Pest Productions released the record Phoenix Will Be Dead (鳳凰絕) by Chinese Black Metal band Tomb in May this year. This EP consists of one song with a total length of 23:37. Depressive black metal out of Shandong!
Hong Kong Metal Alliance presents:
Hong Kong Metal Revolution 2012 (香港金屬起義2012)
Date：15/9/2012
Time：7:30pm
Performers: Cadaver, Elysium, Fear Index, Massacre of Mothman, Eve of Sin and Shepherds the Weak
HKD100 (Advance) HKD140 (Walk-in)
地點 Venue：Hidden Agenda
香港牛頭角大業街15-17號永富工業大廈2樓A室
2A, Wing Fu Industrial Bldg, 15-17 Tai Yip Street,
Kwun Tong, Hong Kong
Ticket Outlets(Start on 18th AUGUST) :
Hidden Agenda
牛頭角大業街15-17號永富工業大廈2樓A室
2A, Wing Fu Industrial Bldg, 15-17 Tai Yip Street, Kwun Tong, Hong Kong
Tel: 9170 6073
Records Rendezvous
新蒲崗大有街35號義發工業大廈14樓1405室
Flat1405, 14/F, Efficiency House, 35 Tai Yau Street, San Po Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Tel: 2716 9333
弘力樂器 Holiday Music
新蒲崗大有街1號勤達中心地下
G/F, Midas Plaza, 1 Tai Yau Street, San Po Kong
Tel: 2242 2256
Bluesrock Guitar Shop
觀塘工業中心2期地庫F
Unit F, B/F, Ph 2, Kwun Tong Industry Building, Kwun Tong road, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Tel: 2622 2881
Battle Stage
觀塘巧明街112號友聯大廈11樓B2室
Unit B2, 11/Fm Union Building, 112 How Ming Street, KKwun Tong
Tel: 2415 2999
Music Life (音樂共和國)
旺角彌敦道582-592號信和中心地庫B38A
B38A, Basement, Sino Centre, 582-592 Nathan Road, Mongkok
Camel Studio
旺角通菜街2A-2P鴻光商場1樓2號
Shop 2,1/F, Hung Kwong Shopping Arcade, 2A – 2P Tung Choi Street, Mongkok, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Tel: 3421 2587
Music Trio
旺角總統商業大廈1406室
Rm 1406, President Commercial Centre, 608 Nathan Road, Mong Kok
Tel: 2771 5888
Hereby the compilation record CORE IN CHINA is officially released worldwide! It had been some busy five months (January – May 2012) that weworked on getting the songs lined up, mastered and uploaded on various internet services for the global release.
As such, cutting things short and keeping it essential, download the album (ZIP) or go to either bandcamp, soundcloud or last.fm to listen to it online and download it. All songs have been mastered by Björn Sonderman in Germany and we have received two splendid cover arts which were contributed by Joe Wu and NERVE Magazine!
Spread the word! Share the compilation and send it to your friends! CORE IN CHINA is alive and the twenty bands we have chosen for this first edition are hungry to show you what China is: Heavy! Whether its the electronicore of Thyhazard or the hardcore of King Ly Chee, these bands deserve to be listened to!
Please tell us what you think of the songs, of the bands, the cover, the project itself, the impression you got and what you think of when you listen to “Liar” or “End of Me”. Write it in the comments below!
Not only is the overall compilation free, but Rock in China has also compiled further information on the ‘core scene of China that will help everybody to understand what is happening in the scene:
Regional Love: CORE IN CHINA has been listened to, shared, downloaded and talked about in France, Germany, the USA and China.
Since the inofficial release as sneak previewed by Beijing Daze, CORE IN CHINA was downloaded over 600 times (bandcamp), with additional 200 downloads on Soundcloud and it was listened to over 5000 times across various servers.
It has been many weeks since Rock in China announced it’s CORE IN CHINA project for the very first time. We already announced the participation deadline, closed the submissions and reviewed them in our small yet dedicated team. A couple of days ago we sent out the official selection emails and also informed those bands that didn’t make it. There was no case that we had to reject a song due to its bad quality, but with a total number of 20 songs and by far over thirty song submissions, we had to make a choice.
