Let’s face it – there’s a lot going on in the world in many different wakes that just flat-out suck abundantly. As it gets harder and harder to find much hope in anything, or much reason to celebrate anything for that matter, we look to community, we look to any outlets we can find, we cross our fingers and dirty our hands doing all the work we can to fight for some form of preservation of a potentially better future – whatever that may look like. The bad news is it’s infinitely uncertain; The good news is we have some really sick music out there to help soundtrack the inevitable resistance. That said, please welcome a titan of community, DIY, and in-your-face riffage, Chromarama, as this week’s Weekly Featured Artist!
Began in 2019 in the town of Indianapolis, Indiana, Chromarama started off as two friends who had a decade’s worth of history in music together, on a mission to fulfill a vision of music much unlike that which was going on around them. Once they found vocalist Cam Woodworth via a Craigslist ad, the trio would quickly begin crafting all the most punishing music they could conjure up. Having released various EP’s and singles, as well as a full length over the next 5 years, it’s clear that the band’s chemistry matches for the perfect recipe of a hardcore, aggressive rock band and enduring all the ups and downs of being in a band together. Having discovered and experienced this band from a live performance they did in my city months back, I can personally attest to the genuine spirit they put into every part of what they do.
‘Music is such a core component to who all of us are that we honestly have no choice but to make music, haha. Zach and Cam have been playing music together for over a decade, and this project started from them trying to get something new off the ground. They were pursuing a very specific sound that most people around here weren’t going for, so finding members wasn’t easy, but they eventually found Geoff on Craigslist of all places, looking to start a project with this exact sound in mind! Ever since, it’s been us jamming together. After a recent restructuring, we were happy to bring in Jameson on guitar to fill a vacancy, and now our sound is tighter and more energetic than ever!‘
Speaking to the aforementioned releases and overall sound of the band, Chromarama‘s discography pulls absolutely no punches. With their first full-length, Cruel Things, they established a polished, yet raw production value that set the stage for their identity. But even as far back as 2019’s Not Dead Yet, it’s clear this bunch have found a mark with a Southern, early-2000’s metalcore sound crossed over with chaotic hardcore and other elements. The end result is a relentless stampede of riffs, visceral lyricism, and a straightforward gut-punch of an atmosphere that could start a pit in a monastery.
Having recently released their latest EP, The Culmination of Love is Grief, they’ve only furthered this Southern metalcore identity. Tracks such as “Natural Acid”, “Fire Wizard Vs. Cops”, and “Grin and Bear It” present a finessed mix of punk, hardcore, mathcore, and a whirlwind of rhythmic play that will make it difficult for any listeners to sit still. The band seem to go for a darker leaning with this record, although it doesn’t stray too far from the tropes of prior releases. But even with recognizable qualities still evident, this EP serves as a pinnacle point in both the band’s evolving sound as well as their willingness to branch out and experiment with other sounds to see what sticks.
‘We all bring our own influence to the table from various sources (for example, Geoff would cite more pop influence to his vocal stylings than anything!) but at the end of the day we are heavily influenced from the Southern Metalcore/Chaotic Hardcore stylings of the mid to late 00’s. Bands like Every Time I Die, The Chariot, and Cancer Bats define the roots of our sound, then we layer our own personal flourishes to create the patented Chromarama sound. We’re very proud of The Culmination of Love is Grief. While it still fits into the mold of the Chromarama sound, we definitely leaned toward a darker sound for this one. Where our EP’s usually feature some heavy and hardcore jams mixed with upbeat rockers, this release embraced more melancholy for sure. This EP was being written as we all were experiencing losses in our families and lives, and that heavily influenced the tone and lyrics in this project. It’s a piece that deeply expresses where we were when writing it.‘
When I saw Chromarama live, it felt like more than just a live show for them and all others in attendance. Much of the time before the band even went on was spent just talking with them about music, life, different cities and scenes, how things have changed in music over the years, cool places they’d stopped at or seen while on tour, and various other subjects. While this seems like the average activity of your regular, chill band – these guys were just all too genuine. You’d almost forget they were even in a band and playing a show that night, because they’d chat with you as if you were an old neighborhood pal from way-back-when.
The inviting, you-actually-can-sit-with-us energy the 4-piece gave off just truly made myself and others even more excited and happy to not only see them live, but be able to support them. It’s one thing to write awesome riffs and be super talented at your role while doing it, but when you match that with immaculate character and a down-to-earth soul? Well, let’s just say it’s hard not to admire four dudes that are in it because they mean it. This is where I also recognized that as much as writing something different is to them, the expression and what the message behind it all means and how it influences and brings others together is really what Chromarama seems to be all about.
