By Ryan Dyer
Since 2017, the various cities of China have had their outlining walls invaded by Titan, a band of hungry, guitar wielding, drum abusing behemoths. From Beijing, the straightforward and cathartic style of the band is perfect for those knuckle-dragging, shit kicking, alcohol fueled nights. Titan have been crusading across China for the past few years and don’t intend to stop anytime soon, so catch them next time they show up outside your city wall. I caught up with drummer Zhang Guodong for a retrospective on the band’s journey so far:
The band started in 2017. What elements came together to form the band known as Titan?
In early 2017, a friend introduced the drummer, guitar and vocalist to form Titan through the common understanding of this type of heavy musical style.
You are becoming real road warriors – making a name for yourself throughout China. I have seen you a few times in Tianjin now. I think Titan exemplifies the phrase “hard work pays off”, as you must work hard and get out there for people to notice you, right?
Yes, hard work will pay off. We agree with this sentence very much. We will take it seriously during rehearsals and performances to improve the overall level of the band, stay true to our original intention, and enjoy the wonderful music produced. We also want to make more like-minded friends along the way!
What are the most memorable shows you’ve played so far?
So far, the most memorable performance was held at the Resurrection of the Gods Music Festival at the end of 2020. The audience was very powerful and there were a lot of people. The band was in a good mood and the performance was very unforgettable.
How would you describe your brand of metal to someone who hasn’t heard it before?
Everyone has their own favorite type of music and if they have not heard metal music, Titan can test them to listen to the rhythm and melody. If they don’t really like it, then we can’t convince them otherwise…
Would I be correct to say I hear a Mongolian influence in some of your vocal delivery?
There is no Mongolian influence on song writing with Titan, but there are a few very common vocalizations which are reflected in this music.
Currently there is a deathcore surge among the young bands in China. Everyone is worshiping the slower, more disgusting breakdowns with the harshest vocals possible. Why do you think that is ?
At present, among the young bands in China, I don’t think there is too much surge in this kind of heavy music – only a small number of people like it, and most people like other, more mainstream styles of music more than metal, so it’s hard to say that it’s popular.
You currently have one EP out. Tell me about the recording of it.
Actually, we may need to record these songs again, since the various instrumental parts and singing parts need to be improved. The theme of each song on the EP is different, which mainly involve various aspects of mythology.
You are currently working on a full-length LP. What will we expect from this one?
I hope you can feel the elevated form of Titan that we bring to our live shows from this album, and I also hope friends can continue to support our music, so that we can develop the band better.
What are Titan’s current aspirations? Are there any festivals you’d like to be a part of? Any bands you’d like to share the stage with?
At the present time, I hope the band can take it to a higher level. The band is united and works hardtogether. I hope to have the opportunity to participate in some outdoor music festivals, such as MIDI, etc. I want to perform on the same stage with more bands of the same style, so that we can learn better, and also hope to gain more exposure and let the Chinese metal fans discover us.
