother, hiring the former as their new drummer.


''Coal Chamber'' (1996–1998)

In 1996, Coal Chamber played at the first
Ozzfest Ozzfest was an annual music festival tour of the United States and sometimes Europe and later Japan, featuring performances by many heavy metal music, heavy metal and hard rock musical groups. It was founded by Sharon Osbourne and her husband O ...
. The band managed to catch the attention of
Ozzy Osbourne John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne (born 3 December 1948) is an English singer, songwriter, and media personality. He rose to prominence during the 1970s as the lead singer of the heavy metal music, heavy metal band Black Sabbath, during which per ...
's wife,
Sharon Sharon ( 'plain'), also spelled Saron, is a given name as well as a Hebrew name. In Anglosphere, English-speaking areas, Sharon is now predominantly a feminine given name, but historically it was also used as a masculine given name. In Israel, ...
, who became their manager. They recorded their first album, ''
Coal Chamber Coal Chamber is an American nu metal band formed by Dez Fafara and Meegs Rascón in Los Angeles in 1992, initially under the name She's in Pain. The original lineup also consisted of bassist Rayna Foss and drummer Jon Tor. Mike Cox replaced Tor ...
'', which was released on February 11, 1997. The record produced one single and a video, "
Loco Loco or El Loco may refer to: Places United States * Loco, Georgia, an unincorporated community * Loco, Oklahoma, a village * Loco, Texas, an unincorporated community * Loco River, Puerto Rico Elsewhere * Loco, Switzerland, a village and for ...
", directed by Nathan "Karma" Cox. The video was included as an extra after the ending credits of Dee Snider's film '' Strangeland''. The band also recorded an exclusive song for the soundtrack, titled "Not Living". The album only sold 844 copies in its first week; at its peak, it was selling 5,000 copies per week. On December 21, 1999, it was certified Gold by the
Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
(RIAA), signifying over 500,000 copies sold. In 1997, the band toured Europe with
Machine Head A machine head (also referred to as a tuning machine, tuner, or gear head) is a geared apparatus for tuning stringed musical instruments by adjusting string tension. Machine heads are used on mandolins, guitars, double basses, and others, and ...
,
Napalm Death Napalm Death are an English grindcore band formed in Meriden, West Midlands, in 1981. None of the band's original members have been in the group since 1986, but since ''Utopia Banished'' (1992), the lineup of bassist Shane Embury, guitarist Mi ...
, and
Skinlab Skinlab is an American heavy metal band formed in 1994 in San Francisco San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultura ...
, including a show at the Dynamo Festival in the Netherlands. Coal Chamber also supported
Pantera Pantera () is an American Heavy metal music, heavy metal band formed in Arlington, Texas in 1981 by the Abbott brothers (guitarist Dimebag Darrell and drummer Vinnie Paul), and currently composed of vocalist Phil Anselmo, bassist Rex Brown, an ...
on tour from September through December 1997, along with
Anthrax Anthrax is an infection caused by the bacterium '' Bacillus anthracis'' or ''Bacillus cereus'' biovar ''anthracis''. Infection typically occurs by contact with the skin, inhalation, or intestinal absorption. Symptom onset occurs between one ...
. Also, in 1997 and 1998, the band opened for
Megadeth Megadeth is an American thrash metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1983 by vocalist and guitarist Dave Mustaine. Known for their technically complex guitar work and musicianship, Megadeth is one of the "big four" of American thrash metal—alo ...
during the '' Cryptic Writings'' tour.


''Chamber Music'' (1999–2000)