Right now, all songs are being “mastered” in Germany, with it being however less of a real mastering and more of a volume alignment as most bands already had pretty good mastering done before submission. Whilst we wait for the final song versions to be issued to Rock in China and whilst we wait for the designers to prepare our cover, here is the band and song list:
Post-Hardcore band Meat Sucks answered our call for CORE IN CHINA and also responded for all our interview questions:
Azchael: Can you briefly introduce yourself and Meat Sucks? Meat Sucks: We are Meat Sucks from Wuhan and funded in 2010. A girl vocal and four boys Musicians composed this band. Respectively is the following, vocal Sami, guitarists Mike and talon, bassist Zuo, drummer Gong Xiao. Technically, we are a very young band, but it has never been the problem for us to be the most professional and passionate band compare to other bands. Initial, because we all love Emo Rock then decided to create this band. Though all the discussion, our direction is post-hardcore, and make our own Rock music. Finally, we’ve got a lot of chances to perform, meanwhile, rehearsing and recording are very good ways to improve our skills. Rock music is the best channel to help us access our deep thoughts and express our potential capabilities.
Azchael: Which instruments are you using and which brand? Meat Sucks: Our band’s configuration is the simplest of the three: bass, drum, and guitar. But we can not rule out the possibility of adding electronic equipments like keyboard. The main use of the brand of guitar is PRS, Schecter, or ESP. bass is Sadowsky,and drum is Tama.
Azchael: Why have you chosen to use post hardcore as your style of music? Meat Sucks: We have chosen post-hardcore as our style of music because the five of us like it. It can show our most inside voices.
Azchael: How is the core scene in Wuhan? How many people come to your gigs? Meat Sucks: Compared to other cities, Wuhan is more conservative. However, in recent year, more bands would like to try post-hardcore and more audience accepted it. We are glad to see in our performance there are almost 200 people come every time.
Azchael: From your douban I can see that your songs get a lot of listening, especially compared to other more mainstream bands. Where do you have most fans? Meat Sucks: I can only answer this question by speculation, because I cannot represent our audiences. In the group of rock, most rockers are male. However, Meat Sucks consists of a female vocal and four young boys. Perhaps it is the reason why we can express more delicate and soft feelings. I think it is the unique point to attract our audiences.
Azchael: Do you think you represent the new sound of Wuhan? Meat Sucks: Wuhan never lacks of excellent musicians and bands. We are just an epitome of the new wave bands in Wuhan.
Azchael: Have you toured in China or plan to do so? Meat Sucks: Yes. In addition to Wuhan, we also visited Changsha, Beijing to perform. Our plan in 2012 is to launch our debut album, then try to tour in China.
Azchael: What is underground for you? Are you underground? Meat Sucks: I think we are the underground band, from music writing and recording, we make it independently. Performances and records propaganda are done by ourselves.
Azchael: Where do you see the future of post hardcore, especially as the wave of post hardcore in the west seems to be already coming down? Meat Sucks: The style of the band is not so important for us. We do not rigidly adhere to a certain style. We like post hardcore, so we are pleased to do this kind of music, and don’t care whether it is already coming down or what few people like it.
Azchael: How do you promote your music? Do you promote internationally? Meat Sucks: Like many other bands, we promote our music via the internet. I think the best way is to promote is to write more good songs, let our audiences willing to recommend us over and over again, willing to listen to our songs and find their own resonance.
Azchael: What do you think of RockinChina.com? Meat Sucks: We have known your website, what the most intuitive feeling is, it is very professional, very thorough, and your questions made me feel that you are very fond of rock music. I hope more people like you can always willing to get an in-depth understanding of rock, report rock, stand on solid ground for Chinese rock music. We really like your site.
Azchael: Thanks for the interview! Meat Sucks: We are very pleased to accept your interview!
Another participant of the CORE IN CHINA project has answered our tidious questions about metal and the Chengdu scene: Post hardcore band Raving Jokes.
Azchael: Can you please introduce yourself and the band RAVING JOKES?
