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Jul 6, 20234 min read

CHTHONIC 閃靈 — Takasago Army

𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐑𝐘𝐏𝐓𝐒 - 𝐂𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐁𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐏𝐀𝐒𝐓 𝐀𝐋𝐁𝐔𝐌 𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄𝐒 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐃 𝐑𝐎𝐂𝐊 & 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐕𝐘 𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐋…

12 years ago today, CHTHONIC released the final album of their "Souls Reposed" Trilogy.

On July 6, 2011, CHTHONIC 閃靈 released their sixth full-length studio album, “Takasago Army” via Spinefarm Records.

The title is a reference to the Takasago Volunteers in the Imperial Japanese Army, recruited from the Taiwanese aboriginal tribes during World War II. Takasago (Chinese: 高砂, Japanese: タカサゴ) is an ancient Japanese name for Taiwan. This album serves as the final record in Chthonic's "Souls Reposed" Trilogy.

Background:

The album's front cover art depicts a WWII Takasago Army volunteer marking himself as "Seediq" (an act forbidden by the Japanese), although he is now serving in the Japanese military. This illustrates the conflict many of these soldiers had with their identity as Japanese soldiers and their heritage as Taiwanese Seediq warriors.

According to the band's press release statement, "This album, “Takasago Army”, seeks to expose the part of Taiwan's history that the government attempts to cover up through the interior conflict on identity of former Taiwanese soldiers. The album also seeks to showcase the quest of the Taiwanese for values and dignity as human beings through the tragic roles of the Taiwanese during World War II. Bridging the story of the fourth album “Seediq Bale”, which took place in 1930, and the story of the fifth album “Mirror Of Retribution”, which took place in 1947, the latest album “Takasago Army”, which recounts the story that occurred from 1940 to 1945, was actually the last puzzle of Chthonic's trilogy."

Recording and Production:

In an interview with Metalship, Freddy Lim commented on the band's songwriting process for “Takasago Army”, saying: "In the early years, we played a kind of Metal like the western kind. And the more we played, the more we put Taiwanese elements into the music. All particularly in the new album “Takasago Army”, the whole 'writing' philosophy has been changed. We used to write Metal, and then add some Taiwanese feelings and emotions, but this time I write Taiwanese songs. Basically they all are Taiwanese songs, Taiwanese Folk songs or Taiwanese Pop songs, I don't know how to define them, and then Jesse and I made them heavier. Now, we start to have another writing process, that is more natural."

“Takasago Army” was co-produced by CHTHONIC and Rickard Bengtsson, Mastered By Mats "limpan " Lindfors.

Promotion & Touring:

Music videos were officially released for the singles "Takao", "Broken Jade", and "Quell The Souls In Sing Ling Temple" respectively.

The first video released, "Takao", was recorded in one 26-hour session. The video received over 15,000 views during the first few days of its debut on YouTube.

Both "Takao" and "Broken Jade" were directed by Chuang Chih-Wen.

Chthonic played a series of headlining shows across Asia in the "CHTHONIC Heavy-Armed Tour 2011" which spanned from July 10, 2011, to August 7, 2011. The band donated 10% of the ticket sales made on their Taiwan performance at the Sound Livehouse to the Taiwanese Old Soldiers Cultural Association.

CHTHONIC (with special guest Randy Blythe of Lamb of God) performed at the Sing-Ling Temple in Puli, Taiwan, a historical landmark that is referred to on their albums "Takasago Army" and "Mirror of Retribution", on October 22, 2011. The concert was divinely approved of by the temple's deities and drew in over 1,000 fans from across the world.

(Live at Sing-Ling Temple, October 22, 2011)

CHTHONIC toured with Arch Enemy, DevilDriver, and Skeletonwitch, in the "North American Khaos Tour 2011" from September 8, 2011, to October 4, 2011.

CHTHONIC and Kiuas supported Turisas in the "Stand Up Fight" tour through the U.K. which began on October 27, 2011, and ended November 17, 2011.

CHTHONIC took part in the "Khaos Over Europe Tour" with Warbringer, and Arch Enemy from December 7, 2011, to December 22, 2011.

Critical Reception:

In their review, British magazine Rock Sound stated that “Takasago Army” showed CHTHONIC at their most focused”, while also saying; “Their sixth career full-length, the Taiwanese Symphonic Black Metal merchants are finally less concerned with proving their product and more attached to creating memorable tracks. Although the group have retained their blackened roots, much of the prerequisite blasting has been replaced by galloping Battle Metal rhythms, as triumphant leads take precedence over chromatic trills and jolts. Case in point: the heroic keyboard march and beautiful Chinese violin of “Broken Jade” and the Thrashing Melo-Death of “Southern Cross”. The five-piece’s dramatic Orient Metal (their words) might not brace consistently but when it does it’s unstoppable.”

Links to Artists, Albums, and Music Videos:

Click this link to listen to “Takasago Army” via Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/album/takasago-army/705464491

Click this link to listen to “Takasago Army” via Spotify: Takasago Army https://open.spotify.com/album/5wjaCt7xl8qgDTmWnUoQth

Click this link to watch the official music video for “Takao (Taiwan Version)”: https://youtu.be/c3t-0MIy-fc

Click this link to watch the official music video for “Broken Jade”: https://youtu.be/heF_NPJbv8Y

Click this link to watch the official music video for “Quell the Souls in Sing Ling Temple”: https://youtu.be/Ynb9vFd0iNg

Click this link to watch CHTHONIC live at Download Festival 2011: https://youtu.be/2THYMWW3uh0

Click this link to follow CHTHONIC on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chthonictw

Note: The reviews shared here are for historical reference. The views and opinions expressed within are not always supported (in full or in part) by Into the Wells. — E.N. Wells

CHTHONIC 閃靈 — Takasago Army

Background:

Recording and Production:

Promotion & Touring:

Critical Reception:

Links to Artists, Albums, and Music Videos:

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