Thanks to groups like Chthonic (閃靈), who have started to cultivate a global following, heavy metal has taken root in Taiwan. Chthonic’s success has inspired a small but thriving metal scene, a slice of which is showcased on Ultimate Metal Vol. 1.
This compilation features up-and-coming bands from northern Taiwan, representing various “extreme” metal styles. Untrained listeners will hear, if not feel bombarded by, strident electric guitars that provide both rhythmic texture and the main melody; drums that belt out beats at machine-gun speeds; and vocalists who croak, screech and scream.
As one might expect, occult imagery and fantasy themes abound in the lyrics and stage costumes. These basic elements are shared by the bands appearing on the album; the stylistic differences are left to connoisseurs to identify and argue over.
But this album is not about presenting different styles, but rather bringing young bands together, says Bull Tsai (蔡文甫), the bassist for Desecration, which contributed two tracks. The scene is still small, he says, but Taiwanese bands are unique in that they “can mix different metal styles.” Tsai likens this “freedom” to what he calls Taiwan’s “hybrid society” (混合社會).
Anthelion (幻日), who organized the compilation, offers the album’s most mature-sounding tracks. Rapid Disillusionment (急遽–幻滅) plays like an epic, from the melancholy piano introduction to the nightmarish turns between chorus and verse. The band arrangements are meticulous and, one could even say, elegant, with lead vocalist Code’s well-timed guttural screeching.
Even though the album’s makers hesitate to play up their sub-genre niche, their compilation will likely appeal most to death-metal and black-metal fans. In keeping with the spirit of fringe genres, this compilation does not seek to attract new listeners — it’s simply waiting for its fans to arrive.
The album includes songs by Beyond Cure, Vulcan, Demise (薨) and Sin of Aeon, and is on sale at the bands’ shows.
Katncandi x2 (棉花糖) is an acoustic singer-songwriter duo that entered Taiwan’s indie scene last year. The pair’s debut EP, 2375, is a set of vignettes about a daydreamer-type who gazes at her world in wonder and hope.
The album cover art, rendered in pastel pinks and blues, offers visual images of the dreamer: a wide-eyed, infantile-looking girl wrapped in hair that looks like cotton candy and floating in a sea of clouds.
The title track tells of a desire to find “one’s own home,” which in the intro lead singer Ball (小球) says can be “real or imagined.” Thankfully, the song is more sentimental and wistful than overly cutesy. Ball sings in a whispery soprano, backed by the crystalline tones of acoustic guitars.
The mood shifts quickly with the upbeat ballad x2, which comes across as heavy-handed with its air of innocence; the song’s saving grace is the carefree and funky electronic drum and keyboard arrangement. On Your Strength (你的力量), Ball’s voice sounds more natural and mature. The piano grounds the song with a sense of intimacy, while the sampled string arrangements summon romantic grandeur. Her honest delivery makes it work, and credit should also go to Ball’s musical partner and guitarist Shen Sheng-jer (沈聖哲) for his composing.
A newcomer to Taiwan’s folk scene, Europa Huang (黃建為) raised eyebrows with his debut Over the Way, which he made during college. The album earned him the Best Newcomer accolade at the last year’s Golden Melody Awards. Soon after he finished school and received his occupational therapist certification, Huang completed his newest album, Come to Me, a set of thoughtful folk-pop tunes about relationships and growing up.
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