冰川时代 - 美国Progressive Heavy Metal乐队Shade of Memories专访

今天采访到的是来自美国的Shade of Memories乐队，组建于2013年的Shade of Memories乐队由Jay一个人组建，组建之后Jay并没有立刻发行作品，直到2021年Jay才发行了第一张正式专辑“Glaciers of Tomorrow”，优美的旋律，精彩的Solo，快速，紧凑的Riff，Jay包揽乐队的所有创作，制作等工作，这张专辑发行之后乐队也迅速成为了目前美国炙手可热的乐队之一，这张专辑成功发行之后，乐队在2022年发行了一首单曲“Dark Summer Silence”，前不久杂志与乐队的创始人Jay取得联系进行了一次专访！

（V: 代表笔者 J: 代表Jay）

Today we’re interviewing the American band Shade of Memories. Formed in 2013, Shade of Memories was founded by Jay as a one-man project. Jay did not release any music immediately after forming the band; it wasn’t until 2021 that he released his first full-length album, “Glaciers of Tomorrow.” Featuring beautiful melodies, brilliant solos, and fast, tight riffs, Jay handles all of the band’s songwriting, production, and other tasks. Following the album’s release, the band quickly became one of the hottest acts in the U.S. today. After the album’s successful release, the band released a single titled “Dark Summer Silence” in 2022. Recently, our magazine reached out to the band’s founder, Jay, for an exclusive interview!

(V: Author | J: Jay)

采访对象：Jay（Shade of Memories乐队创始人）

采访时间：2026.04.10

V: 嗨，Jay，很高兴认识你，非常感谢你接受这次采访。我想这是你第一次接受中国杂志的专访。首先向所有中国乐迷和朋友们问好。Shade Of Memories 成立于2013年，是一支拥有13年历史的老牌乐队。当初你们是如何组建这支乐队的？

Hello Jay, it's nice to meet you and thank you very much for participating in this interview. I think this is your first time explaining an interview with a Chinese magazine. First of all, let me say hello to all Chinese fans and friends. Shade Of Memories was founded in 2013 and is an old band with a history of 13 years. How did you form this band in the first place?

J: 大家好，向所有中国金属乐迷和朋友们问好！能参与这次采访，我深感荣幸。Shade Of Memories 成立于 2013 年，最初仅仅源于我内心深处的一种强烈渴望——想要创作能够体现情感、力量与坚韧的音乐。我一直热爱重金属音乐，尤其是力量金属和前卫金属，并希望创作出融合旋律、技术演奏与叙事元素的作品。起初只是我独自写歌、构思创意，并逐步构建起乐队日后的风格。随着时间推移，这已不再是组建一支传统乐队（虽然……我对这个想法依然持开放态度！），而是更倾向于打造一个创意项目，让我能不受限制地充分表达音乐与视觉上的构想。因此，Shade Of Memories既是一支乐队，也是我个人的艺术世界。

Hello everyone, and greetings to all Chinese metal fans and friends! It’s truly an honor to be part of this interview. Shade Of Memories started in 2013 simply from a deep personal need to create music that reflected emotion, strength, and perseverance. I have always loved heavy metal, especially power metal and progressive metal, and I wanted to create something that combined melody, technical playing, and storytelling. Originally it was just me writing songs, developing ideas, and slowly building what would become the identity of the band. Over time it became less about forming a traditional band (as though..I am still very open to the idea!) and more about building a creative project where I could fully express musical and visual ideas without limitations. So Shade Of Memories became both a band and a personal artistic world.

V: 你是乐队里唯一的成员，这样创作歌曲会更方便，因为你可以完全按照自己的想法来创作。你能介绍一下你的创作过程吗？

You are the only one in the band, so it will be more convenient to create songs because you can create songs according to your own ideas. Can you introduce your creative process?

J: 我的创作过程通常始于一个吉他即兴段落或旋律。如果某个即兴段落能引发我强烈的情感共鸣，我就知道它值得进一步发展。在此基础上，我会逐步构建：节奏结构、旋律层次、编曲构思，最后是歌词。歌词有时源于个人经历，有时则来自“力量”、“命运”或“战胜逆境”这类象征性概念。由于我独立创作，可以自由尝试各种可能性。有些日子我是吉他手，有些日子是作曲家，或是鼓手，还有些日子我基本上是在和自己争论编曲方案 lol

My creative process usually starts with a guitar riff or melody. If a riff gives me a strong emotional reaction, I know it’s worth developing. From there I build: Rhythm structure, Melody layers ,Orchestration ideas, Then lyrics. Sometimes lyrics come from personal experiences, sometimes from symbolic ideas like strength, destiny, or overcoming adversity. Since I work independently, I can experiment freely. Some days I’m a guitarist, some days I’m a composer, or drummer, some days I’m basically arguing with myself about arrangement decisions lol

V: 你的录音效果非常出色。这张专辑是在哪家录音室录制的？是由哪位制作人操刀制作的？

Your recording effect is excellent. Which studio did you record your album in? Which producer made the album for you?

