閃靈 / Chthonic "武徳 / Bú-Tik (Limited Edition Digipak, Taiwan, Ciong Zo, CHBT130529)"

Bú-Tik (Chinese: 武德) is the seventh studio album from Taiwanese black metal band Chthonic. It was released by Spinefarm Records on May 29, 2013, in Asia; June 3, 2013, in the United Kingdom; and June 25, 2013, in North America. Bú-Tik is the group's third record to be released through Spinefarm Records, and their second to have been produced and mixed by Rickard Bengtsson.

Speaking with Metalholic, bassist Doris Yeh compared the production of Bú-Tik to that of Takasago Army, stating, "The music production of Bú-Tik is very close to Takasago Army which we are quite satisfied with it. The structures of songs of Bú-Tik are a little bit different from Takasago Army. Songs of Bú-Tik are more fluent, smooth, and natural." Commenting on the song writing process for Bú-Tik, vocalist Freddy Lim told Sonic Shocks, "I think the band especially the song writing process has become more natural, it’s much easier for me and Jesse to find the right balance for taking our souls and finding the right inspiration to music."

Along with a track-by-track review by Doris Yeh, the album's fourth track "Next Republic" was made available for streaming on April 22, 2013, through Terrorizer. A music video for the track "Defenders of Bú-Tik Palace" directed by Chuang Chi-wen and choreographed by Jeremy Yang was released on May 7, 2013. An additional music video directed by Lin Chun, for the track "Sail into the Sunset's Fire", was released on May 24, 2013. The video was filmed during a rain storm at an outdoors swimming pool. On June 4, 2013, a full-stream of the album was posted on SoundCloud by Spinefarm Records. On June 10, 2013, a third video directed by Cheng Wen-tang and Chang Yih-feng for the track "Supreme Pain for the Tyrant" debuted on Revolver.

The album cover art was revealed on April 1, 2013. It was said by the band that the artwork was created to depict the theme of the album which was "the idea of an armed body and mind". The image is made of the features of an elder, child, and girl model. The female model depicted in the cover, Bu (小布), was chosen of nearly a hundred volunteer candidates. The album cover was designed by Oink Chen and with photography by 林峻.

Bú-Tik has received mainly positive reviews from professional critics. Edward Banchs of About.com commented on the records distinctiveness, "Gravely overlooked, Chthonic have crafted a unique sound in an otherwise repetitive genre, with an identity that speaks to pride as much as it speaks to the thrash influenced aggression that band unleashes with each record, and Bu-Tik is no exception." Ray Van Horn, Jr. of Blabbermouth.net gave the album a ten out of ten and likened it to their 2006 record Seediq Bale, stating "CHTHONIC has proven themselves true to their own cause and should anyone have been worried that [...] the corroding brutality of "Seedig Bale" [sic] has been relegated to the past, then "Bú-Tik" will dissolve those notions."

For their work on Bú-Tik, the group won three awards during Taiwan's Golden Music Awards, including: "Best Album Award", "Best Band" and "Best Musician". The group was nominated for seven awards at the event.

Tracklist:

1. 武裝 02:27  
2. 破夜斬 04:45   
3. 尼可拉斯 04:00   
4. 共和 04:12  
5. 大械鬥 04:38   
6. 亡命關 04:39  
7. 火薰時代 05:00   
8. 火燒島 03:47  
9. 暮沉武德殿 05:23   
10. 重殖武裝 01:49  

Time:  40:40  

English translations:

1. Arising Armament (Intro) 02:27  
2. Supreme Pain for the Tyrant 04:45   
3. Sail into the Sunset's Fire 04:00  
4. Next Republic 04:12   
5. Rage of My Sword 04:38  
6. Between Silence and Death 04:39  
7. Resurrection Pyre 05:00
8. Set Fire to the Island 03:47   
9. Defenders of Bú-Tik Palace 05:23   
10. Undying Rearmament (Outro) 01:49  

Time:  40:40

Recording information:

Recorded from January 2013 - February 2013 in Harplinge, Sweden

閃靈 / Chthonic "高砂軍 / Tasakago Army (Limited Edition Digipak, Taiwan, ULoud Music, ucloud034)"

Takasago Army is the sixth studio album by Taiwanese extreme metal band Chthonic, released in 2011. 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.

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."

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

Music videos have officially been 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.

