At first glance, Taiwan-based punk/noise quartet Modern Cinema Master might be mistaken for a group of ascetic monks, sporting unpretentious buzz cuts and dressed in black. Their demeanor is reserved; smiles are rare, laughter even more so. Yet, this apparent self-restraint is a careful preservation of creative and performative energy that erupts with explosive intensity in the studio and on stage.

      The band’s genesis came in 2015 when frontman Huang Yuan Mao returned to Taipei after graduating college. His musical trajectory took an unexpected turn after witnessing a performance by Touming Magazine, a revered Taiwanese punk legend. “I’ve always known I had a narrow, thin vocal range,” Yuan Mao recalls. “But seeing Hong Shen-Hao (lead vocalist of Touming Magazine) perform with a similar voice made me realize that I might be able to do it.”

      His passion for rock music such as Arctic Monkeys, DIIV, and Radiohead attracted like-minds to join him, including bassist Tseng Shang Jie and drummer Tree Huang, both auditioned for the band after seeing the wanted ads on an online forum.

      Modern Cinema Master forges their sonic identity through intricate instrumental motives, layered with Yuan Mao’s poetic and occasionally provocative Chinese lyrics, drawing inspiration from literary mavericks like Charles Bukowski and Ernest Hemingway. Unlike conventional narrative-driven music, the band subverts expectations by prioritizing emotional ambiguity. Where many see music as a storytelling medium, Modern Cinema Master views the act of creating music as an art form in itself, rejecting any commercial “A&R” agenda that might compromise their artistic integrity.

      In 2019, the band made a bold statement with their debut double EPs, State and Paipu. These complementary releases captured two distinct emotional landscapes—State embodying raw, turbulent energy, while Paipu revealed a warmer, more introspective youth. This innovative dual-release format would become their signature approach. The morning after their release, while the band members slumbered, unaware and unexpectant, a wave of critical acclaim washed over them—a pivotal moment that validated their artistic vision.

      In 2021, they dropped the first album Where Are We Now, a 57-minute two-disc epic produced by Kuo-hung Tseng, frontman of Sunset Rollercoaster. It has gained more than 5 million streams to date, resulting a nomination for Best New Artist for the Golden Melody Awards, Taiwan’s equivalent of the Grammys. The single “Romance and Poems” also won them Best Rock Song for the Golden Indie Music Awards, further solidifying the band’s status of one of the most critically acclaimed acts in Taiwan.

      After the pandemic, the band welcomed a new guitarist, Tian Qi Jia, whose eclectic metal and jazz background injected new sonic dimensions into the band’s sound. His innovative touches are prominently featured in their latest double album, I See You, released at the end of 2024. The record represents both a departure from and a continuation of their previous work, revealing a more refined and mature side of the band.

      For Modern Cinema Master, music is a lifetime endeavor, rather than pursuing social media virality. They continually seek the breakthroughs that no one has done before while acknowledging the rock music that they have loved all their life. Against the backdrop of today’s disposable music culture, listening to their music can be challenging, nostalgic, and spiritual all at the same time.