Chthonic – Bú-Tik


Chthonic-Bu-Tik_400x400When I was a kid, it seemed like everything I owned was made in Taiwan — toys, clothes, electronics… you name it. And it seems odd that China has, for now, ostensibly superseded Taiwan, since both countries use “China” in their name, and things have gotten mixed up a few times during the 20th century. Chthonic, on the other hand, are not mixed up. They refuse to forget their homeland’s bloody past, utilizing horrific incidents during mankind’s currently-monikered “Century of Warfare” as source material. Couple that with their amazing humanitarian work, and you have a band who walks as well as they talk.Continue reading


Leprous – Coal


Leprous-CoalI don’t care who you are — start managing people, and prepare for a bag of dicks. They may blossom from you, they may sprout from elsewhere, but trust me… bag of dicks. Probably because no one likes to be told what to do, and despite any pre-existing relationship, things get strained — which is perhaps why Leprous grows adventurous when released from the reign(rein?) of Vegard “Ihshan” Tveitan. This is not to suggest potential dissolution nor unhappy work conditions (after all, I’m not on tour with these folks), but it’s easy to imagine how one might feel a greater personal investment in their own creation.Continue reading