The gig began with a nun chanting on stage but suddenly erupted into a wall of noise unleashed by distorted guitars and screamed sutras -- the unique sound of Taiwan's first Buddhist death metal band.
The island has a vibrant metal scene but few outfits are quite as eye-catching as "Dharma."
Dressed in robes -- black, of course -- they use traditional Sanskrit sutras as lyrics. But everything else screams death metal, from bloody face paint on stage, to growled vocals, relentless riffs and double-kick blast beats.
Founder and drummer Jack Tung first came up with the idea 14 years ago after listening to a recording of Tibetan lamas reciting sutras.