In September 1999, Coal Chamber released its second album, ''
Chamber Music Chamber music is a form of classical music that is composed for a small group of Musical instrument, instruments—traditionally a group that could fit in a Great chamber, palace chamber or a large room. Most broadly, it includes any art music ...
''. Prior to its publication, it was dubbed one of the most anticipated albums of the year by ''
Alternative Press Alternative press may refer to: Individual publications * ''Alternative Press'' (magazine), an American music magazine Alternative journalism * Alternative media ** Alternative media (U.S. political left) ** Alternative media (U.S. political r ...
''. The album saw the band experiment with their sound, placing a greater emphasis on harmonies and symphonic qualities. According to ''Alternative Press'', the record was "one of the few instances where a band lumped into the whole nü-metal phylum sought to challenge their audience." ''Chamber Music'' sold 48,000 copies in it first week and debuted at number 22 on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart, while its lead single, a cover of
Peter Gabriel Peter Brian Gabriel (born 13 February 1950) is an English singer, songwriter, musician, and human rights activist. He came to prominence as the original frontman of the rock band Genesis. He left the band in 1975 and launched a solo career wit ...
's "
Shock the Monkey "Shock the Monkey" is a song by the English rock musician Peter Gabriel. It was released in September 1982 as the first single from his fourth self-titled studio album, issued in the US under the title ''Security''. The song peaked at number 29 ...
", featuring
Ozzy Osbourne John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne (born 3 December 1948) is an English singer, songwriter, and media personality. He rose to prominence during the 1970s as the lead singer of the heavy metal music, heavy metal band Black Sabbath, during which per ...
, gave the band their first radio hit. Despite this, the album received mixed reviews from critics and did not sell as well as their debut, with only 272,000 copies sold by 2002. According to Cox, "A lot of our fans hated healbum, after not getting more of the same as the first one. The second MTV played our video, that's it, they said we were sellouts." Fafara recognized that that record's direction was not well-received by the band's fanbase but did not view it as a failure due to its initial positive reception. Coal Chamber embarked on headlining and festival tours in support of the album. That year, the band took part in
Insane Clown Posse Insane Clown Posse, often abbreviated as ICP, is an American hip hop duo. Formed in Detroit in 1989, ICP's best-known lineup consists of rappers Violent J (Joseph Bruce) and Shaggy 2 Dope (originally 2 Dope; Joseph Utsler). Insan ...
's Amazing Jeckel Brothers Tour, along with
Biohazard A biological hazard, or biohazard, is a biological substance that poses a threat (or is a hazard) to the health of living organisms, primarily humans. This could include a sample of a microorganism, virus or toxin that can adversely affect huma ...
,
Krayzie Bone Anthony Henderson (born June 17, 1973), better known as Krayzie Bone, is an American rapper. He is a member of the hip-hop group Bone Thugs-n-Harmony. Career Solo After finding success with Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, Krayzie Bone recorded his so ...
,
Twiztid Twiztid is an American hip hop duo from Detroit, Michigan, known for both their horror-themed lyrics and rock-influenced sound. Formed in 1997, Twiztid is composed of rappers Jamie "Madrox" Spaniolo and Paul "Monoxide" Methric. Spaniolo and M ...
, and
Mindless Self Indulgence Mindless Self Indulgence (often referred to as MSI) is an American electropunk band formed in New York City in 1997. Their music has a mixed style which includes punk rock, alternative rock, electronica, techno, industrial, hip hop, and b ...
