Progressive Power Metal project Wheel Of Time is set to release its latest single “China Moon,” a sweeping fusion of East and West that channels the grandeur of Symphonic Metal with the elegance of traditional Chinese poetics.
Watch the official lyric video for “China Moon” via the YouTube player below:
Encouraged by mentor and ex-Megadeth guitarist Kiko Loureiro to emphasize national characteristics, Hong originally wrote “China Moon” in Chinese, in the style of Song Dynasty lyric poetry (Song Ci, 宋词), one of China’s most celebrated literary forms. The imagery recalls a poet of old, drifting half-dreaming on a moonlit river, contemplating fate and the fleeting nature of life.
Inspired in part by the 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.
The single features a remarkable cast of collaborators: opera and stage vocalist Eszter Vegvari, whose dramatic delivery gives the song its emotional center; orchestrator Marcos Barilari, collaborating with Wheel Of Time for the second time and elevating the track with lush symphonic textures; and Ariel Tsao on the traditional Chinese Guzheng, weaving an authentic timbre into the arrangement. Together, they bring to life Hong’s vision of a cross-cultural musical journey that is both intimate and expansive.
The project’s debut full-length album “Asymmetry” is slated for release on November 12, 2025, promising a grand showcase of Wheel Of Time’s Progressive, Power, and Symphonic Fusion.
Tracklist:
01. Grand Cosmos (ft. Derek Sherinian) – 06:40
02. Freedom Day (ft. Derek Sherinian & Michele Luppi) – 05:40
03. Blind Sight (ft. Alexandre Aposan) – 06:52
04. Addicted!… (ft. Derek Sherinian & Timo Tolkki) – 04:45
05. … To the Awakening (ft. Tom MacLean) – 07:12
06. The Night of Eternity” (ft. Derek Sherinian) – 07:38
07. China Moon – 05:03
08. 2063 (ft. Tony MacAlpine) – 06:44
— About Wheel Of Time —
Wheel Of Time is a Progressive Power Metal project founded by Beijing-based composer and multi-instrumentalist Jimmie Hong. Blending the technical precision of progressive metal with the Melodic strength of Power Metal and Symphonic elements, Wheel Of Time creates expansive, narrative-driven music that crosses genres and borders. The project features collaborations with world-renowned musicians including Derek Sherinian, Tony MacAlpine, Michele Luppi, and Timo Tolkki. With a truly international lineup and a sound that integrates subtle Eastern Melodic influences, Wheel Of Time explores themes of time, destiny, and self-discovery. The debut full-length album “Asymmetry” releases November 12, 2025.