Although rock music has always been a fairly eclectic genre, the rock band Tang Dynasty managed something completely fresh, with their combination of western metal riffs and traditional Chinese vocals. With some great songs, and cool, unruly appearances, the members of Tang Dynasty were at the forefront of the Chinese rock scene during its early 90s hey day. 

A "Dream Return to Tang Dynasty", the title track of their debut album, was a huge hit across the land, with its use of the high, piercing vocal technique usually equated with Peking Opera. 

In 1988, Tang Dynasty came onto the stage for the first time.  However it was only after several painstaking years that they finally reaped the harvests of their first album in 1992. The enormous musical power of this debut release shook the Chinese pop market, with the shockwaves even bringing international recognition.

You're currently listening to a second track from Tang Dynasty's debut album. Entitled "Moon Dream", its poetic lyrics are again intended to evoke the ancient times of the Tang Dynasty.

This is an extract from the appropriately named "Epic", the title track of Tang Dynasty's second album. Compared with their debut, this album was considered a major disappointment although it was certainly an ambitiously complicated effort. Instead, the disappointment could partly be attributed to production problems, as well as a frustrating wait for the fans, with this album released until 1999, some seven years after "A Dream Return to Tang Dynasty".

You're currently listening to "Your Vision", another track taken from Tang Dynasty's second album. And before I leave you, let me read some lyrics from this track, in order to give you an idea of the ancient obsessions of this metal band, Tang Dynasty: Our grandkids fighting duels with drumstick swords; Those were your words; Guitars and basses slung across their backs; As they climb across stacks of drums and amps; While us old men, we cry our joyful tears; And drain a nostalgic glass to those wonderful years.