- Photo: South China Morning Post
BEIJING: A doctoral supervisor at a top Chinese university who has published more than 80 scientific papers has been revealed as the lead singer of the famous mainland black metal band, Zuriaake.
Liu Yao, 41, works as a professor in the School of Materials Science and Engineering at Shandong University in eastern China, specialising in metamaterials and electromagnetic functional materials.
But many people are unaware that he is also the lead singer of Zuriaake, a band established in Jinan in Shandong province in 1998 when Liu was an undergraduate.
The band members have nicknames such as Bloodfire, Bloodsea and Deadsphere on drums.
Zuriaake released a notable album Afterimage of Autumn in 2007 while Liu was a master’s student.
The album, which combines black metal with original poetry, quickly became a fan favourite and is regarded as a milestone in Chinese heavy metal music history.
The band is known for its unique and mysterious performing style as all members wear straw rain capes, bamboo hats, and veils on stage. They never reveal their faces during performances.
The music is a fusion of traditional black metal with Chinese influences, incorporating samples of traditional Chinese instruments such as temple blocks, handbells, and xun, which is a globular, vessel flute.
Their lyrics also draw inspiration from traditional Chinese poems, incorporating elements of Chinese legends and mythology. Some of their songs are more than 20 minutes long.
The band was largely inactive between 2008 and 2012 because Liu was in Germany pursuing his doctoral degree at the Technical University Berlin.
In 2012, after completing his postdoctoral studies, Liu joined Shandong University – which ranks 316th in the QS World University Rankings 2025 – as a faculty member.
During his term, Liu advanced from lecturer to associate professor, culminating in a tenured professorship and doctoral supervisor role in 2020.
He has also published more than 80 academic papers, 14 of which have been featured on scientific journal covers – a source of pride for many researchers – and has obtained multiple invention patents.
Parallel to his academic achievements, Liu’s musical career also flourished.
In 2015, the song Gu Yan, which translates to “Lonely Wild Goose,” was released by Zuriaake, and was well received within the heavy metal music community.
A particularly poetic lyric from the song, “Chasing the moon across the horizon, dancing in the lonely night sky” has evoked emotions from fans.
“In my understanding, researchers are like lonely wild geese. The deeper they delve into their research, the more isolated they become. They struggle in solitude, close to despair, yet persistence allows them to faintly glimpse the dawn,” one follower said.
Liu’s story has ignited a lively discussion online.
“Balancing research with rock music – this professor is truly remarkable,” one person said.
“He plays heavy metal music in the evening and conducts research on metals in the day. He is truly China’s first metal PhD,” wrote another.
His students are also impressed with his rocker credentials.
"My supervisor is this lead singer and I’m a drummer.
"When I was competing to be his student, I attached some photos of my band rehearsals and performances in my email and that made him choose me," one of them said. - South China Morning Post