. While Biohazard, Mindless Self Indulgence, Krayzie Bone, and Twiztid were well received by audiences, Coal Chamber was not. ICP fans were not purchasing tickets, as they did not like the band. For the three shows that Coal Chamber played, there were multiple ticket refunds. ICP member
Violent J Joseph Frank Bruce (born April 28, 1972), known by his stage name Violent J, is an American rapper, record producer, professional wrestler, actor, and part of the hip hop duo Insane Clown Posse (ICP). He is a co-founder of the record label Ps ...
and his brother, Rob, made the decision to eliminate Coal Chamber from the tour. After doing so, there were no ticket refunds for the remaining tour dates. ICP claimed that Coal Chamber had been removed due to equipment problems but later revealed the true reason for their actions on ''
The Howard Stern Show ''The Howard Stern Show'' is an American radio show hosted by Howard Stern that gained wide recognition when it was radio syndication, nationally syndicated on terrestrial radio from WINS-FM, WXRK in New York City, between 1986 and 2005. The sho ...
'', on August 19, 1999. On air, Osbourne, who also appeared as a guest, informed Bruce and Utsler that Coal Chamber filed a lawsuit for
breach of contract Breach of contract is a legal cause of action and a type of civil wrong, in which a binding agreement or bargained-for exchange is not honored by one or more of the parties to the contract by non-performance or interference with the other part ...
. Between August and December 1999, Nadja Peulen filled in on bass while Rayna Foss went on
maternity leave Parental leave, or family leave, is an employee benefit available in almost all countries. The term "parental leave" may include maternity, paternity, and adoption leave; or may be used distinctively from "maternity leave" and "paternity leave ...
. Foss returned to the band in January 2000. On March 10, 2000, it was announced that Coal Chamber had amicably parted ways with Sharon Osbourne Management. Rascón said that the band's relationship with Osbourne had "run its course and we needed to find another point of view". Conversely, Fafara claimed that the other members of Coal Chamber had met up in a hotel—alleging some members had been "up for four or five days straight on
meth Methamphetamine (contracted from ) is a potent central nervous system (CNS) stimulant that is mainly used as a recreational or performance-enhancing drug and less commonly as a second-line treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity ...
"—and fired Osbourne without consulting him. He believes that this cost the band their only "good shot in the usicbusiness". On March 29, 2000, the band signed with Left Bank Management. Having grown exhausted from being on the road together for five years, Coal Chamber abruptly ended touring in support of ''Chamber Music'' in July 2000 and dropped off the
Tattoo the Earth Tattoo the Earth was a concert tour from 2000 to 2002 in the United States. Scott Alderman, the festival's creator, believed that the tour would help "catch the vibe" between the musical artists and the body artists, saying in a prepared statem ...
tour a week before it was due to begin, ostensibly to begin work on new material. The band members did not communicate with one another for a year, until Fafara and Rascón reconnected to work on a song with
Mötley Crüe Mötley Crüe is an American Heavy metal music, heavy metal band formed in Hollywood, California, in 1981 by bassist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee, with guitarist Mick Mars and lead vocalist Vince Neil joining right after. The band has sol ...
bassist
Nikki Sixx Nikki Sixx (born Frank Carlton Serafino Feranna Jr.; December 11, 1958) is an American musician, songwriter, record producer, and radio personality, best known as the co-founder, bassist, primary songwriter, and only constant member of the hea ...
.


