Relentless Resurgence CD, A Decade on the Throne DVD, Seediq Bale
These are three releases from the Taiwanese black metal band,
CthoniC. Before this year, they were basically unknown in the States, but their appearance on this summer’s Ozzfest second stage has changed all that. Let’s start with
Relentless Resurgence. This is a ten-song album that clocks in at just under an hour so you know what that means...long songs. There are a few musical interludes and an intro that are only a few minutes long, but the full-on songs are in the 8-minute area. Let it also be known that they sing (actually, screech is the more appropriate word) in Taiwanese, but that shouldn’t matter because the lyrics can get pretty baffling, regardless of whether they’re in English or not. Songs such as “Grievance, Acheron Poem” and “Vengeance Arise” are perfect for those who like their black metal to be brutal at all times. On “Grievance”, the female bassist provides calming backing vocals that are really captivating, especially against the canvas of the black metal madness going on around her. A sweet guitar solo and prominent keyboards provide a tranquil passage in “Slaughter in Tri-Territory”. Even though I’m not a black metal fan in the least, this album held my interest and I have to tip my hat to the musicianship and songwriting presented here. I also dig the individual panels that accompany each song, telling a story through artwork.
A Decade on the Throne is a live DVD and 2 CDs of the same live show, shot in Taiwan. The band has the crowd in the palm of its hand at all times, and their facepaint and overall stage setup establishes a truly sinister mood. They have an oriental violin player, and he gets his own solo! As do the guitarist, drummer, and keyboardist. The drummer wears a leather mouthguard with spikes on it. I don’t know how he can breathe in that thing, but anyway...There’s also a female choir backing them up on a song, and “The Ocean” allows the singer to show off a surprisingly good, near-operatic voice that he doesn’t utilize at any other point. It’s a very long show, and I would suggest it for diehard fans mostly.
Seediq Bale didn’t work on any electronic device I put it in (that includes CD player, DVD player, and my computer). I will say this though. The artwork is badass. I won’t even try to explain it. Well the album/DVD/CD-ROM, whatever the hell it is, has nine audio tracks and a few music videos. Something tells me that it’s probably the same kind of sound that you would find on the other two releases I’ve talked about. Just a hunch.