J: 我的大部分作品都是在Delbox Audio录制的，我们在那里进行录音、部分编曲以及制作指导。现代技术让独立音乐人无需大型商业录音棚也能获得专业级音质。在制作方面，我身兼制作人兼协调员，但主要依靠现代数字工具、软件以及Del在Delbox提供的专业知识来打磨音质。这是一个非常亲力亲为的过程。我身兼数职，既是音乐人，又是制作人，有时还得充当咖啡师。我非常感激Del在录音棚所做的一切贡献！

Most of my work is recorded in at Delbox Audio where we do the recording, some arrangement, and production direction. Modern technology allows independent musicians to achieve professional sound quality without needing a large commercial studio. For production, I act as my own producer/coordinator, but I rely heavily on modern digital tools, software, and Del’s expertise that he offers at Delbox to refine the sound. It’s a very hands-on process. I do wear a few hats as musician, producer, and sometimes coffee, when needed. I am very grateful for what Del Does and contributes at the studio!

V: 你们在2013年组建了乐队，但作品直到2021年才发布。是什么原因让你们选择在多年后才发布作品？

You formed a band in 2013, but your work was only released in 2021. What caused you to choose to release your work many years later?

J: 这是一个很好的问题。主要涉及我2023年发行的首张专辑"Glacier’s of Tomorrow"主要原因在于创作的成熟度。我不想仅仅是为了发布而发布音乐——我希望发布的作品能代表我能力所及的最佳状态。在那几年里，我一直在提升演奏技巧、学习制作技术、探索艺术方向并构建视觉概念。等到公开发布作品时，我感觉音乐和呈现形式都与我脑海中的愿景相契合。从某种意义上说，这段延迟让项目变得更加完整。

That’s a great question. And pertaining mostly to my first album “Glacier’s of Tomorrow” released in 2023.. The main reason was development. I didn’t want to just release music — I wanted to release music that represented the best version of what I could do. During those years I was Improving musicianship, learning production, developing my artistic direction and building visual concepts. By the time I released work publicly, I felt the music and the presentation matched the vision I had in my head. In a way, the delay helped the project become more complete.

V: 你的标志设计非常漂亮。是谁为你设计的？你的专辑封面设计也非常独特。是谁为你设计了这些专辑封面的？

Your logo design is very beautiful. Who designed this logo for you? Your album artwork design is also very unique. Who designed these album artworks for you?

J: 大部分概念设计都是我亲自完成的。此外，我还聘请了外部设计师，并结合人工智能视觉工具和数字艺术工作流程，将我的创意付诸实现。我通常从构思愿景开始，然后不断打磨，直到它与音乐的情感基调相契合。视觉元素非常重要，因为它们有助于讲述歌曲背后的故事。所以简而言之：我是创意总监，而技术帮助我实现这一愿景。这就像拥有一支工作效率极高的数字艺术团队。在细节打磨方面提供过帮助的几位伙伴包括：Den Yudi Art 和 Tim Sutherland。

I designed most of the concepts myself. Some work designs were hired in As well with AI visual tools and digital art workflows to bring my ideas to life. I usually start with a concept vision, then refine it until it matches the emotional tone of the music. The visuals are very important because they help tell the story behind the songs. So the short answer is: I am the creative director, and technology helps me execute the vision. It’s like having a digital art team that works very fast. Some folks that lended a hand with refinements were named :Den yudi art, and Tim Sutherland.

V: 你的作品都是自己的，为什么不找一家唱片公司来帮你发行呢？你联系过唱片公司吗？

Your works are all self published, why don't you choose a label to distribute them for you? Have you ever contacted a manufacturer?

J: 独立创作让我拥有完全的创作自由，而且……一边和阿伦合作，一边还要应对繁忙的工作生活，确实会非常忙碌！而且谁知道唱片公司会不会感兴趣呢？ 我认为唱片公司固然很好，但它们往往伴随着各种期望和时间表。通过自主发行，我可以在作品准备就绪时发布，保持艺术控制权，进行创意实验，并开辟自己的道路。我曾考虑过与唱片公司合作，也依然对合适的机会持开放态度，但目前独立运作让“Shade Of Memories”能够自然成长。

Independence gives me full creative freedom and Well.. it gets very busy working Arron with a busy work life too! Also who knows if a label would be interested? I think Labels can be great, but they also come with expectations and timelines. By self-publishing I can release when ready, maintain artistic control, experiment creatively and build my own direction. I have considered working with labels, and I remain open to the right opportunities, but right now independence allows Shade Of Memories to grow organically.

V: 你的音乐主题是什么？为什么选择这个音乐主题，又想通过它表达什么？你还创作了歌词部分，这些歌词的灵感来自哪里？

What is the theme of your music about? Why did you choose this music theme, and what do you want to express through this music theme? You also created the lyrics section. What inspired these lyrics?

