Introduction
Interweaving brutal rhythms, sorrowfully beautiful piano melodies, and strings of grandeur, Anthelion's music encapsulates beauty, intricacy, extreme intensity, and conflict into a single expression. The vocals are an elaborate web of croaks high and low, stringed together with ear-dissecting screeches that fully express the strong emotions in the songs. The guitars incorporate a sound deeply influenced by speed metal and techniques from classical music onto a foundation of dark and heavy black metal guitar, which compliments Anthelion's resplendent style of music arrangement. Though still fast and brutal, the drums differentiate itself from the usual black metal act by alternating different techniques and tempos to enhance the sense of rhythm in the music. The bass also mixes high-speed picking with techniques from classical music, and appears not only as a sonic underlay but also in solos with other instruments and by itself.
Within three months of their formation in December 2001, Anthelion recorded and released their first demo. The demo ran out of stock instantly and Anthelion has been a great influential force upon Taiwan's metal scene ever since. In the following years, Anthelion showcased themselves in all major rock festivals in Taiwan, including the Formoz Festival, Spring Scream, Metal Immortal, and etc...gaining a substantial fan base in the process. In March 2004, Anthelion released their first EP—"Bloodstained Anthelion"—and initiated their Taiwan Tour soon after, making their name known to every part of the country. The peak of this stage of Anthelion's growth would be their interview in a popular talk show in Taiwan, which was broadcasted on TV in July 2005.
The band ceased all public performances after playing at the Invali Fest in 2005, dedicating all of their time and efforts to the preparation of their first full-length album and swearing not to take the stage again until achieving perfection. The decision to give up what equals a bands "life"—live performances—is not an easy one for Anthelion; but, for them, making music that does not live up to their idea of perfection would be equally lifeless.
After outliving two tough years of setbacks and equipped with a total of five years of preparation, Anthelion chose to materialize their artistry at the (in)famous Studio Fredman (Dimmu Borgir, At the Gates, In Flames, Arch Enemy, The Haunted)—the studio responsible for developing the legendary "Gothenburg sound." Anthelion traveled from Taiwan to Sweden, eager to combine European expertise with resonances of the Oriental, and ready to unleash the dark sounds that have been kept enchained for so long. The result of their efforts became the album "Bloodshed Rebefallen."
Anthelion released "Bloodshed Rebefallen" in July 2007, and soon embarked on their first Asia Tour (Japan, Thailand, Singapore etc...). In 2008, Anthelion is planning to release a DVD documenting their journey, as a band, from their formation in 2001 until the present. Anthelion is also looking forward to reaching out to the whole world and letting everybody hear this peculiar sound from Taiwan.
2008.02 Asia Tour – Taiwan (Bloodshed Rebefallen--Trinity Burning)
2008.01 Asia Tour – Singapore (Waking Up The Dead with Bhelliom)
2007.12 Asia Tour – Taiwan (Whale Fight)
2007.12 Asia Tour – Taiwan (Rose Tour)
2007.12 Asia Tour – Thailand (Wild Scream)
2007.11 Asia Tour – Japan
2007.10 Appearance in the Megaport Festival
2007.07 Appearance in the Formoz Festival
2007.07 Bloodshed Rebefallen album debut
2007.06 Bloodshed Rebefallen in production at Studio Fredman
2005.11 Appearance in the Invali Fest (with Chthonic, Zombie Ritual, Grim Force)
2005.07 Appearance in the Formoz Festival
2005.06 Taiwan Tour (new song debut)
2005.04 Appearance in Spring Scream
2005.03 Taiwan Tour
2004.10 Tour with Chthonic
2004.07 Appearance in the Formoz Festival
2004.04 Appearance in Spring Scream
2004.03 Bloodstained Anthelion (EP) release
2004.01 Managerial contract signed with Ultimate Music
2003.12 Appearance in Metal Immortal VI
2003.07 Appearance in the Formoz Festival
2003.04 Appearance in Spring Scream
2002.11 Special guest appearance in Chthonic's concert
2002.10 Appearance in Metal Immortal V (with Dark Funeral)
2002.09 Appearance in the Formoz Festival
2002.03 Demo release
2001.09 Anthelion formed by Code (vocals & keyboard), Zeist (guitar), and Troy (drums)
Anthelion's New Album - Bloodshed Rebefallen (Taiwanese Version 2nd Ed)
This edition includes a booklet with the lyrics translated into English and romanized with the Hanyu Pinyin system
Bloodshed Rebefallen (Taiwanese Version 2nd Ed)
At the beginning of time, the Snake—an intelligent creature on par with God—tempted the ancestors of all living beings and opened the door to life. It was condemned to bear ten thousand centuries of sin, with putrid blood flowing in its veins.