Tracklist:

1. 冥河島 02:15  
2. 殘枝 04:21   
3. 皇軍 04:19   
4. 震洋 03:44  
5. 南十字星 03:53  
6. 薰空 05:38   
7. 玉碎 05:43  
8. 歸根 01:24  
9. 大黑天 04:02  
10. 鎮魂醒靈寺 05:18   

Time:  40:37

English translations:

1. "The Island" – 2:15
2. "Legacy Of The Seediq" – 4:21
3. "Takao" – 4:19
4. "Oceanquake" – 3:44
5. "Southern Cross" – 3:53
6. "KAORU" – 5:38
7. "Broken Jade" – 5:43
8. "Root Regeneration" – 1:24
9. "MAHAKALA" – 4:02
10. "Quell The Souls In Sing Ling Temple" - 5:18

First press, comes in a cloth-bound box.

The title Takasago Army refers volunteer soldiers in the Imperial Japanese Army, recruited from the Taiwanese aboriginal tribes during World War II. Takasago Army is the third and last part of the Souls Reposed Trilogy.

Takasago (Chinese: 高砂, Japanese: タカサゴ) is an ancient Japanese term for referring to Taiwan.

Also released as Souls Reposed box limited to 200 copies, containing a bonus CD and some merchandise (shirt, flag, towel, cap, wrist band).

閃靈 / Chthonic "Mirror Of Retribution (Finland, Spinefarm Music, SPI359CD/2712399)"

Mirror of Retribution is the fifth studio album by Taiwanese black metal band Chthonic, released in 2009. The album, as with previous albums is based upon concepts of historical facts (as with previous studio album Seediq Bale), an ancient myth of hell, and contains references to the 228 Massacre. The band adopted a new logo starting with this album, as seen on its cover; as well as a new stage presence based upon Taoist magic figures of folklore and the types of facial masks they wore.

Tracklist:

1. "Autoscopy (Intro)" 1:57
2. "Blooming Blades" 4:41
3. "Hearts Condemned" 4:31
4. "Venom in My Veins" 3:02
5. "The Aroused" 5:07
6. "Sing-Ling Temple" 4:07
7. "1947" 4:18
8. "Forty-Nine Theurgy Chains" 3:36
9. "Rise of the Shadows" 4:09
10. "Bloody Waves of Sorrow" 4:49
11. "Spell of Setting Sun: Mirror of Retribution" 5:56

English edition bonus track:

1. "Unlimited Taiwan" 4:43

Time:  50:56

English version Release dates:

UK - August 10 via Spinefarm Records

USA - August 18 via Universal Records

Second part of the Souls Reposed Trilogy.

Recording information:

The album was produced and mixed by Chthonic and Rob Caggiano (Anthrax).

閃靈 / Chthonic "Seediq Bale (English Version, Digipak, VCD, USA, Down Port Music, dpm-070205)"

Seediq Bale is the fourth studio album by Taiwanese black metal band Chthonic, released in 2005. The album was the band's first to receive full promotion and release outside of Asia, being released in November 2006 in the United States and worldwide in February 2007. It was positively reviewed by several websites and magazines,and boosted them into several popular magazines such as Terrorizer, as well as onto the lineups for both Ozzfest and Wacken Open Air.

The album featured session drummer Reno Kiilerich, formerly of Dimmu Borgir, and Sandee Chan, a Taiwanese singer, on female backing vocals. The English-language versions of the album fail to mention these members.

The English-language version includes three video tracks at the beginning of the disc: "Indigenous Laceration", "Quasi Putrefaction" and "Bloody Gaya Fulfilled".

Tracklist:

1. Progeny of Rmdax Tasing 04:35
2. Indigenous Laceration 04:03  
3. Enthrone 01:03   
4. Bloody Gaya Fulfilled 06:39   
5. The Gods Weep 05:55
6. Where the Utux Ancestors Wait 05:35  
7. Exultant Suicide 04:59
8. Banished into Death 03:49  
9. Quasi Putrefaction 06:57  

Time:  43:35  

Produced by 閃靈, Jan Borsing.

Additional information:

- English version, parts of the lyrics are translated and parts remain in Chinese and Japanese.

- Contains the videos for "Indigenous Laceration" and "Quasi Putrefaction", as well as a live video for "Bloody Gaya Fulfilled".

Recording information:

Recorded, mixed and mastered at Borsing Recording Studio, Aarhus - Denmark.