We recently spoke with Xiao, founding member / guitarist of Chinese Buddhist post-black metal group 虚极 (Bliss-Illusion), about about the band’s spirituality, Satan, Ghost Bath, upcoming album, and more. You can read the full interview in English and Chinese here.
During the conversation, Xiao also named his selection of most influential metal bands from or near China, including Hong Kong and Taiwan. Discover eight unique heavy groups from Asia below.
Tang Dynasty (唐朝乐队)
Beijing, China
On Bliss-Illusion‘s debut release Live at B:East Oriental Metal Festival, they applaud the track “梦回唐朝” (“A Dream Return to Tang Dynasty”) off Tang Dynasty‘s self-titled 1991 record – “A whole generation of Chinese rock fans were inspired by the ultimate master piece… where they encountered the term heavy metal for the first time.” With a handful of lineup changes over the decades, the prog / folk / heavy metal group continues to be led by vocalist Ding Wu. Hopefully we soon will hear new material from the five-piece act as their last record 芒刺 (Thorn) came out in 2013.
Voodoo Kungfu (零壹)
Beijing, China (now residing in Los Angeles, USA)
I recall venturing to West Hollywood’s Whisky a Go Go in my college years to see the Israeli prog band Orphaned Land. Opening the show was the burgeoning Voodoo Kungfu, harnessing throat singing and pure intensity on stage. While frontman Chinese Cobra is now residing in Los Angeles, the project consistently churned out a plethora of singles while in China, and even briefly collaborating cellist Tina Guo and Nature Ganganbaigal of Chinese folk metallers Tengger Cavalry.
Zuriaake (葬尸湖)
Ji’nan, Shandong Province, China
This ambient / extreme metal band translated to English is ‘Lake of Buried Corpses’. The elusive trio consists of Bloodfire (Hellward, Midwinter), Bloodsea, and Deadsphere (Varuna), yet is joined by Sly, DF, and Luo in live situations. Check out the blackened doom atmospheres on their latest EP 深庭 (Resentment in the Ancient Courtyard).
Dopamine (多巴胺)
Nanchang, Jiangxi Province / Yulin, Guangxi Province / Liaocheng, Shandong Province, China
With a more post-black metal approach alike Lantlôs or Deafheaven, the underground scene was craving more of this trio after their longterm breakup came to an end. In 2019, a full length studio album was finally unveiled, doubling down on the evolving blackgaze style. The atmospheres the group conjures depicts true depression.
Deep Mountains (深山)
Tai’an, Shandong Province, China
While modern material from this four-piece leans more-so towards post-rock, the atmospheric blackened roots absolutely remain. For fans of Agalloch to Explosions in the Sky, Deep Mountains build moods and soundscapes as big as their band name suggests, from their debut LP Lake of Sorrow in 2014 to the recent live release, Half Ocean Half Blaze.
Dark Fount (暗泉)
Tai’an, Shandong Province, China
Misanthropic one-man project Dark Fount is leading the modern black metal wave in China. With a near Blut Aus Nordesque experimental mania, the hypnotic intensity bellows out on last year’s Become the Soul of Mist. Absolutely keep your eyes on this vocalist / multi-instrumentalist Li Tao; he’s bound to find massive success in the underground.
Evocation (招魂)
Hong Kong
Fusing melodic death and black metal, Evocation is one of the strongest groups in the Hong Kong scene. It’s been about five years since their album 奠, translated to Libation. With Behemoth-level venom also pumping through the veins of previous albums Take Your Soul and 天靈靈 地靈靈 (Abracadabra), we hope to hear new material from Jam, Chung, Kevin, Tai, and Tomy soon.
Bloody Tyrant (暴君)
Nantou City, Taiwan
Formed in 2009, Bloody Tyrant uniquely blends regional folk instrumentation with melodic death and black metal alike oriental metallers Melechesh or Arallu. The quintet has released five LPs, with 2020’s 島嶼神話 (Myths of the Islands) being the latest. Earlier this year though, they unveiled Hagakure II, a sequel EP of the 2018 extreme masterpiece.