Chthonic (deriving from a Greek word signifying spirits of the underworld) along with producer/mixer Rob Caggiano (Anthrax guitarist) have delivered an album that touches on both the spirit and mortal worlds, with loss of national identity & the sometimes turbulent history of their homeland appearing as recurring themes. Never ones to shy away from a just cause, Chthonic – in particular front man Freddy Lim – have been consistently active on the political front at home, whilst away from their hometown of Taipei they have also appeared at the Wacken Festival in Germany & toured as part of Ozzfest in the US, becoming the first Asian extreme metal band to make such a mark.

"Musically, we tried to move the band to a whole new level," explains bassist & band spokesperson Doris Yeh. "In the past, we’ve been described in various ways, as ‘symphonic black metal’ or ‘melodic death’, the word ‘folk’ has also been applied at times - but this was our chance to establish a new place for ourselves in the extreme metal genre" Just one listen to the brutality & technical proficiency of Mirror of Retribution, and you'll know exactly why Chthonic are going to be the next kings of the global extreme metal scene.