Raving Jokes: My name is Huang Yao, currently serving as the band lead guitarist position. Our band was formed very rough, in the process of 2 years which replaced many times musicians, only I was the oldest member, now our team members are college students. The band members are metalcore fan, love of core music, so everyone together to rehearse what are more understanding.
Azchael: Have you guys signed with any record label? Raving Jokes: Now we band also did not sign the record company, there is no fixed brand, adding some band union.
Azchael: What is the scene in Chengdu like? Are there many metalcore bands? Raving Jokes: Now the Chengdu underground rock development is very optimistic, in Chengdu what style of music have, Chengdu people to the atmosphere! I now know Chengdu metalcore band may have more than 10 branches!
Azchael: What is metalcore for you? Raving Jokes: The metalcore is let me one’s blood boils with indignation. Can proceed without hesitation, a kind of energy, cause whatever I do will have the power of fire.
Azchael: Is your music and your way of life accepted by your parents? Raving Jokes: The present situation of rock this way I can not go on, but I will adhere to not go now, but I will not erase the love of rock. My parents are very much against it, but we take part in some large-scale music festival, parents see my efforts, gradually changed the original attitude, as long as I do not delay the study they are all for me to go.
Azchael: In 2011, you went through a tour of Yunnan. What do you think of the scene there? Are there many metalcore fans? Raving Jokes: Last year’s Yunnan tour is the first tour of our band, is unforgettable tour, although each acting out of many people, but in the tour process, we made a lot of local band musicians, exchange a lot of experience, processing a lot in the tour occurred during a temporary problem, let our tour the band’s each people more profound feelings, the first Yunnan tour gave us a lot of valuable experience.
Azchael: How do you promote your music? Do you promote overseas? Raving Jokes: We want to put our own original DEMO recorded for the end of the year, after the issuance of the band ‘s first EP. At present we have not to overseas to promote our own music.
Azchael: What is underground for you? Are you underground? Raving Jokes: I think the ground like a mine, wait for others to mining, while the band is the various types of various condition of ore. Our band is a mine which is slowly evolving ore.
Azchael: What do you think of Rock in China? Raving Jokes: I think Rock in China is a way to the mine, or Rock in China is a rock bridge connecting with overseas. All in all I think Rock in China must exist!
Azchael: Thanks for the interview. Raving Jokes: THANKS A LOT！
Our call to arms has even reached Inner Mongolia! Baotou metalcore band Mary Dolls had responded and participated in the song submission. Here is our take with them about the metalcore scene of Inner Mongolia.
Azchael: Can you please introduce yourself and the band? Kun: My name is Zhai shuaiqin, but my friends usually call me Kun, I am the vocalist of Mary Dolls. Our band was founded in March 2010. The members of our band are all my friends, we have knew each other for many years. There are five members in our band, three of them have married, guitarist Wang Le, drummer Han Feng and me. The other members Wen and Ma are very young, we all living in Baotou , so our band is very stable.
Azchael: What instruments are you playing in the band? Which brand? Kun: I’m using SHURE-sm58 microphone, guitars are SCHECTER made in Korea , and ESP made in Japan . Bass is WARWICK .
Azchael: Can you please describe the metal and metalcore scene in Baotou and in the rest of the Inner Mongolia? Kun: Metal music was very popular in 2000, but it began to decline after that, the most important reason was we don’t have a stable place to perform, then our band was begin to conduct many rock performance since 2010, metal band in Baotou has increased to six from only one. Metal music in Inner Mongolia is very good now there are many bands in the rest of Inner Mongolia , and they all play very well.
Azchael: Are there a lot of bands in Inner Mongolia? A lot of venues? Kun: Yes, there are many bands in Inner Mongolia , and there are many styles, metalcore, hardcore, punk, blues, and so on. They usually perform in a bar, there is only one live house in Inner Mongolia, it’s Ning Live House, in Hohhot . Many band performed in Ning, and there will be a new place to perform in Baotou in May, kind of a live house.
Azchael: Why did you choose to play metalcore? Kun: We were all interested in metal music, and metalcore is more new, so we choose metal core.
Azchael: What is underground for you? Are you underground? Kun: I think the indie band that did not controlled by money is underground, and they play music just for their dreams. I think we are underground.
