瘟疫降临 - 葡萄牙Melodic Black Metal乐队Neural Plague专访

今天采访到的是来自葡萄牙的Melodic Black Metal乐队Neural Plague，2024年由Melkor一个人组建，在成立不久之后乐队便发行了第一张正式专辑“Cybernetic Chaos”，冰冷无情，阴暗氛围突出了这张专辑对于世界末日来临前的感觉，优美的旋律又给人带来一丝丝希望的感觉，Melkor的演唱是整张专辑中最大的亮点，冷酷，无情的演唱给所有歌迷留下了深刻印象，在前不久杂志与Melkor取得联系进行了一次专访！

（V: 代表笔者 M: 代表Melkor）

Today's interview was with Melodic Black Metal band Neural Plague from Portugal, formed by Melkor alone in 2024. Shortly after their formation, the band released their first official album "Cybernetic Chaos", which is cold and ruthless. The dark atmosphere highlights the album's feeling of the end of the world, and the beautiful melody brings a hint of hope. Melkor's singing is the biggest highlight of the entire album, leaving a deep impression on all fans. Recently, the magazine contacted Melkor for an exclusive interview!

(V: represents author M: represents Melkor)

采访对象：Melkor（Neural Plague乐队创始人）

采访时间：2025.04.12

V: 你好Melkor先生我们又见面了，这次采访是你组建的乐队Neural Plague，这个乐队是哪一年成立的？你是怎么组建这个乐队的？

Hello Mr. Melkor here we are again, this interview is about the band Neural Plague that you formed, what year did this band form? How did you form this band?

M: Neural Plague诞生于2024年，对我来说是完全疯狂的一年，我在那一年启动了十几个项目。我处于一种无情的创作流中，我觉得现在是潜入一个技术、人工智能和人类状况可能以残酷的方式碰撞的宇宙的合适时机，无论是在音乐上还是在抒情上。这个项目源于探索一种困扰我一段时间的数字反乌托邦的需要。这不仅仅是关于机器或技术进化……这更多的是关于质疑我们作为人类剩下的东西，一旦我们开始将一切交给代码、算法和舒适的自动化。就像在我的大多数项目中一样，Neural Plague就是我。我自己编写并录制了所有的吉他、贝斯、人声，进行了混音、母带制作并构建了整个概念。我再次请Jeroen打鼓，Catherine像往常一样帮助改进歌词。一切都是在Studios13录制的，在那里我在咖啡因和代码行之间度过了不眠之夜。这张专辑不遵循公式。在音乐上，我想将工业混乱与Modern Death Metal，Black Metal和故障数字音景的元素融合在一起。从歌词上讲，这是一个坠入深渊的过程，但这一次，深渊有了Wi-Fi。

Neural Plague was born in 2024 - a completely insane year for me, where I launched over a dozen projects. I was in a relentless creative flow, and I felt it was the right time to dive into a universe where technology, artificial intelligence, and the human condition could collide in a brutal way, both musically and lyrically. The project came from this need to explore a kind of digital dystopia that had been haunting my mind for a while. It wasn’t just about machines or technological evolution… it was more about questioning what’s left of us as humans, once we start handing everything over to code, to algorithms, to the comfort of automation. Like in most of my projects, Neural Plague is just me. I wrote and recorded all the guitars, bass, vocals, did the mixing, mastering, and built the whole concept myself. I had Jeroen on drums once again, and Catherine helped refine the lyrics, as she often does. Everything was recorded at Studios13, where I spend sleepless nights between caffeine and lines of code. This album doesn’t follow formulas. Musically, I wanted to blend industrial chaos with elements of modern death metal, black metal, and glitchy digital soundscapes. Lyrically, it’s a descent into the abyss, but this time, the abyss has Wi-Fi.

V: 这个乐队是你自己组建的，还是有其他成员参与其中？

Did you form this band on your own, or were there other members involved in this band?

M: Neural Plague完全是我从头开始的愿景。我没有和一个团队一起组建它，这是我需要独自完成的事情，以充分捕捉我心目中的氛围。从第一段即兴重复段到最后一段大师，幕后全是我。我一直很享受不必创造性妥协的自由，而这个项目需要这种控制。我探索的主题是非常个人化的，即使它们被包裹在控制论的恐怖和后人类的腐朽之中。也就是说，我确实邀请了几位我盲目信任的亲密合作者。Jeroen处理鼓，他有这种原始的机械精度，完全符合我想要的声音。Catherine帮助润色了一些歌词内容，尤其是当我需要第二双眼睛来强化叙事或注入不同的视角时。但毫无疑问，Neural Plague的核心是一项单独的努力。只有我、我的机器和虚空。

Neural Plague is entirely my vision from the ground up. I didn't form it with a group, it was something I needed to do alone to fully capture the atmosphere I had in mind. From the first riff to the final master, it’s all me behind the curtain. I’ve always enjoyed the freedom of not having to compromise creatively, and this project demanded that kind of control. The themes I explore are deeply personal, even if they’re wrapped in cybernetic horror and post-human decay. That said, I did invite a couple of close collaborators whose work I trust blindly. Jeroen handled the drums, he has this raw, mechanical precision that fits perfectly with the sound I wanted. And Catherine helped polish some of the lyrical content, especially when I needed a second set of eyes to sharpen the narrative or inject a different perspective. But make no mistake, Neural Plague is a solo effort at its core. Just me, my machines, and the void.