''Dark Days'' and first disbandment (2001–2003)

Between May and September 2001, Coal Chamber recorded their third album, '' Dark Days'', with producer Ross Hogarth. The recording sessions were marked with high drug use and tensions between Fafara and Rascón, the latter of which informed the album's tone and some of its lyrics. A week after recording concluded, Foss left the band to raise her daughter, and Peulen was brought back as her official replacement; Foss's departure was announced in January 2002. ''Dark Days'' was issued on May 6, 2002, to mixed reviews. The album had sold 200,000 copies by December 2003. Prior to its release, Coal Chamber joined the Jägermeister tour across the United States, which commenced on March 8. On April 17, Fafara and Rascón got into an onstage altercation during a show in
Lubbock, Texas Lubbock ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat of Lubbock County. With a population of 272,086 in 2024, Lubbock is the 10th-most populous city in Texas and the 84th-most populous in the United States. The city is in the ...
. Tensions between the two were high, and they had been fighting before the show. During the first song, Rascón stabbed Fafara with the headstock of his guitar, after which they began fighting. Fafara then announced to the audience, "This is the last Coal Chamber show ever!" and stormed offstage. Coal Chamber attempted to continue the show with Rascón on vocals but soon stopped altogether after two more songs; Cox demolished his drumkit before storming offstage. Fafara and Rascón exchanged further blows after the show when the latter returned to the band's tour bus. Two days after the concert, Coal Chamber dropped off the Jägermeister tour. On May 15, 2002, the band made their debut appearance on television, performing " Fiend" on ''
Last Call with Carson Daly ''Last Call with Carson Daly'' is an American late-night television series that was broadcast by NBC from 2002 to 2019. Hosted by former MTV personality Carson Daly, the series was initially formatted as a late-night talk show in line with '' ...
''. In June and July 2002, they embarked on a summer tour of the United States with
American Head Charge American Head Charge was a metal band from Minneapolis, Minnesota. The band has earned two nominations at the ''Kerrang!'' Awards. History Formation (1996–1999) Early incarnations of the band sported names such as Flux, Gestapo Pussy Ran ...
, Lollipop Lust Kill, and Medication. For the duration of the tour, Fafara and Rascón traveled in separate tour buses. In August 2002, Fafara formed the band Deathride, later known as
DevilDriver DevilDriver is an American heavy metal music, heavy metal band from Santa Barbara, California, Santa Barbara, California, formed in 2002, consisting of vocalist Dez Fafara, bassist Jon Miller, guitarist Alex Lee and drummer Davier Pérez. The b ...
. In September 2002, he denied that Coal Chamber was breaking up. In October 2002, Coal Chamber parted ways with their management and Cox. In May 2003, Peulen said that the band would be releasing a
B-sides The A-side and B-side are the two sides of vinyl records and cassettes, and the terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side of a single usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or ...
compilation but that there was no new drummer or album on the horizon. In July, Rascón confirmed that Coal Chamber had split up. Fafara attributed the split primarily to the band's escalating drug use (in particular with Rascón and Cox), stating that he did not want to help fund their drug habits. He also mentioned creative and business differences. A month after the band's split, a compilation album, titled '' Giving the Devil His Due'', was released, which included several demo tracks submitted by Coal Chamber prior to their signing with Roadrunner Records in 1997, along with alternative studio recordings and remixes of various tracks from their previous albums.