J: 我的音乐常常探讨以下主题：

• 内在力量

• 坚韧不拔

• 蜕变

• 个人奋斗

• 神话象征

我喜欢运用风暴、古建筑或锻造钢铁等象征意象，因为它们代表着个人成长与韧性。有时歌词源于现实生活的挣扎，有时则来自想象与叙事。我希望听众能从中获得动力——让他们相信自己能够面对正在经历的任何挑战。如果有人听完后感到更加坚强，那我就完成了我的使命。

My music often explores themes like:

• Inner strength

• Endurance

• Transformation

• Personal battles

• Mythic symbolism

I like using symbolic imagery like storms, ancient structures, or forging steel because they represent personal growth and resilience. Sometimes lyrics come from real life struggles. Other times they come from imagination and storytelling. I want listeners to feel motivated — like they can face whatever challenges they are going through. If someone finishes listening and feels stronger, then I did my job.

V: 首先你的作品旋律优美，拥有迅猛激进的Riff并融入了大量前卫金属元素。再加上重金属的激情，你们的作品因此获得了更多关注。你们如何评价自己的作品？

Firstly, your work has a beautiful melody, fast and radical Riff, as well as a lot of Progressive metal elements. Coupled with the passion of Heavy Metal, your work has gained more attention. What is your opinion on your work?

J: 我将自己的作品视为旋律、技术金属与电影式叙事的融合。我努力在侵略性、旋律、氛围和情感之间取得平衡。我认为“Shade Of Memories”的独特之处在于音乐与视觉叙事的结合。特别是在新项目中，我将现场表演与电影级AI视频制作相结合，旨在创造一种更接近电影体验的作品，而不仅仅是一首歌曲。我始终致力于精益求精，因此每一次作品发布都意味着向前迈进了一步。

I see my work as a fusion of melody, technical metal, and cinematic storytelling. I try to balance: aggression, melody, atmosphere and emotions. I think what makes Shade Of Memories unique is the combination of music and visual storytelling. Especially with newer projects, I am combining performance with cinematic AI video production to create something closer to a film experience rather than just a song. I am always trying to improve, so every release is another step forward.

V: 2026年你有什么新计划，比如创作和录制新作品？能和大家分享一些信息吗?

What new work do you have to do in 2026, such as creating and recording new works? Can you share some information with everyone?

J: 2026年的工作重点将主要放在拓展《Shade Of Memories》的视觉呈现上。我将继续制作电影风格的音乐视频，将现场表演与奇幻叙事相结合，融入未来感（同时也包含过去风格的音乐）。我还在创作新作品，以进一步塑造这个项目的音乐风格。虽不便透露太多，但可以预告：会有更多音乐、更多视觉呈现，以及更宏大的构想。当然，可能还会有更多绿茶、灵感，以及蒸汽房疗愈时光哈哈

2026 is focused heavily on expanding the visual side of Shade Of Memories. I am continuing to develop cinematic music videos that combine performance and fantasy storytelling with future but (also with past Music). I’m also working on new material that continues building the musical identity of the project. Without revealing too much, I can say more music, more visuals, and bigger ideas. And probably more Green tea and inspiration along with steam room sessions haha

V: 你是一位出色的音乐人，你们乐队的作品也非常出色。我将一直关注并支持你们的乐队。我也希望通过这次采访，能吸引更多中国乐迷关注并支持你们的乐队。采访即将结束，最后你有什么想对中国的乐迷和朋友们说的吗？

You are an excellent musician and your band's works are also outstanding. I will always pay attention to and support your band. I also hope to attract more Chinese fans to pay attention to and support your band through this interview. The interview is coming to an end, do you have anything you want to say to Chinese fans and friends at the end?

J: 我要衷心感谢中国所有聆听重金属音乐并支持独立音乐人的朋友们。音乐能够将世界各地的人们连接在一起，这对我意义重大。非常感谢大家聆听我的新歌"Pyramid"！！致所有刚接触Shade Of Memories的朋友：感谢你们给这音乐一个机会。希望这些歌曲能带给你能量、力量和灵感。请记住：无论你身处人生的哪个阶段，都要继续前行，不断创作，永不停歇地开辟属于自己的道路。非常感谢大家的支持！

I want to sincerely thank everyone in China who listens to heavy metal and supports independent artists. It means a lot that music can connect people across the world. Thank you so much for listening to my new song pyramid!! To anyone discovering Shade Of Memories: thank you for giving the music a chance. I hope the songs give you energy, strength, and inspiration. And remember: No matter where you are in life, keep moving forward, keep creating, and never stop forging your own path. Thank you very much for the support!

Shade Of Memories乐队主要作品：

Shade of Memories - Glaciers of Tomorrow（2021）

Shade of Memories - Dark Summer Silence（2022）

Shade of Memories乐队官方Spotify网站：https://open.spotify.com/artist/6TfUnskX3BBN8tWqKyhlmh