Zimmers Hole | |
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Also known as | ZH, The Hole |
Origin | Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada |
Genres | Extreme metal, comedy rock |
Years active | 1991–present |
Labels | Century Media, Hevydevy |
Associated acts | Strapping Young Lad, Tenet, Fear Factory |
Website | legionofflames |
Members |
Chris Valagao Jed Simon Byron Stroud Gene Hoglan |
Past members | Steve Wheeler Will Campagna Chris Stanley |
Zimmers Hole is a Canadian heavy metal band from Vancouver. The band formed in 1991, and features former Strapping Young Lad members Byron Stroud, Jed Simon and Gene Hoglan, along with vocalist Chris Valagao.
Zimmers Hole began life as a side project for members and friends of Strapping Young Lad. The band's debut album Bound by Fire was produced by Devin Townsend and released on his label Hevy Devy Records. The band was named after the sphincter of the band's late mutual friend Dean Zimmer, who would chase other people with his buttcheeks spread during parties. Lyrics took inspiration from comedic anecdotes from tours past, backed by middle-of-the-road "metal flying V riffs", usually stolen from Kiss and Morbid Angel. Details of the bizarre back stories for all the songs were provided by Chris Valagao ("'Gospel Sodomy Boy on Blow' is about an asshole called Troy who wouldn't stop doing coke and spouting about Jesus") and posted on the official Strapping Young Lad forums by Tracy Turner around 1999.
In 2001, when Strapping Young Lad finished touring, Jed Simon and Byron Stroud had Townsend to produce the second album, Legion of Flames. It was released on Townsend's label Hevy Devy Records. Legion of Flames included song parodies such as "Gender of the Beast" ("Number of the Beast", Iron Maiden), "Sodomanaz" ("Go for a Soda", Kim Mitchell), and a spoof of Metallica's "Master of Puppets" in the song "Evil Robots", with the line "Napster, Napster, where's the cash that I've been after?". The album also contained a cover of Joni Mitchell's "This Flight Tonight", with humorously altered lyrics.