Chinese heavy metal
![]() | ||||
Music of China | ||||
General topics | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Genres | ||||
Specific forms | ||||
Media and performance | ||||
|
||||
Nationalistic and patriotic songs | ||||
|
||||
Regional music | ||||
Chinese heavy metal (
History
[edit]Tang Dynasty (1988–1990)
[edit]Chinese heavy metal had its origins in hard rock (
The success gained from their performance eventually led to them obtaining a record contract with the Taiwanese record label, Magic Stone. In December 1992 Tang Dynasty released their debut album, titled A Dream Return to Tang Dynasty, marking the first release of a heavy metal album in China by a Chinese band.[2]
Development (1991–1999)
[edit]In the time following the initial success of 'Tang Dynasty' a number of other Chinese heavy metal bands began to emerge throughout China. The bands emerging during this time period gradually began to adopt a 'heavier' style of music utilizing more western elements in to their music, shown by the band Overload's thrash metal debut record in 1996,[3] but retaining the Chinese lyrical content.
1997–1999 saw a massive rise in the amount of metal bands in China as the amount of new metal bands being formed every year increased from roughly 1-2 to 15 by 1999. The new bands being formed also began to diversify in terms of musical subgenre of heavy metal as many bands began to explore a more Extreme Metal sound rather than the traditional '80's metal sound'.[4]
In 1999, the first metal magazine "极端
Public Recognition (2000–2012)
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/79/%E6%A0%B8%E8%81%9A%E5%8F%98_-_G.webp/220px-%E6%A0%B8%E8%81%9A%E5%8F%98_-_G.webp.png)
In September 2000, the first heavy-metal-oriented magazine, Painkiller, was founded in Beijing.[5] The magazine quickly became popular within the heavy metal subculture in China on account of both its local coverage of metal related subjects as well as due to the inclusion of interview and articles written by foreign correspondents.
During June 2001, the record label "Mort Productions" is founded by some of the members involved in the production and release of the Painkiller.[6] On November 4 Mort productions released the first compilation CD of Chinese heavy metal, "Resurrection Of The Gods"[7] Mort Productions would go on to release a variety of records by Chinese metal bands as well as several metal compilation albums.
From the year 2005 and onward, China began to have several high-profile metal concerts with foreign bands headlining, along with local Chinese bands supporting. The band Labyrinth's performance in Beijing marked the first official metal concert in China by a foreign band.[8]
In the following years several foreign bands such as: Edguy, Lacrimosa, Testament, Exodus, In Flames, Nightwish, Dark Tranquility, Dream Theater, Stratovarius, Helloween, Opeth, Lamb Of God, Soulfly, Cannibal Corpse, Iron Maiden have all performed in both Beijing and Shanghai.[9][10]
2012 marked to be a major statement of recognition for the Chinese metal scene, with several metal bands such as Suffocated being filmed by CCTV 5 and broadcast along the European Championship in Soccer 2012 coverage.[11] Furthermore, the website Rock in China released the compilation record CORE IN CHINA that attracted global attention online and is regarded as a milestone for Chinese metal.[12][13] In August, three Chinese metal bands (Suffocated, Yaksa and The Falling) performed on the Wacken Open Air 2012.
Artists
[edit]See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ 极端
音 乐(Extreme Music), Extreme Music. "极端音 乐(Extreme Music)". Xmusick.
- ^ "Evolution of Chinese Rock". Sina.
- ^ "A Dream Returns To Tang Dynasty (Album)".
- ^ "Overload". Rock In China. Retrieved 14 May 2012.
- ^ "History of metal in China". Rock In China.
- ^ "Painkiller Magazine". Painkiller Magazine.
- ^ "Mort Productions". Mort Productions.
- ^ "Resurrection Of The Gods (VA)". Rock In China.
- ^ Laskowski, Christine. "All right, Beijing!". China Daily.
- ^ "Shows". Guitar China.
- ^ "Shows". Painkiller Productions.
- ^ As seen on Douban
- ^ Global Metal Apocalypse (c) May 2012 review Archived 2013-02-09 at archive.today
- ^ Metalinsider.net (c) June 2012 review
External links
[edit]- Mort Productions
- Mort Productions release timeline Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine
- Guitarchina (in Chinese) Archived 2012-05-17 at the Wayback Machine
- Article on Tang Dynasty
- Report about Heavy Metal in China