Post-breakup (2003–2010)

In August 2004, Roadrunner Records released '' The Best of Coal Chamber''. In June 2005, Fafara stated that Coal Chamber's break was permanent and they would not be reforming. He also described a reformation as "like asking someone if they would ever want to go back and repeat the third and fourth grades after they're already done with high school". Fafara continued as vocalist of the metal band DevilDriver, recording seven albums: ''
DevilDriver DevilDriver is an American heavy metal music, heavy metal band from Santa Barbara, California, Santa Barbara, California, formed in 2002, consisting of vocalist Dez Fafara, bassist Jon Miller, guitarist Alex Lee and drummer Davier Pérez. The b ...
'', ''
The Fury of Our Maker's Hand ''The Fury of Our Maker's Hand'' is the second studio album by American heavy metal band DevilDriver, released on June 28, 2005. It's the first DevilDriver album to feature guitarist Mike Spreitzer. The album entered the Billboard charts at n ...
'', '' The Last Kind Words'', ''
Pray for Villains ''Pray for Villains'' is the fourth studio album by American heavy metal band DevilDriver, released on July 14, 2009. It sold around 14,600 copies in its first week of release to debut at position No. 35 on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart. On Apr ...
'', ''
Beast Beast most often refers to: * Animal, a multicellular, eukaryotic organism in the biological kingdom Animalia * The Beast (Revelation), one of three beasts described in the Book of Revelation * Monster, a type of creature found in fiction, folklo ...
'', '' Winter Kills'', and '' Trust No One''. He is the only member of Coal Chamber to release an album after the disbandment. Bass guitarist Nadja Puelen created the t-shirt company CruelTees. After taking two years off to recover from a car accident, drummer Mikey "Bug" Cox joined forces with his longtime friend and
Orgy An orgy is a sex party where guests freely engage in open and unrestrained sexual activity or group sex. Swingers' parties do not always conform to this designation, because at many swinger parties the sexual partners may all know each other o ...
member Jay Gordon—and the producer of Coal Chamber's first album - to form Machine Gun Orchestra. Guitarist Meegs Rascón formed the rock band Glass Piñata, previously known as Piñata. The group released a few demos on their website, and faced several line-up changes before eventually disbanding. Following Glass Piñata, Rascón joined the Orange County rock/electro band NEO GEO in mid-2009, although he later left the band in 2010. Fafara and Rascón settled their differences on October 24, 2008, with Rascón joining DevilDriver on stage at the Glasshouse in
Pomona, California Pomona ( ) is a city in eastern Los Angeles County, California, United States. Pomona is located in the Pomona Valley, between the Inland Empire and the San Gabriel Valley. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city's population was ...
, to play "Loco". In September 2009, it was announced that Peulen and Cox had joined forces to form an unnamed band. They were seeking a vocalist and guitarist to complete the lineup. In September 2010, Rascón and Cox joined together in a post-punk band called We Are the Riot.