‘We’d definitely say artistic expression is one of the most important parts of being in a band, getting your ideas and values out of your head and into sonic form, but it’s also very much about the togetherness. Locking in to a groove with your bandmates, traveling and bonding, forming relationships in your community and on the road, and having the shared experience and catharsis with both the audience and the bands you played with. From what we’ve seen, one of the most important things about a music community is support, and that’s in all aspects. You never see anything good come from bands being too competitive with each other, or subgroups of a scene being too cliquey, or venues and promoters who are all business and don’t care about the scene. When you see a music scene thrive, it’s usually full of bands that love and support each other. It’s full of show-goers who are passionate about music and each other. When everyone is there for each other, that’s when things thrive.‘
…Speaking specifically on their local scene, expanding upon the above…
‘Indianapolis is FULL of bands and venues, you can catch a show somewhere most nights of the week if not multiple shows a night, and there is no shortage of bands. And as awesome as that is, we really shine when you see people coming together. We recently played a show the night of the election results, and everyone was obviously hurting, bands and attendees alike. But that show gave us all an outlet, it let us get things out, it let us process and hurt together, and it let us reassure each other and come together both for the appreciation of art and performance as well as just as a community. That’s what it’s all about.‘
Especially given the above quote, it seems as though the timing on posting this WFA is both perfect and oddly bittersweet. I say that because, as the band mentioned, yes – times are superbly hard and anxiety and uncertainty of the future are at an all-time with recent happenings here in the United States, given what looks to be a leadership not particularly aligned with proper morals or respect to human rights. For me personally, I’ve never felt more driven to really delve into being on the ‘frontlines’ so to speak with supporting my community. Perhaps it’s been something I either have done or been apart of in some way before, but if ever there was a time that it felt exceptionally mandatory – it would truly be now.
I mention all this not to derail the main purpose of this article, which is to inform you of one of the coolest bands in the world, but in fact to recognize the kind of power in what a community and those who are apart of it can do. Chromarama‘s point about bringing people together and making space for grief, joy, anger, or any human experience or emotion that demands a healthy outlet hits very close to home. I’ve looked to so many different people for inspiration to keep going even when I feel too weak or hopeless, and this discussion had with the band, as well as the messages within their music, is absolutely a source fueling that drive I feel. People need to find strength wherever they can especially in the most grueling of times, and I recognize Chromarama as one more beacon of reinforcement to that mutual hope so many of us are clinging to especially now.
‘We hope that people get the same thing from hearing and seeing Chromarama that we get from being in it: passion, purpose, and hope. We hope that you hear out music and feel the emotion and energy we pour into it when we write and perform. We hope that you listen to these lyrics and know that others hurt like you and that’s okay, but that there’s also hope and togetherness. The world can be an awful place, but this project gives us hope and strength to push on and get better, and we hope we can give the same to you.‘
I also found that, even when asking about any ‘wild tour stories‘, this band still managed to hit me with a wholesomeness. Even when the subject is something more light-hearted, or even with the chaotic moments they were able to share, the spirit and overall inviting nature of this band remains bulletproof. Just as much as they take their music and what they do to inspire others seriously, it is clear that Chromarama are a quartet of great people just here to have a good time and welcome all those willing to join in. It’s like a big, hardcore pool party, almost. Having discussed a few memories from the road, it’s easy to see that these guys have a keen sense of humor as well.
‘Going on tour has provided us with so many fun experiences! From filling a trashbag with free cookies in Kent, OH and sharing trashbag cookies with bands on tour, to making a habit of centering ourselves with aquatic meditation (hottub time) at every possible turn! Most of us grew up in small towns in the Midwest, so getting to ride the New York subways or playing in DC has felt unreal! We’ve run the gamut of new experiences, from driving at midnight through a thunderstorm so strong we couldn’t see the road just to gamble at a casino for 2 hours off of chump change, to seeing a naked man pulled over on the side of the road ‘cleaning up’ after clearly misjudging the distance to the next rest top, it’s been nothing but adventure!‘
As I bring this article to a close, I feel the need to share that this will be my last WFA or article in general for a good while, as I’ve decided to take a slight hiatus to regroup and prioritize different avenues in my personal life that I feel are in need of sorting out. Not to mention, with all the volunteer work I’m looking to do to help strengthen my community, it will feel difficult to commit to writing in a way that best reflects not only my own passion but the shared love of all things music amongst all of Everything Is Noise. Getting to write about a band like Chromarama, as well as just having the privilege of being apart of EIN and having talked one-on-one with so many incredible artists because of it, just helps remind one of the good things that do exist in this world, and how abundant they truly are even if not always as apparent as we’d like.
Chromarama embody a lot of what I believe brought communities such as Everything Is Noise together. This fiery drive to get your message out there, to stick to your passions, to produce something hopeful and good in the world by any means necessary…that truly is, as the band themselves stated, what music, art, and culture are all about. We do it because we mean it, and expression is always on the forefront. Even if you don’t regard Chromarama as the greatest band of all time, per se, you will still see, as I’ve seen, that their passion is infectious and emboldening.
Waste no more time being a stranger to Chromarama. Get to following them via Facebook or Instagram, and be sure to check out all their music and more via Bandcamp. While the band is currently enduring a bit of a stall in live shows due to recently restructuring their line-up, they mention that they are busy once again with writing, working heavily on ‘work-in-progress music‘ they plan to share within the coming months. Be sure to keep an eye and ear out for all things related to the band via their socials, and I will now leave you with this piece of advice from the members themselves:
‘The best piece of advice we can give is to get involved in the scene and be humble! Get to know people who play, host, or attend shows and make meaningful connections for sure, but don’t do it just to ‘make connections’, do it to be a part of something and contribute. Nobody has fun with the band that takes things too seriously and acts like they’re above their circumstances, be the band and the people that people love to be around and make the scene a better place. If you do that and write some tasty jams, and work your ass off every day, good things will happen!‘
Chromarama is…
Geoff Halbher – vocals
Zach Black – bass
Cam Woodworth – drums
And newly added Jameson Richards – guitar