V: 你能描述一下这张专辑的创作过程吗？

Can you describe the creative process for the album?

M: 这张专辑的创作过程以最简单的方式开始，只有我、一个昏暗的房间和一台深夜的基本笔记本电脑。我从键盘旋律开始，探索怪异、不和谐的氛围并从那里开始构建。我还提出了简单的鼓的想法，只是为了设定节奏和情绪。有趣的是，一些早期的合成线最终被演奏完全相同音符的吉他所取代。我喜欢这种对比，以及当同一旋律被扭曲的琴弦重新诠释时，情绪是如何变化的。一旦我对每首歌都有了清晰的框架，我就在白天搬到了我的主工作室电脑上，它更强大，让我可以投入更重的制作工作。跟踪吉他和贝斯很快就结合在一起了，因为由于键盘演示，结构已经完全组成了。这个基础为我节省了很多时间，让这个过程感觉更直观。声乐是最具挑战性的部分。我不是一个训练有素的歌手，直到去年，我才开始认真研究声乐技巧，以达到我想要的音色和质感。在侵略性、清晰度和概念所要求的机械冷漠之间找到适当的平衡需要时间。我不是在追求完美。我在交货时追求品格和诚实。整个过程感觉就像是坠入了某种控制论的地下世界。每一个声音都是有意的，每一个沉默都是精心安排的。我在创作时不遵守规则。我只是听着脑子里的机器，试着让它们说话。

The creative process for this album started in the most stripped-down way possible, just me, a dimly lit room, and a basic laptop late at night. I began with keyboard melodies, exploring eerie, dissonant atmospheres and building from there. I also laid down simple drum ideas just to set the pace and mood. Interestingly, some of those early synth lines ended up being replaced by guitars playing the exact same notes. I loved the contrast and how the mood shifted when the same melody was reinterpreted with distorted strings. Once I had a clear skeleton of each song mapped out, I moved to my main studio PC during the day, it’s more powerful and allowed me to dive into the heavier production work. Tracking guitars and bass came together quickly, because the structure was already fully composed thanks to the keyboard demos. That foundation saved me a lot of time and made the process feel more intuitive. Vocals were the most challenging part. I’m not a trained vocalist, and it was only last year that I seriously started working on vocal techniques to reach the tone and texture I wanted. It took time to find the right balance between aggression, clarity, and that mechanical coldness that the concept demanded. I wasn’t looking for perfection. I was chasing character and honesty in the delivery. The whole process felt like a descent into some cybernetic underworld. Every sound was intentional, every silence carefully placed. I don’t follow rules when I create. I just listen to the machines in my head and try to make them speak.

V: 这张专辑还在你自己的录音室录制吗？录音过程顺利吗？你遇到什么困难了吗？

Is the album still being recorded in your own studio? Did the recording process go well? Did you encounter any difficulties?

M: 是的，整张专辑都是在我自己的工作室Studios13录制的。自从我升级到通用音频接口以来，在音质和工作流程方面开辟了一个全新的世界。那件装备彻底改变了比赛。突然间，我能够以前所未有的清晰度和临场感捕捉音频，这促使我在制作方面有了更高的目标。大约在同一时间，我也从使用Cubase切换到使用Reaper作为我的主要DAW。Reaper在定制工作流程方面更轻、更快、更强大。仅这一变化就大大提高了我的作曲、录音、混音和母带制作过程的速度和效率。我感觉自己好像卸下了枷锁。除此之外，我投入了大量时间研究混音和掌握技巧，从充满试错的深夜课程到深入研究工程资源。我不想再拍一张专辑；我想在声学上进化，真正了解如何塑造我在脑海中听到的声音。由于所有这些基础工作，Neural Plague的录制过程非常顺利。没有技术问题，没有创意障碍，一切都很自然。感觉就像这个项目一直在阴影中等待合适的时机出现，一旦条件、装备、心态、知识都变得一致，它就会毫不犹豫地变为现实。

Yes, the entire album was recorded in my own studio - Studios13. Ever since I upgraded to a Universal Audio interface, a whole new world opened up in terms of sound quality and workflow. That one piece of gear completely changed the game. Suddenly, I was able to capture audio with a level of clarity and presence I hadn’t reached before, which pushed me to aim even higher in terms of production. Around that same time, I also made the switch from using Cubase to Reaper as my main DAW. Reaper is much lighter, faster, and far more powerful when it comes to customizing workflows. That change alone drastically improved the speed and efficiency of my composition, recording, mixing, and mastering process. I felt like I had taken the shackles off. On top of that, I dedicated a lot of time to studying mixing and mastering techniques, from late-night sessions filled with trial and error to deep dives into engineering resources. I didn’t want to just make another album; I wanted to evolve sonically and really understand how to shape the sound I was hearing in my head. Thanks to all that groundwork, the recording process for Neural Plague went incredibly smooth. No technical issues, no creative blocks, everything just flowed naturally. It felt like the project had been waiting in the shadows for the right moment to emerge, and once the conditions aligned, gear, mindset, knowledge - it all came to life without hesitation.