Reformation, ''Rivals'', and second disbandment (2011–2017)

In September 2011, Fafara, Cox, and Rascón officially reformed the band with bass guitarist Chela Rhea Harper, to play the Soundwave festival in Australia. In October 2012, Fafara stated that the band were "taking it slow", partly due to his commitments with
DevilDriver DevilDriver is an American heavy metal music, heavy metal band from Santa Barbara, California, Santa Barbara, California, formed in 2002, consisting of vocalist Dez Fafara, bassist Jon Miller, guitarist Alex Lee and drummer Davier Pérez. The b ...
, but he also revealed that they had begun writing new material. The band later performed at Download 2013 and toured with
Sevendust Sevendust is an American Rock music, rock band from Atlanta, Georgia, formed in 1994 by bassist Vinnie Hornsby, drummer Morgan Rose and guitarist John Connolly (musician), John Connolly. After their first demo, lead vocalist Lajon Witherspoon an ...
,
Lacuna Coil Lacuna Coil is an Italian gothic metal band from Milan. Since their formation in 1994, the group has had two name changes, being previously known as Sleep of Right and Ethereal, and they have recorded ten studio albums, two extended plays, two l ...
, and Stolen Babies, with performances at Rock Am Ring, Graspop Metal Meeting in Dessel, and Nova Rock festival. Nadja Peulen officially reunited with the band in October 2013, and they signed to
Napalm Records Napalm Records is an Austrian independent record label focused on heavy metal, hard rock and folk/folk rock/folk metal. Originally, Napalm focused on black metal bands, such as Abigor and Summoning, and folk metal bands, such as Falkenbach a ...
the following year, as they continued to work on a new album. This was completed in December 2014. In February 2015, Coal Chamber revealed that the album's title was ''
Rivals A rivalry is the state of two people or Social group, groups engaging in a lasting competitive relationship. Rivalry is the "against each other" spirit between two competing sides. The relationship itself may also be called "a rivalry", and each ...
''. They premiered the song "I.O.U. Nothing" online in March, and released a lyric video for "Suffer in Silence", which features
Al Jourgensen Alain David Jourgensen (born Alejandro Ramírez Casas; October 9, 1958) is a Cuban-American singer, musician and music producer. Closely related with the independent record label Wax Trax! Records, his musical career spans four decades. He is t ...
, the following month. The album was released on May 19, 2015, and was their first studio album in 13 years, as well as their first to be released by
Napalm Records Napalm Records is an Austrian independent record label focused on heavy metal, hard rock and folk/folk rock/folk metal. Originally, Napalm focused on black metal bands, such as Abigor and Summoning, and folk metal bands, such as Falkenbach a ...
. In May 2016, Fafara confirmed during an interview with ''Blunt'' magazine that Coal Chamber was on indefinite hiatus, stating that due to the current success of his other band DevilDriver, Coal Chamber "has no place in my life whatsoever at this point." In June 2017, Fafara explained that he would start performing Coal Chamber songs with DevilDriver, coming to the realization that Coal Chamber would probably never tour or make music ever again. He then went on to say that the band is "done forever". In July 2018, Fafara officially announced that Coal Chamber was not coming back. In 2020, Fafara spoke about the band's status during an interview with Metal Hammer. When asked about a possible reunion, Fafara stated: "I'm not gonna say no, because we've all spoken", adding, "The main thing for me is that the relationship is all good after numerous fallouts in the beginning and after some stuff went horribly wrong when we got back together to release 015 comeback album''Rivals''. The vibe in that camp is very cool at the moment, and we all have each other's backs. I wouldn't put it past us, but right now I'm definitely concentrating on Devildriver".


Second reunion (2022–present)

Coal Chamber announced their second reunion in November 2022 as well as their scheduled appearance at the 2023 Sick New World festival in Las Vegas, Nevada. According to Fafara, a factor in the reunion was his certainty of dying from a
COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...
infection, which prompted his wife to contact the rest of the band. He later indicated the possibility of new music down the line, saying, "I realized that any problem we've ever had is gone". The band embarked on a US tour in 2023 and a short tour of Australia in 2024. They were slated to begin touring again in 2025, but plans were postponed due to Fafara's health issues.


