Chthonic

Chthonic (sometimes typeset ChthoniC or ChThoniC) is a Taiwanese metal band, formed in 1995 in Taipei. The group incorporates influences from traditional Taiwanese music including the classical Asian instrument erhu (the band often calls it hiân-á in their native Taiwanese). Their songs are entwined with historical concerns and metaphor, injecting their music with folk traits and traditional oriental instrumentation. After 2011, their trademark erhu (the Taiwanese two-stringed violin) is now complemented by the stringed instruments the koto and shamisen, as well as Tibetan bells and the shakuhachi and pgaki flutes, the latter of which is traditionally used by the aboriginal people of Taiwan ^[4]. They are acclaimed artists, as well as political activists who advocate Taiwan independence and self-determination for the Tibetans and Uighurs. Since the band's formation, Chthonic has released six studio albums. Their most recent album, Takasago Army, was released on August 1, 2011 in Europe and on September 6, 2011 in North America via Spinefarm records.

History

Freddy Lim started the band in 1995. He has also been the Chairman of Amnesty International Taiwan from 2010 until now.

The band's stated goal is to use their music to bring ancient history and mythology into the modern era, especially the tragic history and myths of Taiwan (for example, those of the Seediq people). The name "Chthonic" is a Greek term referring to the earth and the underworld. The name is usually pronounced by the westerner fans as "Thonic". In 2003, they won the Best Band Award at the Taiwan Golden MelodiesAward Ceremony. The band is also banned in parts of China for their political views.

Lead vocalist Freddy Lim is notably active in the political scene and supports Taiwanese independence. In February 2009, Lim and bassist Doris Yeh participated with human rights activists at the Taipei zoo panda exhibit, which symbolizes China's attempts to establish soft power relations with Taiwan. In 2007 Lim and other artists organized an international music festival to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the 228 Incident, entitled "Spirit of Taiwan: With Justice We Cure This Nation".

Chthonic first attracted international attention with the 2006 release of Seediq Bale for its death metal, symphonic black metal, and thrash metal with Taiwanese folk elements. Chthonic were featured as a second stage act at the 2007 Ozzfest tour. While taking part in Ozzfest, they also toured as a support act for Nile and as a headliner . Also in 2007, Chthonic played at the Wacken Open Air festival in Germany. Unfortunately, their instruments were not delivered on time, so Su-Nung had to play a keyboard instead of his erhu. Er-hu player Su-Nung left the band in 2009 to follow his own career path.

After signing with Spinefarm Records in 2009, they released two studio albums, Mirror of Retribution and Takasago Army ’in two years. Chthonic was ranked #2 in the "Best Band" and "Best Live Band" categories in the 2009 Terrorizer Readers' Poll.  They were invited to play the Download Festival (UK) in 2011 and in 2012 Bloodstock (UK) , Wacken Open Air (DE) , and Vagos Open Air (PT) . They are the first East Asian extreme metal band to make such a mark.

In 2010, Chthonic digitally released the single "Painkiller" which is a cover of the Judas Priest's song. The single also features a Taiwanese version of the song "Bloody Waves of Sorrow," the original version of which appeared on the 2009 album Mirror of Retribution. The album Takasago Army was released in 2011, preceded by a single and video for the track "Takao". Takasago Army hit the charts on the Japanese Oricon 200 in the #109 position in 2012.

Lyrical themes

Prior to the album Seediq Bale most of the band's lyrics were written in Classical Chinese, which is rarely used in contemporary Chinese or Taiwanese music, and sung with Mandarin pronunciation. Starting with the album Mirror of Retribution the lyrics are written and sung in Taiwanese. Some songs may also include verses in Japanese or Taiwanese aboriginal languages. Starting with Seediq Bale the band has released alternate version of their albums for the international market, with some songs remixed with English lyrics.

The themes mostly surround the defiant spirit of early Taiwanese colonizers, fictional wars between aboriginal gods and Han's gods, Taiwanese folklore and mythology, and historical events such as the Wushe Incident, the 228 Incident, and the formation of the Takasago Volunteers.

Stage Performance

Chthonic is also known for their shocking and original stage costumes, which are composed mainly of corpse paint similar to many black metal bands. Until 1998 Chthonic simply incorporated the types of costumes used by Scandinavian Black Metal bands; but they later incorporated some Taiwanese elements and characteristics, like the "8 Generals of Hell" on Freddy Lim's forehead. Keyboardist CJ uses a cloth inscribed with Chinese characters wrapped around his head, which in mythology is a spell to raise Chinese Vampires from the dead.

With the release of the album Takasago Army in 2012, Chthonic have changed to military-styled stage costumes. They also stopped using corpse paint because the band members found it tedious to put on before concerts. Fans often toss hell money during Chthonic's stage performances to create a dark atmosphere as well as for fun. People of Chinese culture who are unfamiliar with Chthonic may find this offensive or disrespectful because the practice is considered to be taboo.

The band is also known for burning the flag of the Kuomintang Party, first doing so in the video for the song "Forty-Nine Theurgy Chains" in 2009. This aroused some controversy. Packages containing a flag and a box of matches were officially made as presents later.

Members

Doris Yeh, having joined in 1999, is the bassist and appeared on the cover of FHM Magazine Taiwan in November 2008.

Current members

• Freddy Lim, Left Face of Maradou – vocals, erhu (1995–present)
• Doris Yeh, Thunder Tears – bass, backing vocals (1999–present)
• Jesse Liu, The Infernal – guitar (2000–present)
• Dani Wang, Azathothian Hands – drums (2005–present)
• CJ Kao, Dispersed Fingers – piano, synthesizer (2005–present)

Former members

• Ellis – guitar (1995–1998)
• Zac – guitar (1998–1999)
• Null – guitar (1999–2000)
• Man 6 – bass (1995–1996)
• Yu – bass (1996–1999)
• Terry – drums (1995–1997)
• Wang – drums (1997-1999)
• A-Jay – drums (1999–2004)
• Ambrosia – keyboard (1995–2001)
• Vivien – keyboard (2001–2002)
• Sheryl – keyboard (2002–2003)
• Luis – keyboard, vocals (2003–2004)
• Alexia – keyboard (2004–2005)
• Su-Nung, The Bloody String – erhu (2005–2008)

Session members

• Reno Killerich – drums; on Seediq Bale (2005)
• Sandee Chan – vocals; on Seediq Bale (2005)

Members with album recording

Members without album recording

Discography

Studio albums

• Where the Ancestors' Souls Gathered (1999)
• 9th Empyrean (2000)
• Relentless Recurrence (2002)
• Seediq Bale (2005)
• Mirror of Retribution (2009)
• Takasago Army (2011)

EP

• Satan's Horns (2003)

Singles

• Deep Rising (1998)
• Nightmare (1999)
• UNlimited Taiwan (2007)
• Painkiller (2010)
• Takao (2011)
• Broken Jade (2011)
• Quell The Souls In Sing Ling Temple (2011)

Compilation albums

• Anthology: A Decade on the Throne (2006)
• Pandemonium (2007)

Live album

• A Decade on the Throne (2006) – Live DVD + 2CD
• Final Battle At Sing Ling Temple (2012) – Live DVD + 2CD

Other

• Spred the Qi (2003) – Double VCD

DVD

• A Decade on the Throne (2006) – Live DVD + 2CD
• Final Battle At Sing Ling Temple (2012) – Live DVD + 2CD

Literary

• Dynasty (2006)
• Taiwan Guts (2008)