Taiwan's CHTHONIC Invents 'Unique' Metal Genre, Unveils New Look

After CHTHONIC's new promotional photo was posted on a number of web sites recently, the Taiwanese band's new look became the subject of much speculation.

The inspiration for the new style comes from Taoist magic figures of folklore and the types of facial masks they wore, like "Kuan-Jiang-Shoe," who is the ancient general of folk marches.

After the "Farewell To The Old Style" concert on May 23, Taiwan's metal warriors CHTHONIC invented their new look according to traditional "Taoist curse words" to replace the original black lines on their faces. This was done to create their own unique style based on their own culture and characteristics.

Video footage from the "Farewell To The Old Style" concert can be viewed below.

Keyboard player C.J. was extremely satisfied with his new "face" because, according to him, "I don't need to do any more make-up before a performance!"

CHTHONIC vocalist Freddy added: "The facial mask of 'Ba-Jia-Jiang' and 'Kuan-Jiang-Shoe' were always the main inspirations for our look. I also customized a row of big fangs according to 'Kuan-Jian-Shoe''s face. It will be great to put them on when performing on-stage."

Don't call them "black metal": CHTHONIC claims to have invented its own unique metal genre.

Band spokesperson and bassist Doris said, "Even though CHTHONIC was inspired by European black metal early on in the band's history, over the past 10 years, all of the album stories were based on Taiwanese myth or history. Musically, we combine metal with traditional local melody and East-Asia's pentatonic melodies. It's very different from typical black metal bands that describe themselves as 'Anti-Christ' or 'Satan/demon worshippers'...etc. Some critics were trying to categorize CHTHONIC as death metal or folk metal, but those words can't accurately describe the true style of CHTHONIC."

The band's new record label, Spinefarm Records, noticed that CHTHONIC's music contains not only the elements of mysterious, wrath, evil, but also a sorrowful emotion. CHTHONIC's stories all end in tragedy, which brings out a brand new listening experience for metal heads all over the world.

CHTHONIC's new album, "Mirror of Retribution", is scheduled for release in the U.S. on August 18. The CD is described as an 11-track body of work that touches on both the spirit and mortal worlds, with loss of national identity and the sometimes turbulent history of their homeland recurring themes.

With ANTHRAX guitarist Rob Caggiano at the production and mixing helm, "Mirror Of Retribution" sees the award-winning musicians further developing a style that started with the 1999 album "Where The Ancestors' Souls Gathered", blending full-on metal of the darker persuasion with traditional Taiwanese instruments such as two-string violin, the hena.

"The story behind this album combines true historical fact with an ancient myth of hell," explains Doris Yeh. "Amongst other things, we make reference to the famous '228 Massacre,' which was the biggest ever massacre in Taiwanese history. Tens of thousands of Taiwanese were killed by the Chinese army. The final battle of the event occurred in the middle of Taiwan, where 40 local militia attempted to resist 2,500 soldiers from the Chinese army. In the end, the militia lost their lives near the Sing-Ling Temple.

"Musically, we tried to move the band to a whole new level," continues Doris. "In the past, we've been described in various ways, as 'symphonic black metal' or 'melodic death,' the word 'folk' has also been applied at times, but this was our chance to establish a new place for ourselves in the extreme metal genre."

CHTHONIC is:

Freddy Lim - vocals
Doris Yeh - bass
Jesse Liu - guitar
Dani Wang - drums
CJ - piano/synthesizer