The Underground in China: Genres at a Glance by Ryan Dyer
One major asset of The Underground in China: Metal, Punk, Hardcore and Noise (2013-2021) is that the book covers many genres. Looking at it as a whole, it would have been silly to only include folk metal or thrash metal bands, as those genres are only pieces of the puzzle that make up the Chinese underground music spectrum. Below is a short welcome guide to the genres found within the book, now available via Earth Island Books.
Black Metal
If you go in looking for black metal, you will find an assortment of artists that can scratch the itch, including the mysterious and astonishing Zuriaake, Ritual Day, Frozen Moon along with other Pest Productions roster members like Bergrisar, Vengeful Spectre and The Illusion of Dawn (who came together at the Plague Fest put on by the label). Whether it be bestial, atmospheric or folk-inspired, the palette of black has many shades in the underground.
Death Metal
Like black metal, death metal also has several shades in the underground, with slamming brutal death metal being the biggest export in The Dark Prison Massacre. Old school death metal has its place, with bands like Skyfire and Ready to Die waving the flag. Current death metal sees the infusion of mixed media elements coming in such as Dehumanizing Itatrain Worship and Horror of Pestilence.
Grindcore/Pornogrind/Goregrind
The biggest representative from the grindcore community is none other than Gore Geng, the Godfather of Chinese Grind, whose Impure Injection band serves as a magnet to extreme scenes. Before his appearance, though, we have Cave Have Rod, a porno/goregrind band who put together the Gore Feast with fellow sickos Rectal Wench. Rectal Wench has kept the filthy spirit alive with recent shows in the same spirit with Impure Injection and new like-minded bands.
Thrash Metal
The thrash bands I encountered were all skilled but rather segregated – I saw them all at different concerts rather than a big “thrash fest.” Suffocated, Ancestor, Tumour Boy, Punisher and Execution make appearances in my book. Also check out Explosicum.
Punk/Hardcore
I frequented punk bars quite a bit, including School Bar in Beijing and DAFA in Tianjin. The punk community is one of the strongest in the Chinese underground, with festivals routinely put on in cities showcasing the artists. Punk bands featured in The Underground in China include Hell City, Dummy Toys, Gum Bleed, Pizzaface, Round Eye, Shochu Legion, etc.
Folk Metal
Folk metal has a tendency to feel powerful when seen performed live in front of a local audience as witnessed through shows by Nine Treasures and Snowsedim. Of course, folk elements appear across other genres as well, with black metal sometimes having some. Nine Treasures is a band that appears often in the book and should be observed in the near future, as they will be opening Mushroomhead and Fear Factory’s upcoming tour.
Metalcore/Deathcore
The One of Us festivals I attended were much like something akin to Summer Slaughter or Sounds of the Underground, featuring old-school bands like Suffocated and The Dark Prison Massacre, along with newcomers ready to take the throne like Armed Conflict, Leviathan and Lie to the Silence. The heavy, core-centric youth movement doesn’t stop there, with visual deathcore band Scarlet Horizon and metalcore acts like The Will on Kill and Awake Mountains making their presence felt.
Stoner Rock/Doom
The stoner rock genre isn’t big in China, so if you go in looking for bands that smell like weed, the advantage is that it’s easier to focus on the few bands that do exist. Of course, factors like the illegal state of marijuana contribute to the small stature of the scene, which is always interesting to think about when considering the other genres. Why does this exist more than that? Anyways, Never Before is the first band you should seek out here, and then browse the Sloomweep label for more.
Industrial Metal
Another genre that exists less than others in the underground of China is industrial metal, but there are some practitioners. Theatrics are often a big part of the bands I would consider having industrial elements, with Dr. V’Agent being a Beetlejuice/Manson hybrid and Scare the Children being an assortment of unhinged characters whom include keyboards in their playpen of dangerous toys.
Noise/Experimental/Avant-Garde
I knew of the nihilistic noise musician Torturing Nurse before I came to China. Based in Shanghai and thus putting on NOIShanghai shows with experimental and noise artists, I traveled there to observe just how they operate and what type of culture they have fostered. Currently, Torturing Nurse has his own venue, trigger, where live experiments happen frequently.
Conclusion
Of course, that’s not all. Within The Underground in China, there are more than 100 bands to discover across all genres found within the Chinese underground music scene. You don’t need a visa – crack it open, discover, and thanks for reading.
