XXX Chinese Metal - Rocking The Great Wall XXX Black Panther (黒豹 - Hei Bao)
The story of Mainland China’s best selling band begins in 1987, when Li Tong and Guo Chuanlin (aka Guo Si) form Black Panther, which will seen many band members come and go over the years. Ding Wu (vocals and guitar), Wang Wenjie (bass), and Wang Wenfang (drums) join the band. Only one year later Ding Wu leaves Hei Bao to found China’s first Metal Band “Tang Dyansty”. In the same year lead vocalist Dou Wei and keyboard-player Luan Shu (aka "Luan Shubin") join Hei Bao. In 1990 Zhao Mingyi becomes the drummer of Beijing’s Hei Bao. This line-up records the first self-titled album, which is released in August of 1991 by Rock Records. Two months later Dou Wei left the band. Later on he started a successful solo career. Luan Shu officially becomes lead vocalist. The debut album is already one year old as it is officially released in mainland China. The line-up changes still don’t come to an end. Four members record the second album "Spirit of Light". It is released 1993. This time first in Mainland China. After the recording Feng Xiaobo joins the band on keyboards. In 1994 Luan Shu leaves Hei Bao and Qin Yong joins the band as new lead singer. From now on the line-up will remain quite stable and the turbulent times are over. In the same year Hei Bao signs on with JVC, a Japanese record company. JVC re-mixes Hei Bao II and re-release it throughout Asia. The third album, "No Right No Wrong", is released in 1996, followed by "Can't Let Worries Have No Chance for Expression" two years later. After four studio albums the time for an official live album has come. It is called "Hurricane Fervour" and was recorded during a concert in Beijing's Olympic Stadium. We have the year 1999. Feng Xiaobo leaves and is replaced by Hui Peng.
In October 2000, Hei Bao release the single "Without You", followed by an official VCD of Hei Bao's live album. In 2002 Hei Bao signs with Beijing's Kirin Kid Productions, who will produce their next album.
Seven months ago Hei Bao completed recording their fifth album at Beijing's Kirin Kid studios. Qin Yong and Li Tong fly to London, England to do post-production on the album.
Surely, the Black Panther is a typical Hard Rock band. But it is band which “benefited” from the politics in the People’s Republic. They hadn’t the chance to listen to hundreds of Western bands. This lack of influences helped Beijing’s finest to create a hardly comparable sound with inventive ideas. The Mandarin vocals add a oriental flavour to the tasty music. Within the years and maybe due to the many line-up changes the band drifted from Hard Rock to a Rock band. A development comparable to Switzerland’s Gotthard. The quality remained at a high level. Hei Bao wrote a batch of songs, which I consider to be among the best Hard Rock tracks not only in China, but also worldwide.
Pictures and the content of the Biography are taken from G.I.Zhou’s Fan-Page: http://gizhou.3dretreat.com/heibao.html
Discography
Hei Bao (1991)
Spirit of Light (1993)
No Right No Wrong (1996)
Can't Let My Troubled Mind Have No Chance for Expression (1998)
Live (1999)
geschrieben am 20.05.2004 von Lex
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musikalischer Background des Verfassers True-und Power-Metal, Viking/Pagan/Folk-Metal, Osteuropa und Exoten in jeglicher Form, Genreübergreifendes, auch mal Thrash oder Death und Black in melodischer Ausprägung sowie ein wenig Gothic und Punk.
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[ Seit dem 20.05.04 wurde der Artikel 9318 mal gelesen ]
The story of Mainland China’s best selling band begins in 1987, when Li Tong and Guo Chuanlin (aka Guo Si) form Black Panther, which will seen many band members come and go over the years. Ding Wu (vocals and guitar), Wang Wenjie (bass), and Wang Wenfang (drums) join the band. Only one year later Ding Wu leaves Hei Bao to found China’s first Metal Band “Tang Dyansty”. In the same year lead vocalist Dou Wei and keyboard-player Luan Shu (aka "Luan Shubin") join Hei Bao. In 1990 Zhao Mingyi becomes the drummer of Beijing’s Hei Bao. This line-up records the first self-titled album, which is released in August of 1991 by Rock Records. Two months later Dou Wei left the band. Later on he started a successful solo career. Luan Shu officially becomes lead vocalist. The debut album is already one year old as it is officially released in mainland China. The line-up changes still don’t come to an end. Four members record the second album "Spirit of Light". It is released 1993. This time first in Mainland China. After the recording Feng Xiaobo joins the band on keyboards. In 1994 Luan Shu leaves Hei Bao and Qin Yong joins the band as new lead singer. From now on the line-up will remain quite stable and the turbulent times are over. In the same year Hei Bao signs on with JVC, a Japanese record company. JVC re-mixes Hei Bao II and re-release it throughout Asia. 
The third album, "No Right No Wrong", is released in 1996, followed by "Can't Let Worries Have No Chance for Expression" two years later. After four studio albums the time for an official live album has come. It is called "Hurricane Fervour" and was recorded during a concert in Beijing's Olympic Stadium. We have the year 1999. Feng Xiaobo leaves and is replaced by Hui Peng. 
Surely, the Black Panther is a typical Hard Rock band. But it is band which “benefited” from the politics in the People’s Republic. They hadn’t the chance to listen to hundreds of Western bands. This lack of influences helped Beijing’s finest to create a hardly comparable sound with inventive ideas. The Mandarin vocals add a oriental flavour to the tasty music. Within the years and maybe due to the many line-up changes the band drifted from Hard Rock to a Rock band. A development comparable to Switzerland’s Gotthard. The quality remained at a high level. Hei Bao wrote a batch of songs, which I consider to be among the best Hard Rock tracks not only in China, but also worldwide. 
