政治

來自台灣的閃靈樂團，活躍於國際音樂領域，是歐美日許多暢銷搖滾雜誌如Metal Hammer、Kerrang、Terrorizer、Burrn!、Revolver常客，數度登上雜誌封面，並獲雜誌讀者票選為全球最佳樂團亞軍。從日本Fuji Rock、Summer Sonic、Loud Park到美國Ozzfest、英國Download、Bloodstock、德國W.O.A.等，閃靈的足跡遍及世界各大音樂祭。隨著2002年唱片海外發行至今，閃靈已累積在全球超過三十個國家、巡迴超過兩百場演唱會。 閃靈作品內容以台灣神話、傳說、歷史為靈感主軸，音樂融合台灣小調、演歌、五聲音階、歌仔戲的旋律特色，並加入台灣樂器如二胡、箏、獵首笛等。除了重金屬原有的憤怒與邪惡以外，閃靈還獨有一種悲傷的情緒。國際樂評試著以Black Metal、Death Metal、Folk Metal等各種不一樣的風格來標籤閃靈，但閃靈的歌曲早已形成獨一無二的台式重金屬。 在台灣，閃靈多張專輯都站上流行音樂排行榜，並曾獲金曲獎流行音樂最佳樂團，團員們也投入不同領域的事務。團長兼Doris曾是女權組織的活動代言人，也是FHM等時尚雜誌封面人物，曾獲歐美及日本雜誌選為最佳的女搖滾樂手、參與電影演出，也參與過台灣大型音樂祭的幕後策展工作。鼓手丹尼致力於培養新生代樂手的音樂教育。吉他手小黑與鍵盤手小捲常參與許多台灣樂團的唱片製作。主唱Freddy則參與國際人權、社會正義等公共事務，並於2015年參與創組新政黨「時代力量」，2016年當選立法委員至今。 閃靈的五位團員不同的生活背景融合淬鍊一張張深獲國內外樂迷好評的作品。日本的知名搖滾雜誌《Burrn!》曾給予超高評價：「悲傷情感與強韌魂魄的完美結合，閃靈建立其他國際樂團 難以超越之高牆！」 2018年，閃靈將發行闊別五年的全新專輯【政治】，歌曲內容讓媽祖婆、王爺公、觀音媽、太子爺、帝爺公、城隍爺等台灣傳統神佛都一躍成為驚心動魄的重金屬詩篇，整體架構更穿梭在台灣百年的政治追尋與歷史神話之中。而過去陸續與台灣重量級藝人余天、詹雅雯、唐美雲、蔡振南、元千歲、陳綺貞、林生祥、巴奈以及日本知名藝人元千歲等知名歌手跨界合作，這次的新專輯則找來香港最有俠氣的天后何韻詩獻聲。 睽違了近六年，2018閃靈新專輯將於十月在台灣、日本、香港、歐洲及北美，也即將在接著的一年展開國內外演出。台灣本格重金屬將再次降臨！ While Taiwan is considered home of Austronesian peoples, and a mystic island nation in the Orient, advanced technologies and modern cities are also part of the image of Taiwan. The metal band Chthonic has given the best interpretation to the contrasting images of the country. Chthonic's lyrics are inspired by Taiwanese mythology, folk stories, and history, and the music incorporates elements of traditional Taiwanese folk music, enka, and sorrowful melody from Taiwanese opera, accompanied by traditional Taiwanese musical instruments, such as hena, zheng -also known as "box zither"- and pgaku flute. Also integral parts of Chthonic's music are elements from contemporary symphonic black metal, melodic death metal, blood-boiling riffs and solos. Critiques have tried to label Chthonic's music as black metal, death metal or folk metal, but Chthonic has opted for simply "metal" for its simplicity and genuineness. From Fuji Rock and Loud Park in japan, to Ozzfest in the US, Download in the UK, and WOA in Germany, Chthonic has been to major music festivals around the world, and has had toured hundreds of shows in Europe, North America and Asia. In Taiwan, several of Chthonic's albums were on the pop-music charts, and the band has been awarded the "Golden Melody Award"-the Taiwanese version of the Grammy Award. Besides being Chthonic, band members are also active in different fields. Doris, the bassist and the band leader, has been advocating for women's rights, acted in movies, and has curated major rock music festivals; the drummer Dani is working hard in music education to bring up younger generation musicians; the guitarist Jesse and the keyboard player CJ are involved in production of many albums of Taiwanese bands; the lead vocalist, Freddy, is active in public affairs relating to human rights and social justice issues, and now he is a member of the Taiwanese parliament, elected in 2016. Chthonic's recent albums include Seediq Bale (2007), Mirror of Retribution (2009), Takasago Army (2011), and Bú-Tik (2013), which were all released worldwide, with positive feedbacks from music critiques. Chthonic has also had concert tours in Europe, North America and Asia following the albums' releases. In 2014, an acoustic album Timeless Sentence was released, with unplugged concerts in cooperation with MTV Taiwan. Chthonic in 2018 is to release its brand new album, "Battlefields of Asura," a metal epic that features traditional Taiwanese goddesses and gods - Má-tsóo, Ông-iâ-gong, Kuan-im (Avalokiteśvara), Tè-iâ gong, Thài-tsú-iâ (Nalakuvara), Sîng-hông (City God)- and leads its listeners through Taiwan's political pursuit of more than a century and its history and myths. The new album has Hong Kong diva Denise Ho as guest vocal and is slated to be released in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, the U.K., Europe, and North America in October. Chthonic will be seen performing the new album at music festivals following its release. Taiwan's authentic metal is taking the stage again!