Chthonic news!

The New Jersey-based "Erhu Rock Fusion" group Hsu-Nami (www.myspace.com/thehsunamirocks) -- who, like Taiwanese extreme metal band ChthoniC, prominently features the two-stringed Oriental violin called the erhu, also known as the hena -- has been added to ChthoniC's "UNlimited New York" Sept. 16 concert at Manhattan's Highline Ballroom.

"We are really excited for open up for ChthoniC and see them perform live," says Hsu-Nami violinist Jack Hsu. "We have heard a lot about them from friends from Taiwan, and it'll be great to see a celebration of Asian culture with a western influence. I think both bands share this in different ways."

"It's exciting that we can play with a different genre of Rock band with the same Oriental instrument after we've toured with metal bands for more than 2 months," says ChthoniC vocalist Freddy Lim. "I believe it's a good opportunity for all fans to discover new kinds of music!"

Throughout the summer, during which the band toured with Ozzfest and played two dozen "off-fest" shows with Nile, ChthoniC (pronounced "THON-ick") has performed its tour's theme song, "UNlimited Taiwan," which was written and
recorded this spring "to emphasize the 'UNlimited' potential of Taiwan and the Taiwanese people," Lim says. Like the tour -- which kicked off in Taipei earlier this summer following the international re-release of 2002's "Relentless Recurrence" and last year's "A Decade On The Throne" two-CD/DVD live set -- the song was named to protest how the United Nations (UN) limits Taiwan's full participation as an independent country. The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times and the International Herald Tribune, among others, have recently devoted lengthy features to the message behind the tour.

With a new session of the United Nations General Assembly scheduled to open in New York on Sept. 18, many pro-Taiwan rallies will be held around the city in the days beforehand. To coincide with the UN session's kickoff -- where Taiwan will once again petition to be formally recognized as an independent country, and not a Chinese province -- ChthoniC decided to hold a special "UNlimited New York" concert at Manhattan's Highline Ballroom, located less than three miles from the UN, on Sept. 16. Tickets are currently available on the venue's website, www.highlineballroom.com, and at their box office.

Because this is the group's third New York City concert in recent weeks, coming on the heels of an Aug. 21 performance with Nile and a Sept. 12 concert alongside Obituary (which replaced a canceled show with Katatonia), ChthoniC has arranged for the Highline Ballroom to offer tickets for only $5 to anyone who redeems a ticket stub from one of their previous shows at the venue's box office. For everyone else, a $2 discount can be obtained by purchasing the tickets online at www.highlineballroom.com (enter "un4taiwan" in the access code field). Furthermore, the first 100 fans in the doors will
receive a free set of ChthoniC "paper dolls," which are sold in toy stores throughout Asia. A photo can be seen here:
http://chthonic.server341.com/news/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/promophoto01-small.jpg

The "UNlimited New York" concert will be videotaped, and ChthoniC hopes that people of all nationalities will join them in this historic plea for freedom and independence. Fans in other cities can still help to support the cause by signing a petition requesting that the UN recognize Taiwan at the following link:
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/support-un-membership-for-taiwan/sign.html

Remaining ChthoniC "UNlimited" North American tour dates:

9/13 Jaxx - West Springfield, VA
9/14 Tremont Music Hall - Charlotte, NC
9/15 Jester's Pub - Fayetteville, NC
9/16 Highline Ballroom - New York, NY
9/19 Le Capitole Theatre ? Quebec City, QC (with Cradle of Filth)
9/20 Metropolis ? Montreal, QC (with Cradle of Filth)
9/21 Webster Theatre ? Hartford, CT (with Cradle of Filth)
9/22 Higher Ground ? Burlington, VT (with Cradle of Filth)