Taiwan’s biggest metal band, CHTHONIC, and Mariska released a surprise collaboration track titled “Näin Määrättiin” (Thus It Was Ordained). This marks the first time ever that Mariska has featured on an extreme metal song.

Although the new track was inspired by the final words Taiwanese prisoners of conscience wrote to their loved ones before their executions, vocalist Freddy Lim realized that—despite historical differences—Finland’s history also holds similar, heart-wrenching stories of separation, loss, and survival.

Delving deeper into the subject, Freddy made a surprising discovery: during the Winter War, Finland’s resistance was frequently reported on in *Taiwan Minpo*, the first newspaper founded by Taiwanese people. At the time, Finland’s struggle against overwhelming odds offered inspiration and encouragement to Taiwanese readers. Many of those readers later became prisoners of conscience in the late 1940s.

The idea that people across the globe could share the same emotions and struggles—and even inspire one another—deeply resonated with Freddy. Around the same time, he became acquainted with Mariska and grew interested in her artistry and poetic lyrical style.

“This reminds me of my good old punk hardcore days; it’s a truly interesting experience!” Mariska continues: “When I first listened to CHTHONIC, their powerful music and videos made a deep impression on me. So, when they contacted me and proposed a collaboration, I agreed almost immediately.”

“I hope listeners can feel the sorrow in the song but also find solace in it. Death is something we all have to face sooner or later, and none of us can avoid it.”

The band’s other key songwriter and guitarist, Jesse Ulas Liu, adds:

“I think this is CHTHONIC’s first love song. It is a love song filled with conflicting emotions—sorrow, guilt, regret, despair, and hopelessness. Although the song still bears CHTHONIC’s signature style, we’ve also incorporated many new elements. I hope our fans find it refreshing.”

During the composition process, bassist Doris Yeh once again finalized the original demo by Freddy and Jesse, helping to shape the track just as she had for the band’s recent releases. “We no longer rush to release music the way we used to. Now, we finally have the opportunity to work carefully on each song, one by one. I really value the fact that we can still make music together, so I wanted to give careful thought to every detail,” says Doris Yeh, adding that she also discovered a surprising connection to Mariska through the latter’s well-known song “Terveisin Doris.”

The members of CHTHONIC are currently literally split between opposite sides of the globe, with Freddy and Doris living in Helsinki and the rest of the band in Taipei.

“Freddy still sends messages on every possible platform!” Dani laughs. “It still feels like he’s right here with us. But that’s a good thing. That attitude keeps us moving and drives us to create new music.”

The music video for the song “Näin Määrättiin” premiered  at the Air Guitar World Championships’ Dark Horse Video Show and at the Oulu Music Video Festival.

Freddy Lim, who serves as Taiwan’s representative in Finland, has participated in several events within the European Capital of Culture program in Oulu this year, where he has also given speeches.

“In previous events, I’ve mostly expressed my thoughts through words. Thanks to a kind invitation, I now have the opportunity to express my emotions through music as well,” says Freddy Lim.

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Extreme metal band CHTHONIC, which has toured large stages in the Far East, Europe and the United States, ended its long silence in March by releasing the single Endless Aeons, accompanied by a very opinionated video.

Today, the band releases the MEGAPORTAL 2425 live EP, which also features the song Endless Aeons. The EP contains a total of five songs recorded from this and last year’s gigs at the Megaport Festival. These gigs have a recurring theme of breaking the boundary between reality and illusion and creating virtual time and space on stage. In 2024, technology was used that allowed virtual characters to be presented in real time on a large screen. In 2025, the characters appeared physically on stage and interacted with the characters on the screen.

“The concert screen acts as a ‘time and space tunnel’, or in time travel terms, a gateway. Virtual time and space connect to the real world through these gateways. We see the virtual character through the screen, and the character sees us in the real world. When we performed the song Endless Aeons, the character traveled through the gateway and appeared in reality,” says Freddy Lim.