Condemned for thousands of years, the Snake Corpse transforms the hatred of loosing the heat of its blood into the fate of eternal warfare. With a mouthful of venomous fangs, the specter that was the Snake will awaken from thousands of years of enslavement, annihilate the earth, and conquer the heavens.
The album opens with the story of how the Snake Tribe confederates with evil spirits, trades blood in exchange for forbidden powers, and marches on to the war of fate in the song "Snake Corpse." The sound of the piano sings of thousands of years of enslavement in "Sin of Aeon," which shifts into the low chanting of "Without Trepidation"—foreshadowing the bloodshed on the thunderous seas in "Grave Ocean." Interchanging the perspectives of two different lifetimes, "Bloody Matrimony" interweaves the memories of disillusionment, blood, and death into a beautiful poem of reincarnation. After hibernation (reincarnation) in the chill of winter, the Snake Lord reawakens to return the land of its origin. It transmogrifies into the Evil Adversary, summons the specters of the Snake Tribe, and raises the unfinished war of fate in the dark of burning hell—swearing to avenge for the hatred of thousands of years of condemnation.
1. Snake Corpse (9:34)
2. Sin of Aeon (1:05)
3. Without Trepidation (1:21)
4. Grave Ocean (7:08)
5. Bloody Matrimony (5:53)
6. Hibernation Glaciation Exuviation (7:14)
7. Bloodshed in the Dark of Burning Hell (7:40)
8. The Tome of Broken Souls (6:38)
9. The Evil Adversary (5:19)
* English booklet included
Published by Ultimate Music
Recorded at Studio Fredman
Produced and Recorded by Fredrik Nordström & Henrik Udd
Distributed by Himalaya Records Corporation
Anthelion's Photos
Music Video of "The Tome of Broken Souls"
Music Video of "The Tome of Broken Souls"
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Music Video of "Bloody Matrimony"
Music Video of "Bloody Matrimony"
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The Making of "Bloodshed Rebefallen" (Preview)
The Making of "Bloodshed Rebefallen" (Preview)
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Anthelion - Bloodshed Rebefallen (Japan Tour Review)
Anthelion - Bloodshed Rebefallen (Japan Tour Review)
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Bloodshed Rebefallen Review (Heathen Harvest)
By Lord Lycan
http://www.heathenharvest.com/article.php?story=200709301354 30611
I've got to be honest. Anthelion blows every purely symphonic black metal act out there away, including Taiwan's very own Chthonic. Chthonic's only holding over Anthelion is their beautiful female vocal harmonies, but after seeing some live clips of Chthonic, my respect for them has been rather diminished. There are a lot of slip ups for them live and the female vocals sound nowhere near as well done as they are on the album, so this leaves the symphonic black metal throne up for the taking. In all seriousness, Anthelion has the power and crunch that nearly every band in the scene these days lacks. The vocal fierceness alone through its many attacks and ranges is absolutely amazing, and the places in which the general screams are places are just brilliant. Also, the music pays homage to true black metal through a great deal of the album as well, including thrashy riffs as well. This is indeed the full package, and the sad thing is most Americans will never hear this album because Asian releases are so hard to come by.
The band had only one previous release, an EP in 2004 through the TRA Music Corporation entitled "Bloodstained Anthelion". While I was not fortunate enough to hear this release, receiving Bloodshed Rebefallen more than makes up for it. There is only one phrase that can sum up Bloodshed Rebefalln:
This is a masterpiece of epic grandeur.
I have in all my life never heard more talented, and depressive black metal from the symphonic style. This collage of musicians is the finest that the world has to offer at this point in time in the symphonic black metal realm. No one, not one band on this entire planet, has got any kind of standing in the face of Anthelion. While they still have not quite perfected a sound out of the genre, they have come closer than any band I have yet to hear. The album is "nearly" perfect in every sense of the word, from the unique art in the booklet, to the incredible sound that the band has achieved in not only the production but the sheer musicianship that is created throughout the album. They basically pick up in a good way where cradle of filth left off when they started rolling downhill. This is the new black metal. Take it or leave it. I personally take musicianship and talent over cliche bullshit.
This brings me to a question. If this is so fucking excellent, then how many more secrets does Asia hold? All of these fantastic releases are coming out of a small island nation of Taiwan...what about all the bands we do not know of from China, South Korea, Malaysia, etc? Even Japan has to have a few secret bands left...If this is only a taste of what is to come, then I welcome the Asian scene with open arms.