Azchael: You have performed on the Asia Metal Festival? How was the performance? Kun: Yes, in October 2011, we went to Beijing to take part in the Asian Metal Festival. We feel pretty good, the performance was very successful, we all feel relaxed.
Azchael: Do your parents accept the music you make? Kun: They can’t accept our music at first, but after a lot of communication, they began to accept, I think communication is very important.
Azchael: How do you promote your music? Kun: We don’t good at promote, we just make music, perform, and website such as weibo, douban, that’s all.
Azchael: What do you think of Rock in China? Kun: It seems like Rock In China had conducted a lot of rock performance, I think it’s a good thing, rock music in China is not very popular, many people still can’t accept this kind of music, so I think Rock In China helps a lot to promote rock music in China .
Our first official confirmation for CORE IN CHINA had been Henan metalcore band WHY LAZY. And while submission is hereby closed as March 15th 2012 has been reached, Rock in China is currently evaluating all submitted songs and reaching out to the bands for interviews and further information. Here is the interview with Why Lazy:
Azchael: Hi folks, I would like to interview you.
WL: Great! Its our pleasure to have the interview with Rock In China.
Azchael: Can you please introduce yourself and the band?
WL: We formed in 2007 with Nu-metal style,and then transferred
to metalcore, post-hardcore. Anyway, u can still find nu-metal feeling in our music a little bit.
Azchael: What instruments are you using? What brand?
WL: In our opinion,the instrument is serving for musician.W e try to work out the best effect in the limited condition is always fun.
GUITAR1:LTD PD-1,distortion IBANEZ TK999,overdrive IBANEZ ts-9,delay biyang ad10,denoise BOSS NS-2
guitar2: cort m600,distortion Blackstar ht-5,overdrive MAXON OD808,delay MXR M169,denoise BOSS NS-2,reverberation EH Holy Grail Nano.
bass:fender 013 6760,preceding stage MXR m80,compress MXR M132
drum:Pearl,dw9002,zidjian
Azchael: How is the metal scene in Zhengzhou? What are the livehouses like? How many people come to the gigs there?
WL: It was amazing in pasting time.but most of nice bands have been dismissed.7 Live House is the most professional venue in henan,the number of the audience is still growing.because different style can attract different fans,so its diffcult to estimate it.
Azchael: With most of China’s metal acts located in Beijing, is it difficult for you to play your music in Zhengzhou?
WL: Frankly,everywhere is the same.But the attitude is most essential.making music at my hometown can make us feel more light from the pressure of economy,but the scene of it or the opportunity will worse than in beijing.
Azchael: You are going on tour this year through a number of China’s cities. What are your expectations?
WL: we hope to contribute something for this heavy music market,and try to let more people know the new school core music.let it into a good development is essential.To sum up,i hope every city can rock our hearts!
Azchael: What do you think are the influences for post hardcore in China? Which foreign bands impress you most?
WL:The Falling and Multi-Ego do impact on us domestically.and our favourite is THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA ,OF MICE & MEN ,miss may i oversea.they are wonderful.
Azchael: Your EP Precipitation was released by Mort Productions last year. How did you get discovered by Mort Productions?
WL:we just wanna release it ourselvs at first,but the boss of mort productions found us in douban.com,and then we sign the recording contract with them,and all u can know is the coming happened.
Azchael: How do you promote your music? Do you also do promotion overseas?
WL: we do the promotion by douban.com ,myspace.cn or something website else more often.but we still have no plan to promote overseas
Azchael: What is underground for you? Are you underground?
WL: underground is an attitude for us,in chinese rock music scene,the model of development has been changed a lot.to the major groups,we are still underground.
Azchael: What do you think of Rock in China? WL:RIC is greatful to china,different rock bands can promote themselves to the people have no idea of chinese rock n’roll in such a medium.RIC is an useful promoter for china to the world.
Azchael: Thanks for the interview! WL: Its our honor to accept the interview from you!thanks!
Painkiller hosted their 12th anniversary fest with CANNIBAL CORPSE visiting. Read the awesome review at Smart Beijing!
Rock in China 