Musical style and influences

Coal Chamber is most commonly categorized as
nu metal Nu metal (sometimes stylized as nü-metal, with a metal umlaut) is a subgenre of that combines elements of heavy metal music with elements of other music genres such as hip hop music, hip hop, funk, industrial music, industrial, and grunge. Nu ...
or
alternative metal Alternative metal (also known as alt-metal) is a genre of heavy metal music that combines heavy metal with influences from alternative rock and other genres not normally associated with metal. Alternative metal bands are often characterized by ...
. Their self-titled album falls into the first category. Elements of
hip hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...
and heavy metal are featured throughout the album. Coal Chamber's second album, ''
Chamber Music Chamber music is a form of classical music that is composed for a small group of Musical instrument, instruments—traditionally a group that could fit in a Great chamber, palace chamber or a large room. Most broadly, it includes any art music ...
'', is also mainly nu metal, with elements of other genres such as
gothic rock Gothic rock (also called goth rock or simply goth) is a style of rock music that emerged from post-punk in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s. The first post-punk bands which shifted toward dark music with gothic overtones include Siouxsie an ...
, industrial, and
electronic music Electronic music broadly is a group of music genres that employ electronic musical instruments, circuitry-based music technology and software, or general-purpose electronics (such as personal computers) in its creation. It includes both music ...
. ''
Rivals A rivalry is the state of two people or Social group, groups engaging in a lasting competitive relationship. Rivalry is the "against each other" spirit between two competing sides. The relationship itself may also be called "a rivalry", and each ...
'' has
groove metal Groove metal, sometimes also called neo-thrash or post-thrash, is a subgenre of heavy metal music that began in the early 1990s. The genre is primarily derived from thrash metal, but played in slower tempos, and making use of rhythmic guitar pa ...
influences (July 2, 2015). Retrieved on October 1, 2015 and moves away from their gothic-influenced older sound. May 19, 2015 Coal Chamber have also described their sound as "spookycore", a term invented by the band's fans. In a 2002 interview, Fafara said of the band's "spookycore" label:
The kids came up with it first because we started gettin' a lot of comparisons to
Korn Korn (stylized as KoЯn) is an American nu metal band from Bakersfield, California, originally formed in 1993 by James Shaffer, James "Munky" Shaffer, Reginald Arvizu, Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu and David Silveria, who were members of the band ...
and stuff. Which is fine. They're a great band. But I think the kids wanted to say "No, Coal Chamber is totally different than that." So they started comin' up with "Spooky-core" and we ran with it. We were like "Yeah! That's what we are." I mean if you put it into essence, we're a dark rock-n-roll band. It's almost like sayin' the same thing. "Spooky-Core." "Dark Rock-n-Roll." You know what I mean? I started thinkin' about it like that and was like "Whoa! These kids know what they're doin'." If someone's gonna coin it our music who better than the fans?
The band's influences include
Bad Brains Bad Brains are an American punk rock band formed in Washington, D.C., in 1976. They are widely regarded as pioneers of hardcore punk, though the band's members have objected to the use of this term to describe their music. They are also an ade ...
,
Bauhaus The Staatliches Bauhaus (), commonly known as the , was a German art school operational from 1919 to 1933 that combined Decorative arts, crafts and the fine arts.Oxford Dictionary of Art and Artists (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 4th edn., ...
,
Black Sabbath Black Sabbath are an English rock band formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward (musician), Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler, and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. After adopting the Black Sabbath name in 1969 (the band ...
,
the Cure The Cure are an English Rock music, rock band formed in Crawley in 1976 by Robert Smith (musician), Robert Smith (vocals, guitar) and Lol Tolhurst (drums). The band's current line-up comprises Smith, Perry Bamonte (guitar and keyboards), Reev ...
,
Dead or Alive A wanted poster (or wanted sign) is a poster distributed to let the public know of a person whom authorities wish to apprehend. They generally include a picture of the person, either a photograph when one is available or of a facial composite ...
,
Duran Duran Duran Duran () are an English pop rock band formed in Birmingham in 1978 by singer Stephen Duffy, keyboardist Nick Rhodes and guitarist/bassist John Taylor (bass guitarist), John Taylor. After several early changes, the band's line-up settled ...
,
Helmet A helmet is a form of protective gear worn to protect the head. More specifically, a helmet complements the skull in protecting the human brain. Ceremonial or symbolic helmets (e.g., a policeman's helmet in the United Kingdom) without protecti ...
,
Jane's Addiction Jane's Addiction was an American Rock music, rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1985. The band's best known line-up consisted of lead vocalist Perry Farrell, bassist Eric Avery, drummer Stephen Perkins and guitarist Dave Navarro. Jane's Addicti ...
,
Kiss A kiss is the touching or pressing of one's lips against another person, animal or object. Cultural connotations of kissing vary widely; depending on the culture and context, a kiss can express sentiments of love, passion, romance, sex ...
,
Metallica Metallica is an American heavy metal band. It was formed in Los Angeles in 1981 by vocalist and guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in San Francisco for most of its career. The band's fast tempos, instrume ...
,
the Sisters of Mercy The Sisters of Mercy are an English rock band formed in Leeds in 1980. After achieving early underground fame, the band experienced a commercial breakthrough in the mid-1980s, sustaining their success until the early 1990s, when they halted th ...
,
Slayer Slayer is an American thrash metal band from Huntington Park, California, formed in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King, drummer Dave Lombardo and bassist/vocalist Tom Araya. Slayer's fast and aggressive musical style made them ...
,
Tori Amos Tori Amos (born Myra Ellen Amos; August 22, 1963) is an American singer-songwriter and pianist. She is a classically trained musician with a mezzo-soprano vocal range. Having already begun composing instrumental pieces on piano, Amos won a full ...
, and White Zombie.


