Chthonic (Taiwanese Black Metal)

Undergod

Cool. Beijing Opera has shown us that Chinese culture knows how to do cool make-up.

Also, it's cool how they're trying to ressurect native Taiwanese culture and stuff.

Karl Hungus

Desecrator666 wrote:

The keyboards sound terrible aswell as the vocals.
I was really looking forward to hearing this band and now i wish i hadn't, hehe.
Gallhammer from Japan are the way to go folks and their a hell of a lot better looking.

Personally, I don't think there's anything wrong with the vocals or the keyboards...

Gallhammer are pretty good too, but they're doing a whole different thing to Chthonic, it's more a lo-fi oldschool kinda thing. Oh and I don't see what them being 'Better looking' has to do with anything at all.

Although, as we're broaching the subject of Japanese Black Metal, although they're pretty removed from the genre these days, going off in more experimental ways like Arcturus have, mention must be given to the legendary Sigh.

It wasn't me!

Sigh are indeed worth a mention.

Pyr0

The main thing that puts me off black metal, well early black metal is the album ssounding like it was recorded in a tin can, take for instance Wrath of the tyrant from our beloved Emperor ! Then compare that with say XI Equilibrium or Prometheus it's a huge difference, the latter two more enjoyable to listen to imo.

Have to get my hands on some more Immortal, I've got Damned in Black which is a decent album, any other recomendations ?

Karl Hungus

Pyr0 wrote:

The main thing that puts me off black metal, well early black metal is the album ssounding like it was recorded in a tin can, take for instance Wrath of the tyrant from our beloved Emperor ! Then compare that with say XI Equilibrium or Prometheus it's a huge difference, the latter two more enjoyable to listen to imo.

In fairness though, Wrath Of The Tyrant was just a demo, even comparing it to In The Nightside Eclipse, there's a fair difference in production.

Pyr0 wrote:

Have to get my hands on some more Immortal, I've got Damned in Black which is a decent album, any other recomendations ?

Damned In Black is probably one of their worst.

Their absolute masterpiece, I have to say, is At The Heart Of Winter. Their final album, Sons Of Northern Darkness is also phenominal.

As far as Immortal go, I think those 2 albums are really the only must-haves. It's them at the very top of their game, their most epic work, marked by the big 8 minute + songs on offer. Most of their other albums are more about short blasts of brutality, Blizzard Beasts having many songs that are less than 3 minutes long, and these albums just don't have the same kind of epic sound, which is what Immortal are best at.

Pyr0

I suppose you have a point there karl ! There goes my example out the window !!

John

But Pyr0, you're right about some BM albums. There seems to be a trend now to actively degrade the sound on new recordings as that's the only "true" way to record black metal :rolleyes:

Case in point is Striborg from Tasmania. His albums are so roughly recorded and digitally compressed that they are impossible to listen to. Not in an extreme "it sounds so sick!" way but in a just plain annoying way. Too much effort to build up an image and not enough effort at writing decent music and building up the atmosphere properly.

Prezatch

Apart from enslaved, I quite like Borknagar's stuff. They have nice progressive elements in their music and the vocals work great with the cool keyboard sound

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDigvukQq8Y