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.
Huang sticks with familiar song forms — baroque pop, 1970s folk, a hint of Mando-pop — but does so with aplomb and sincerity while managing to be original. He has a keen sense of harmony and a tenor voice that jumps smoothly to high falsettos, which he displays on the nostalgic opening track The Birds of Youth (青鳥).
On the title track Huang wears his heart on a sleeve. He sings this song in English, and with lines like “Oh Baby you and I we both live in pain/You know I will stand by your side,” one can’t help but brace for a sappy resolution. But a pleasing, quirky refrain and George Harrison-inspired guitar riffs reduce the urge to press the skip button.
Part of Huang’s charm is his directness and a yearning to connect. His lyrics, mostly sung in Mandarin — there are two English tracks — take on a colloquial feel, staying away from flowery poetics. Tomorrow’s Affairs (明天的事), a song inspired by working with clinically depressed patients, offers solace instead of definitive answers to overcoming personal hardships.
The universality of emotions seems to interest Huang the most, which sometimes makes this album seem like a musical version of “chicken soup for the soul.” But his earnestness and sharp songwriting sensibilities means listeners are able to read between the lines.
Eight years have been worth the wait for singer-songwriter Panai’s (巴奈) second studio album, A Piece of Blue (那片藍). The 37-year-old chanteuse appears to have used her time well, crafting new songs around lyrics written by friends at a songwriter’s workshop in Taitung County’s (台東縣) Dulan Village (都蘭).
Panai, who is of Puyuma and Amis heritage, teamed up with area musicians to create an album with a relaxed, dreamy feel that conjures up scenic beach and mountain scenes around Taitung. The sound of acoustic guitars, saxophones, keyboards and hand drums sets a carefree atmosphere, which balances nicely with her rich, melancholy-tinged voice.
Through much of the album, Panai’s vocal delivery is understated, which works to nice effect on the slow and hypnotic Me (我), in which she sounds serene. Sea Return (海歸) draws listeners in with its lilting acoustic guitar sounds and quiet, warm electric guitar riffs that hint at Hawaiian music. Panai sings this tune in Mandarin with a speech-like cadence and sounds detached yet soothing. Brief chirps from a gecko partway through the song add a sublime touch.
The album draws from a variety of musical styles, and it sounds like Panai makes the band arrangements work for her, rather than the other way around. She sounds right at home in the Brazilian folk-tinged Talaluki and navigates smoothly through the reggae number Me and Myself (我和自己), which features excellent backup from Paiwan musician Red-I and his band, the Riddim Outlawz.
The production values also deserve praise. The recording’s well-balanced mix conveys warmth and intimacy. The backing band is subtly mixed around Panai’s vocals, with each instrument coming through clearly. The ambient sounds of nature sprinkled throughout the album, such as sounds of the ocean and crickets chirping, enhance instead of detract from the music.
Panai has outdone herself with Piece of Blue. Each song sounds thoroughly inspired and driven —a likely sign that she managed to remain true to her artistic instincts.
Anyone who has been to Alishan (阿里山) is familiar with the railroad there: one line comes up from Chiayi City past the sacred tree site, while another line goes up to the sunrise viewing platform at Zhushan (祝山). Of course, as a center of logging operations for over 60 years, Alishan did have more rail lines in the past. Are any of these still around? Are they easily accessible? Are they worth visiting? The answer to all three of these questions is emphatically: Yes! One of these lines ran from Alishan all the way up to the base of Jade Mountain. Its
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