Legacy

Coal Chamber is considered to be one of the bands that popularized and defined the nu metal sound. ''
Alternative Press Alternative press may refer to: Individual publications * ''Alternative Press'' (magazine), an American music magazine Alternative journalism * Alternative media ** Alternative media (U.S. political left) ** Alternative media (U.S. political r ...
'' wrote that "Nü metal would never have left the starting gates if it weren't for the achievements of Coal Chamber ..'Loco' and 'Fiend' paved the way for the darker side of nü metal to step into the limelight beyond the lifespan of Coal Chamber themselves." ''
Revolver A revolver is a repeating handgun with at least one barrel and a revolving cylinder containing multiple chambers (each holding a single cartridge) for firing. Because most revolver models hold six cartridges before needing to be reloaded, ...
'' credited the band for introducing gothic and industrial influences into the look of nu metal, which
Kittie Kittie is a Canadian heavy metal music, heavy metal band from London, Ontario. The band was formed in 1996 by guitarist Fallon Bowman and drummer Mercedes Lander, with guitarist and vocalist Morgan Lander and bassist Tanya Candler joining the ...
and
Dope Dope may refer to: Chemistry Biochemistry * Dope, a slang word for a euphoria-producing drug, particularly: ** Cocaine ** Cannabis (drug) ** Heroin ** Opioid * DOPE, or 1,2-Dioleoyl-''sn''-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine, a phospholipid * Discret ...
would later adopt. Likewise, ''
Kerrang! ''Kerrang!'' is a British music webzine and quarterly magazine that primarily covers rock, punk and heavy metal music. Since 2017, the magazine has been published by Wasted Talent Ltd (the same company that owns electronic music publication ...
'' said that the band "pre-empted the arrival of outfits like
Slipknot The slip knot is a stopper knot which is easily undone by pulling the tail ( working end). The slip knot is related to the running knot, which will release when the standing end is pulled. Both knots are identical and are composed of a slipp ...
, marrying feelings of personal anguish to slab-heavy catharsis, then filtering the lot through an absurdist nightmare lens." The band's 1997 debut is generally regarded as one of the greatest albums of the nu metal genre, being featured in lists by ''Kerrang!'', ''
Metal Hammer ''Metal Hammer'' is a heavy metal music magazine and website founded in 1983, published in the United Kingdom by Future, with other language editions published by different companies available in numerous other countries. ''Metal Hammer'' featu ...
'', ''
LA Weekly ''LA Weekly'' is a free weekly alternative newspaper in Los Angeles, California. The paper covers music, arts, film, theater, culture, and other local news in the Los Angeles area. ''LA Weekly'' was founded in 1978 by Jay Levin (among others), ...
'', ''
Loudwire ''Loudwire'' is an American online media magazine that covers news of hard rock and heavy metal artists. It is owned by media and entertainment business Townsquare Media. Since its launch in August 2011, ''Loudwire'' has secured exclusive i ...
'', and ''Revolver''. At the same time, Coal Chamber have been criticized for their image and similarities to Korn, with the latter stemming largely from their debut album. The ''
Houston Press The ''Houston Press'' is an online newspaper published in Houston, Texas, United States. It is headquartered in the Midtown Houston, Midtown area. It was also a weekly print newspaper until November 2017. The publication is supported entirely ...
'' noted in 2000 that although both Korn and Coal Chamber rose out of the same scene, and as such, shared the same audiences and sound, the latter was perceived as being derivative of Korn, since the former group had achieved success first. By 1999, the band was considered "a pariah of the metal community", according to ''
CMJ New Music Monthly CMJ Holdings Corp. is a music events, online media company and a distributor of up and coming music CDs, originally founded in 1978, which ran a website, hosted an annual festival in New York City, and published two magazines, ''CMJ New Music ...
''. In 2009, Dayal Patterson of ''
The Quietus ''The Quietus'' is a British online music and pop culture magazine founded by John Doran and Luke Turner. The site is an editorially independent publication led by Doran with a group of freelance journalists and critics. Content ''The Quietu ...
'' called Coal Chamber "something of an icon for nu metal's limitations", while describing their legacy as "a collection of one-idea songs and a portfolio of truly laughable photos." In their book ''A History of Heavy Metal'' (2017),
Andrew O'Neill Andrew O'Neill (born 14 September 1979) is a British comedian, musician, presenter, and writer who lives in London. Background Born in Portsmouth in 1979, O'Neill grew up in the London suburban town of Wallington, London, Wallington. They have ...
dismissed Coal Chamber as "a distinctly forgettable, cartoonish band, taking all the childish aspects of Korn and throwing away the real emotion and aggression." Roadrunner A&R head
Monte Conner Monte Conner is an American music executive and artists and repertoire (A&R) representative. He was the former senior vice president of A&R for Roadrunner Records from 1988 until 2012, and is currently the head of A&R at Nuclear Blast Records. ...
said that although the band received "some grief" due to their similarities to Korn, he believed they were "the first to follow
hem A hem in sewing is a garment finishing method, where the edge of a piece of cloth is folded and sewn to prevent unravelling of the fabric and to adjust the length of the piece in garments, such as at the end of the sleeve or the bottom of the ga ...
€”I would say that Coal Chamber's first record was the second nu metal record ever to come out."


Band members


Current

*
Dez Fafara Bradley James "Dez" Fafara is an American vocalist who performs in the metal bands DevilDriver and Coal Chamber. Early life Fafara is of Portuguese and Italian descent. His father, Tiger Fafara, and his late uncle, Stanley Fafara, were child ...
– lead vocals (1992–2003, 2011–2016, 2022–present) * Miguel "Meegs" Rascón – guitars, keyboards, backing vocals (1992–2003, 2011–2016, 2022–present) * Mike "Bug" Cox – drums (1995–2002, 2011–2016, 2022–present) * Nadja Peulen – bass (1999, 2001–2003, 2013–2016, 2022–present)


Past

* Rayna Foss – bass (1993–1999, 2000–2001) * John Tor – drums (1993–1995) * Chela Rhea Harper – bass (2011–2013)


Timeline


Discography


Studio albums


Compilation albums


Singles


Music videos


References


External links

* * * {{Authority control 1992 establishments in California American alternative metal musical groups Mixed-gender bands Musical groups established in 1992 Musical groups disestablished in 2003 Musical groups reestablished in 2011 Musical groups disestablished in 2016 Musical groups reestablished in 2022 Musical groups from Los Angeles Musical quartets from California Napalm Records artists Nu metal musical groups from California Roadrunner Records artists