Ancient Chinese Poetry Meets Symphonic Metal in WHEEL OF TIME’s New Single “China Moon”

Progressive power metal project WHEEL OF TIME returns with its latest single China Moon, a sweeping fusion of East and West that blends the grandeur of symphonic metal with the elegance of traditional Chinese poetics.

Watch China Moon HERE:

Encouraged by mentor and ex-MEGADETH guitarist Kiko Loureiro to emphasize national characteristics, project mastermind Jimmie Hong originally wrote China Moon in Chinese, in the style of Song Dynasty lyric poetry (宋词, Song Ci), one of China’s most celebrated literary forms. The imagery recalls an ancient poet drifting half-dreaming on a moonlit river, contemplating fate and the fleeting nature of life.

Inspired in part by the acclaimed 2023 Chinese animated film 30,000 Miles from Chang’an, Hong reimagined the song for an international audience, rewriting the lyrics while preserving its Chinese essence.

China Moon features a remarkable cast of collaborators:

Eszter Vegvari – opera/stage vocalist delivering dramatic emotional depth
Marcos Barilari – orchestrator, elevating the track with lush symphonic textures
Ariel Tsao – Guzheng (traditional Chinese plucked instrument), weaving an authentic timbre into the arrangement

Together, they bring Hong’s vision to life, a cross-cultural journey that is both intimate and expansive, mystical yet cinematic.

China Moon offers the latest glimpse into WHEEL OF TIME’s upcoming debut full-length Asymmetry, due out November 12, 2025. The album promises a grand showcase of the project’s fusion of progressive, power, and symphonic metal with subtle Eastern influences, and features collaborations with world-class musicians including Derek Sherinian, Tony MacAlpine, Michele Luppi, and Timo Tolkki.

Asymmetry Tracklist:

Grand Cosmos (ft. Derek Sherinian) – 06:40

Freedom Day (ft. Derek Sherinian & Michele Luppi) – 05:40
Blind Sight (ft. Alexandre Aposan) – 06:52
Addicted!… (ft. Derek Sherinian & Timo Tolkki) – 04:45
…To the Awakening (ft. Tom MacLean) – 07:12
The Night of Eternity (ft. Derek Sherinian) – 07:38
China Moon – 05:03
2063 (ft. Tony MacAlpine) – 06:44

Founded by Beijing-based composer and multi-instrumentalist Jimmie Hong, WHEEL OF TIME crafts expansive, narrative-driven metal that blends technical precision with melodic storytelling. With international collaborators and a sound that integrates Eastern melodic influences, the project explores themes of time, destiny, and self-discovery.

Asymmetry is set to cement WHEEL OF TIME as one of the most exciting cross-cultural forces in the modern metal landscape.