| Mark Hunter | |
| Alias: | Metal Moses |
| Birth Date: | 26 May 1977 |
| Birth Place: | Parma Heights, Ohio, U.S. |
| Genre: | Groove metal, metalcore, |
| Occupation: | Singer, songwriter |
| Years Active: | 1998–present |
Mark Hunter (born May 26, 1977) is an American musician best known as the lead vocalist of heavy metal band Chimaira.[1]
Hunter was born in Parma Heights, Ohio, on May 26, 1977.
Hunter started Chimaira in 1998.[2] The band has sold over a million albums worldwide[3] and have debuted on the Billboard 200 Chart six times.[4] 2013's Crown of Phantoms debuted at number 54 selling over 7,400 copies in its first week of release.[5] Hunter was one of the main songwriters for Chimaira and considered the band leader. He is also credited in the album liner notes for assisting with guitars, artwork concepts and album production.[6] [7] [8]
He was the only original member of Chimaira after departures in 2010 and 2011.[7] [9] Cleveland Scene nicknamed Hunter "Metal Moses" in 2002 for his popularization of the Wall of Death[10]
Hunter has cited Stanley Kubrick, Gaspar Noé, Trent Reznor, and Slayer to be among some of his influences. Some inspiration for lyrical content was drawn from Hunter's love of movies. Beyond the Black Rainbow, Fire Walk with Me, and The Shining have been mentioned in numerous interviews.[11] [12]
Hunter practiced Muay Thai and was featured in the July 2008 edition of Fight! Magazine, and the April 2009 edition of MMA Weekly.
Chimaira and director Nick Cavalier released the documentary Down Again in 2018, in which Hunter shares his struggle with bipolar disorder as well as his interest in photography.
Hunter was diagnosed with thyroid cancer but is now in remission after a full thyroidectomy.
Hunter wrote regular columns for Revolver magazine and GunShyAssassin. Some of topics included meditation, travel, and nutrition. He also penned the liner notes for The Best of Mercyful Fate.
In 2011, Hunter took to his Twitter and Facebook accounts to discuss his frustration with the music industry resulting in praise from fellow musicians and journalists.