As war horns blare to announce the victorious advance of imperial armies, and unyielding fleets cut through rough, towering waves, Holyarrow transports us once more to the blood-soaked battlefields of the Ming Dynasty with their MLP Oath of Allegiance II.
Originally released in 2020, this release thematically picks up where their debut full-length Allegiance I left off, continuing the stories of the Ming imperial forces and the heroic local resistances in Amoy. Featuring two lengthy yet ferocious tracks of epic black metal, the EP brings to life Zhu Jin (Koxinga’s son)’s 1674 campaign against western tribes and the final great clash of the Tunging era—the 1683 Battle of Penghu.
True to their style, Holyarrow’s signature fusion of traditional Chinese elements and songwriting that honors the classic legacy of pioneers like Bathory and Graveland shines through, even more refined here. The riffs and solos echo both Bathory’s pagan energy and the melodies of China’s noble history, while sweeping synth passages and choral sections evoke a majestic, at times emotional atmosphere.
According to Schtarch himself, "To be honest, Oath of Allegiance II is the work I'm most satisfied with and fond of—both in terms of its music and connotations. It relates to a very niche part of Fujian-Taiwan history and the heroic deeds that have been deliberately covered up. In fact, it's extremely lamentable that no one on either side of the Taiwan Strait has commemorated Yanping Wenwang Zhu Jin to this day. To campaign against the Qing Dynasty, he carried out the only military operation in China's three thousand years of history where an attack was launched from Taiwan back to the mainland..."
Released on vinyl for the first time, the side B comes with lengthy bonus of a collaboration track between Holyarrow and Singaporean @welkinsg Housed in Japanese style tip-on jacket with OBI, Orange and Black vinyl, limited to 200 copies.