In addition to Endless Aeons, the theme of time and space is also evident in other songs on this live EP. The opening track MEGAPORTAL INTRO layers different versions of the song Takao, creating a chaotic and exciting atmosphere. Quell the Souls in Sing Ling Temple is about the battle between this world and the afterlife. During the acoustic song Defenders of Bú-Tik Palace, Finn, who has appeared in several CHTHONIC music videos over the past decade, was seen on stage. He performed the classic scene where the characters shout the lyrics of the song. Finally, tens of thousands of fans sang the chorus of Takao together, bringing the concert to a perfect conclusion.

CHTHONIC says they will focus on making a new album next, and have no plans to tour in the short term. This live EP is a delicious snack the band serves up to their international fan base, who are eagerly awaiting the band’s next releases and the shows that follow.

MEGAPORTAL 2425 tracklist:

1. MEGAPORTAL INTRO
2. Quell the Souls in Sing Ling Temple
3. Endless Aeons
4. Defenders of the Bu-Tik Palace (acoustic)
5. TAKAO

They say rock can change the world, and Freddy Lim made that a reality during his two terms in parliament, pushing for reforms. He promoted legislation that made Taiwan the first country in Asia to recognize marriage equality, and he pushed for better protection of indigenous rights. He also supported budgets that provided humanitarian aid to Ukraine. He pushed for transitional justice, demanding that the government open secret documents from the authoritarian era so that truth and justice could be realized in society.

In 2023, these declassified archives unexpectedly revealed the tragic and previously unknown history of Freddy Lim’s family. Combining history and mythology, it seemed no coincidence that Chthonic’s music had previously told the sad but courageous stories of Freddy Lim’s grandparents. Freddy was deeply shocked to learn of the news. In a whirlwind of emotions, he decided to end his eight-year parliamentary career and announced that he would not run for office again. He paused to consider the direction of his life and where his music could still take him.

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Chthonic, who have been huge in their home country of Taiwan and have been seen in Europe at Wacken and Download Festival, as well as in the US at Ozzfest, continue to shake up the metal scene with their new single “Endless Aeons” and a very influential video. The characters in the video are victims of the 1947 228 Uprising and massacre, who are caught in a hellish cycle of reincarnation, but fall through a time continuum tunnel into Chthonic’s concert, which symbolizes the interruption of rebirth.

At the same time, “Endless Aeons” ends the band’s long silence, during which the band’s vocalist and primus motor Freddy Lim focused on his political career in the Taiwanese parliament. Although the band has released new music since 2016, it has rarely performed abroad. In 2019, the band performed to 50,000 listeners in front of the Taiwanese presidential palace.

They say rock can change the world, and Freddy Lim made it a reality during his two terms in parliament, pushing for reforms. He promoted legislation that made Taiwan the first country in Asia to adopt marriage equality, and pushed for better protection of indigenous rights. He also supported budgets that provided humanitarian aid to Ukraine. He pushed for transitional justice, demanding that the government open secret documents from the authoritarian era so that truth and justice could be realized in society.

In 2023, these declassified archives unexpectedly revealed the tragic and previously unknown history of Freddy Lim’s family. Combining history and mythology, it seemed no coincidence that Chthonic’s music had previously told the sad but courageous stories of Freddy Lim’s grandparents. Freddy was deeply shocked to learn of this. In a whirlwind of emotions, he decided to end his eight-year parliamentary career and announced that he would not run again. He paused to consider the direction of his life and where his music might take him.

The Taiwanese title of the song “Endless Aeons” is 百萬遍 Pah-bān-piàn, a Buddhist term referring to the collective recitation of sutras to break karma.

“In the past, our music was about Taiwan’s constant disasters and rebirths. When I learned that someone in my own family was a victim of such a tragedy, it became personal. When will these disasters end? If we could start our lives over, would it be possible to live without regrets? This song is a question and an answer,” says Freddy Lim.

Jesse Liu, who composed the song, continues:

“The song sounds complicated, but it’s ultimately simple. It answers a complex question with simple words – that’s how it was meant to be.”

The band’s vocalist Doris interprets the song in a Taiwanese enka style, which was also a challenge for her.

“I’ve been practicing for a few years and I gave it my all, but to be honest, I was pretty nervous during the recordings.”

Chthonic, who has won several accolades, including a Taiwanese Grammy and Golden Melody Award, will release the MEGAPORTAL 2425 live EP in May.

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