The Birth of BLACK CHAMELEON!
In the fall of 2018, Florian Zimmerbauer (bass) and Michael Koller (vocals) set out to find fellow musicians for a new band. Their vision was clear: something heavy, somewhere between hard rock, metal, and what they would later define as groove metal.
The first to join was Richard Haim, a guitarist with some band experience, who was also eager to dive into a serious project. Not long after, in November, Lukas Gutmann entered the picture. Having just moved to Graz for his studies, the drummer came across an online ad and saw the chance to finally escape practicing alone at home in the basement.
Rehearsals took place in an old industrial building in Graz. The four musicians brought their individual ideas to the table and slowly began to shape raw riffs and fragments into full songs. Early on, they leaned on influences like Dream Theater, Metallica, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and many more. But as time went on, their own distinct sound began to emerge.
After much debate (and even more brainstorming), the band finally agreed on a name: BLACK CHAMELEON. With that decision, things became official. New songs started to take form, and soon the band began working on their debut album, Dancing on the Edge. Out of necessity and conviction, the record was entirely DIY—written, recorded, mixed, and mastered by the band themselves.
Tracks like The Crawling Nightmare, Hockey Night in Canada, Dox, Surf or Die, A Craving Soul’s Journey, and Der Löwe captured the raw beginnings of Black Chameleon. As songwriting accelerated—driven especially by Lukas and Richard—a new phase of creativity unfolded. The band grew tighter, more cohesive, and began to find their shared voice. Songs such as Black Chameleon, Dancing on the Edge, and While You Are Gone (all released as singles) reflected that growing sense of unity and musical chemistry.
After what felt like an eternity of waiting, Black Chameleon finally played their first live show on May 22, 2021, in Graz’s Club Wakuum—a long-awaited moment made possible during a brief lull in the COVID-19 pandemic. Energized by that first gig, the band was eager to get back on stage right away. The next opportunity came a few months later, on September 30, 2021, at the youth and cultural center Explosiv, where they played another show in the café stage area.
Just a week after that concert, however, Lukas and Richard parted ways with Flo and Mike. Different visions and goals ultimately led to the decision that Black Chameleon would be carried forward by Lukas and Richard.
We are many voices, many colors, but one family. Thank you, Black Chameleon Family, for carrying us forward.
Until the next transformation – your Black Chameleon.
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