THC Zine Spotlight: 熔化骨髓 Melting Marrow Productions

[by: VIVIsectVI & Rx Zenabi]

熔化骨髓 Melting Marrow Productions is an independent concert organizer based in Wanhua District, Taipei, Taiwan. It’s owned by Rogan Wang, also the powerhouse behind P.O.T.O.W., a killer local death industrial and power electronics entity.

Since 2024, Rogan has produced a number of notable and cutting edge metal/hardcore/extreme music/harsh noise/power electronics shows around Taiwan. The production company aims to showcase both international and local artists in these extreme genres.

MMP holds two distinct concert series: Threshold Of Nothingness, a harsh noise/power electronics/extreme sound art series of shows that often serves as a warmup or precursor for Mental Disintegration, another concert series designed to set ablaze the Taiwan metal scene with some punishing underground metal. Both complement each other well, providing different extreme sonic palettes for the discerning HIGH art listeners.

The most current and upcoming concert is poised to destroy and annihilate the Asian and Taiwan scenes with Horn Of Plague, happening on March 28; It’s headlined by Abysmal Lord, Caveman Cult, and Sex Messiah, together with Myxoma, Iron Bludgeon, Aohen, and Orochi.

This super packed lineup of the best and elite black metal/bestial/war metal, death metal and sick grindcore will corrode the underbelly of the Asian metal scene and rip it apart with sick hellish chainsaw tones and rapid fire, ominous rhythms from the Abyss.

Over the past two years, Melting Marrow has hosted several international artists in these evil-twin concert series. Past shows included local heavyweights along with Asian and international artists, such as Acid Brain, L-Schema, From Ashes, Jaw Surgery, Circui⊥Error, Runtuh, and SIN.

A second edition presented in collaboration with SuckGlueBoys and Karma Detonation Tapes highlighted more of these well-curated international harsh noise and experimental selections, this time putting together another powerful lineup with: Lica, PGR, Chia-Chun Xu, 北山Q男, Jaw Surgery, Dermal Stretching, and Baah.

Another set of shows featured top notch local and international acts: AHAMA Y, Aohen, Ashen, Jaw Surgery, Circui ⊥error x 林子寧Lin Tzu Ning & Runtuh.

Another element that elevates the experience in these shows is the live sound and stage production. They make sure it’s a top priority, guaranteeing loud, dynamic, and clear live sound engineering for a proper presentation. It’s this attention to detail and dedication that goes the extra mile in professionalism.

The Mental Disintegration and Threshold of Nothingness November 2024 Taiwan Tour saw the killer combination of Malaysia powerhouse extreme metal and noise band Body Rag, along with their members Slaughter Table & BA’AH, with SBB from Japan, & Zenabi from Philippines.

The tour boasted of excellent venues and perfect live sound, with shows held at Revolver, DAO, Sound Live House, Nakama Studio, and Paramount Bar. Again, the attention to sonic and stage details added to the live sound experience, whether it be smaller, intimate venues or a proper metal/rock soundstage.

They toured major cities in Taiwan for a united extreme audial assault together with local/international extreme sound art, industrial, harsh noise, psyche drone artists Chia Chun Xu, Kozma Philo Liu, High Hard, Dermal Stretching, Bunker, & Moxina.

A veritable whos who of the best Taiwan death metal, grindcore, extreme metal and hardcore bands already known in international scenes included killer upstarts and local longtimers Myxoma, Aohen, DiePression, Hateful Rezpect, Anti Metronome, From Ashes, Fleur Artificielle, & Black Deities Cruiser. They all annhilated stages with Body Rag for a hellish good time. This well-curated lineup reignited the Taiwan underground scene with various sonic textures of the extreme sonic arts, bridging various Asian metal scenes.

These links on our report serve not only to document the intense shows and lineups happening right now in Taiwan’s vibrant metal and extreme musick scenes. It also offers you a slice of the music scenes from Taiwan and neighboring Asian countries, with killer new sounds to check out. More new shows, bands, and sound artists will follow in the coming months ahead so watch out their socials for the latest announcements.