Chthonic have joined forces with Finnish singer-songwriter Mariska for “Näin Määrättiin,” a new single that connects stories of loss from Taiwan and Finland. The collaboration also marks Mariska’s first appearance on an extreme metal track.
The song began with the final words written by Taiwanese political prisoners to their loved ones before they were executed. While researching the subject, Chthonic frontman Freddy Lim found a historical connection much farther from home.
During the Winter War, accounts of Finland’s resistance were published in Taiwan Minpao, the first newspaper founded by Taiwanese people. According to the band, those stories offered encouragement to readers in Taiwan, some of whom would later become political prisoners during the late 1940s.
That connection eventually helped lead Lim to Mariska, whose music and approach to writing caught his attention.
“This takes me back to my good old punk hardcore days – it’s a really interesting experience!” Mariska says. “When I first heard Chthonic, their powerful music and videos made a deep impression on me. So when they contacted me and suggested a collaboration, I agreed almost immediately.”
Despite the weight behind the song, Mariska hopes listeners can find something comforting in it as well.
“I hope listeners can feel the sadness in the song, but also find comfort in it,” she adds. “Death is something we all have to face sooner or later, and none of us can avoid it.”
Guitarist Jesse Ulas Liu describes “Näin Määrättiin” as something of a first for Chthonic.
“I think this is Chthonic’s first love song,” Liu says. “It’s a love song filled with conflicting emotions – grief, guilt, regret, despair and hopelessness. Although you can still hear the style that is characteristic of Chthonic, we have also brought in many new elements. I hope our fans will find it refreshing.”
Bassist Doris Yeh also helped reshape the original demo from Lim and Liu, continuing the collaborative approach Chthonic have taken with their more recent material.
“We no longer rush to release music the way we used to,” Yeh explains. “Now we finally have the opportunity to work carefully on each song, one at a time. I really appreciate that we are still able to make music together, so I wanted to think carefully about every detail.”
Chthonic are currently working across a considerable distance, with Lim and Yeh living in Helsinki while the other members remain based in Taipei.
The music video for “Näin Määrättiin” has already been screened in Finland, premiering at the Air Guitar World Championships and the Oulu Music Video Festival.
Check out the video below.
