Chimera is a song recorded as The Alarm MMXXV that was debuted on the official The Alarm youtube channel on 23rd January and released as a download on 24th January 2025. It was recorded in Blackpool during 2024 in between the chemotherapy sessions Mike Peters was having for his Richter’s cancer diagnosis at The Christie In Manchester. The video was shot in January 2025 just before Mike started his CAR-T Cell treatment on 23rd January 2025. It was the first song to be made public from the Transformation album released in Summer 2025.
Mike Peters – January 23, 2025 – “I’m a very lucky man to be alive,” reflecting on his past 30 years living with cancer. Never one to let mortality stare him down, the resilient fighter is not only currently in the fight of his life, but he also wrote and recorded a new album Transformation (Summer 2025), an extraordinary record made under extraordinary circumstances. The first single “Chimera” (pronounced kahy-meer-uh) is released as a symbolic rebirth for Mike as it is also the exact day that he received a revolutionary new and hopefully lifesaving transplant known as CAR-T Therapy. Symbolically embracing the Greek mythos of a chimera that embodies multiple creatures’ characteristics, the CAR-T process involves harvesting and re-engineering his own blood lymphocytes and re-introducing them into his system with hopes that it will destroy the Richter’s syndrome cancer cells.
“When I have CAR-T therapy I will literally become chimeric,” states Mike. “There will be two types of blood flowing inside of me. Two individual types of DNA in fact, and I’ve not been able to stop thinking about this ever since the process was explained to me by the doctors. The idea of an alter ego named CAR-T kept entering my thoughts while I was writing lyrics and singing on the microphone, and eventually this new persona forced its way onto the record.” “The accompanying video for “Chimera” visually represents this duality with the doubling images of Mike. “I worked on the film concept with my cameraman Andy Labrow and also Alex Colettti of MTV Unplugged fame,” he explains about the startling imagery. “I wanted it to reflect the duality of the situation I find myself plunged into. There are two of me existing side by side, externally albeit with separate DNA markers. I really don’t know which side of me will come out on top post transplant but I do somehow hope to get to a new life because of it. Two DNA and Car-T gives me a fighting chance.”“It’s amazing what a costume change can do to bring out your real personality,” he laughs. “Hopefully people will be able to see more of the real Mike Peters when they get to experience Transformation in full.
2024 Recording details
Running length 4:03
Written by Mike Peters
Musicians & Credits
Mike Peters – Lead Vocals, Guitars
Jules Jones-Peters – Piano, Synths, Backing Vocals
George Williams – Additional Instrumentation
Recorded at Rock Hard Studio, Blackpool, England 2024
Produced and Mixed by George Williams
Click on image for video that appears on the official The Alarm Youtube channel
23rd January 2025 : Video premiere of Chimera
This video for Chimera was filmed and directed in Blackpool January 2025
Song Review: The Alarm – “Chimera” 31st January 2025 by Lesley Aeschliman
In January 2025, The Alarm released “Chimera,” from the band’s forthcoming album, Transformation, which is scheduled to be released in Summer 2025. When the song was released, lead singer Mike Peters started receiving CAR-T therapy for the Richter’s Syndrome that he’s been fighting. A chimera is a Greek mythos that embodies multiple creatures’ characteristics, which can almost be seen as symbolizing the CAR-T therapy, which is a transplant that involves harvesting and re-engineering the patient’s harvested blood lymphocytes and re-introducing them into his system. Musically, “Chimera” starts out with a very intense intro, before backing off a little for the main track. It’s still an uptempo track, but the intensity of the song’s sound is scaled back from the intro. But that intro sets the stage for the listener that this is going to be a song of resilience and perhaps even a little bit of defiance. With this musical arrangement of this song, Mike Peters is making it clear that he’s not going to be giving up without a fight. Lyrically, the song is very obviously inspired by the CAR-T therapy that Mike is now undergoing for his Richter’s Syndrome. The lyrics reference “sci-fi fixes therapy,” “super cells programmed in the laboratory,” and “killing me to stay alive.” Considering what Mike’s been going through, it completely makes sense to me that he’s write a song about a revolutionary lifesaving transplant that he’s never undergone before, since it’s something that would be such a major thing happening in his life. The imagery of the chimera in the lyrics also works fabulously for the song’s theme. I liked “Chimera,” and I suspect this is going to be indicative of the kind of material we can expect to hear on Transformation. I suspect that fans of The Alarm will appreciate this one, and I think that listeners who have an appreciation for harder-sounding rock might like this one as well.
Single appearance and discography
Worldwide Release :
24th January 2025 : Worldwide Digital Download – Chimera
Track listing : Chimera
Released by Twenty First Century Recording Company
Rock Hard Studio, Blackpool, England 2024 recording
Lyrics ~ Chimera Digital Download single
Sci-fi, Science fiction therapy
Two bloods, collide inside of me
They call me the Chimera Chimera
They call me the Chimera
Chimera Chimera
Two DNA
Chimera
Hey
Killing Me
One two DNA
Supercells, programmed in a laboratory
Targeted to hunt down my disease
They call me the Chimera Chimera
Call me the Chimera
Chimera Chimera
Two DNA
Two DNA
Hey
Two DNA
Sci-fi, Science fiction therapy
Programmed in a laboratory
Killing me to stay alive
Killing me to stay alive, stay alive, stay alive, stay alive
They call me the Chimera
Call me the Chimera
Call me the Chimera
Call me the Chimera
Call me the Chimera
Two DNA
Call me the Chimera
Chimera, Chimera
Two DNA
Chi, Chi, Chi, Chi Chimera
Killing me to stay alive
(Two DNA)
Yeah yeah yeah
Yeah yeah yeah
Two DNA
Two DNA
(updated 28/01/2026)