CHTHONIC — Takasago Army (review)

CHTHONIC — Takasago Army album cover Album · 2011 · Symphonic Black Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
4.5/5 ·
Time Signature
Oceanquake...

Genre: epic black/death metal

Hey, this is pretty cool - and quite versatile, in a way. The style sounds like death metal meets black metal meets power metal, and, with its symphonic layer, Chthonic's music comes across as being very epic, and there is even a sort of folk element to it, as they use traditional Taiwanese instrumentation, and there are also passages sung in the Taiwanese dialect (I think), as the chorus of "Takao" and a passage presumably sung by bassist Doris 'Thunder Tears' Yeh. In addition, there is also a modern feel to the band's music and sound which sometimes even sounds thrashy.

Now, some might think that what I am describing is an erratic and unfocused mishmash of styles. But that is not the case. It is true that Chthonic draw on a number of metal subgenres, but the album is actually very coherent and focused, as the band manage to capture all of these elements and integrate them into some very well wrought and captivating songs. Needless to say, the music, while extreme, is also quite melodic, and, perhaps the symphonic and traditional Taiwanese elements and the use of keyboards might put some purists off, I think it just works perfect in creating a unique and haunting atmosphere.

for my money "Takasago Army" is very close to being a heavy metal masterpiece. Fans of epic and symphonic metal will cheat themselves if they do not give this album a listen.
Share this review

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

MMA TOP 5 Metal ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
Master of Puppets Thrash Metal
METALLICA
Buy this album from our partners
Paranoid Heavy Metal
BLACK SABBATH
Buy this album from our partners
Moving Pictures Hard Rock
RUSH
Buy this album from our partners
Powerslave NWoBHM
IRON MAIDEN
Buy this album from our partners
Rising Heavy Metal
RAINBOW
Buy this album from our partners

New Metal Artists

New Metal Releases

A Sonication Technical Death Metal
OBSCURA
Buy this album from MMA partners
Hin helga kvöl Atmospheric Sludge Metal
SÓLSTAFIR
Buy this album from MMA partners
The Cycles of Suffering Black Metal
BURIAL OATH
Buy this album from MMA partners
Facilis Descensus Averno Death Metal
SAEVUS FINIS
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Metal Online Videos

More videos

New MMA Metal Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Metal News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us