If you like Pantera, Metallica, or Slayer, chances are that Chimaira is your band. The fact that they have earned endorsements from band members of most of those bands, most notably Kerry King from Slayer, certainly doesn't hurt.

Living in Cleveland, Ohio, I know a bit more than most about Chimaira, rising metal gods that happen to call Cleveland their home base. You can call it a bit of an unfair advantage, and I am okay with that. I have been lucky enough over the past few years, to be able to watch the development of one of the top bands in today's metal genre.

I was definitely stoked when I found out the band would be recording their latest album at home in Cleveland, and even more stoked, to find out that an old friend, Todd Bell, would be documenting the process for a planned DVD.

The Dehumanizing Process is the result of many hours of video accumulated not only in the studio, but also on the road as the band tours to support the resulting album The Impossibility Of Reason. 2 years+ of band activity are condensed into a very slick 90 minute documentary.

Early description promised that it would be a film that would show any curious musician just starting out what it is like to be in a signed band, and that is exactly what is accomplished here. You'll see the band move through drummers like Spinal Tap, as their original drummer Andy Herrick leaves early in the touring process, to be replaced by Soilwork drummer Ricky Evensand, who is eventually replaced by current skinsman Kevin Talley. Band drama? It's all present and accounted for on this DVD! The DVD culminates with footage of a sold out hometown show with Slipknot, making for a nice snapshot of how far the band progressed with the touring cycle for this album.

There are many reasons to be excited about this DVD. Top of the list is definitely the overall presentation and editing of the documentary, which definitely gives Metallica's recent documentary a run for the money. In fact, I would give the edge to Chimaira, because unlike Metallica, director Todd Bell runs a much tighter ship in the editing process. This is 90 minutes of all killer, no filler, and in my opinion, the slickest band documentary you will find, done on a budget that was beyond minimal.