V: 这个乐队的Logo设计很简单，这是我个人最喜欢的设计形式，因为我可以很容易地记住你乐队的名字，这个Logo还是你自己设计的？你的专辑封面设计得也很漂亮，这也是你自己的作品吗？

This band's logo design is very simple, this is this form of design is my personal favorite form of design, because I can easily remember your band's name, this logo or did you design it yourself? Your album artwork is also beautifully designed, is this artwork also your own work?

M: 我很感激你喜欢这个Logo的简洁，是的，我自己设计的。说实话我从来都不是那种喜欢制作Logo、小册子或视觉作品的人。我的爱好一直是音乐本身。这就是我倾注所有精力和时间的地方。也就是说，我完全理解拥有一个标志和专辑艺术品是必要的，这是建立项目身份的一部分。所以我自学了如何去做，就像我对其他事情所做的那样。这个标志背后的想法是经过深思熟虑的：当我可以作曲或录音时，我不想花几个小时来完善视觉效果。我选择了一个易于阅读和记忆的最小设计，而不会过度思考。至于艺术品，是的，那也是我的。我开始认为这不仅仅是一种必需品，而是另一种表达方式。尽管视觉效果从来不是我的强项，但我已经开始享受将音乐氛围转化为视觉效果的挑战。所以你看到的一切，从标志到封面，都是我应用于所有项目的DIY自学方法的一部分，有一件事我真的很自豪，无论结果是否完美，那就是你看到的一切都是100%我的。图像，设计... 我从不偷艺术品、封面或插图。我对真正的艺术家和创作者怀有深深的敬意，使用不属于我或我无权使用的东西我不会感到舒服。这是一条我永远不会越过的线。

I appreciate that you liked the simplicity of the logo, and yes, I designed it myself. To be brutally honest, I’ve never been the kind of person who enjoys making logos, booklets, or visual stuff in general. My passion has always been the music itself. That’s where I pour all my energy and time. That said, I fully understand that having a logo and album artwork is necessary, it’s part of building a project’s identity. So I taught myself how to do it, just like I did with everything else. The idea behind the logo was very deliberate: I didn’t want to spend hours refining visuals when I could be composing or recording. I went for a minimal design that’s easy to read and remember, without overthinking it. As for the artwork, yes, that’s mine as well. I started seeing it not just as a necessity, but as another layer of expression. Even though visuals were never my strength, I’ve grown to enjoy the challenge of translating the music’s atmosphere into something visual. So everything you see, from the logo to the cover, is part of that same DIY, self-taught approach I apply to all my projects One thing I’m genuinely proud of, whether the result is perfect or not, is that everything you see is 100% mine. The images, the design... I never steal artwork, covers, or illustrations. I have a deep respect for real artists and creators, and I wouldn’t feel comfortable using something that isn’t mine or that I don’t have the right to use. That’s a line I’ll never cross.

V: 这个乐队的音乐主题是什么？你为什么选择这个音乐主题，你想通过这个音乐主题表达什么？你还创作了歌词部分，这些歌词的灵感是什么？

What is the theme of this band's music about? Why did you choose this musical theme and what do you want to express through this musical theme? You also composed the lyrics section, what inspired these lyrics?

M: Neural Plague的音乐围绕着人类与技术和人工智能不断侵蚀的主导地位作斗争的主题。它探讨了这些力量对我们的思想、社会和我们的存在的影响。这是关于失去控制、技术的不断发展，以及在一个越来越由机器控制的世界里对过时的终极恐惧。我选择这个主题的原因是，随着我们看到技术变得越来越强大和包罗万象，它与我们今天的处境非常相关。这反映了我们许多人在面对快速的技术进步时所感受到的焦虑和不确定性。我想将这些情绪转化为一种表达形式，与其他有类似想法的人产生共鸣。歌词是和我亲爱的朋友凯瑟琳共同写的。我们都有一个共同的愿景，即捕捉人类状况和机器压倒性力量之间的内在张力。为了获得灵感，我们从关于存在的本质、个性的丧失以及人工智能塑造的未来的黑暗潜力的哲学问题中汲取灵感。这是对我们可能走向的反乌托邦未来及其对个人造成的心理伤害的一种审视。我希望通过这些歌词，听众可以找到一个空间来反思自己与技术和周围世界的关系。最终，这是一个警告，也是一个邀请，让我们在人性在数字洪流中溜走之前重新找回人性。

The music of Neural Plague is built around the theme of humanity’s struggle against the ever-encroaching dominance of technology and artificial intelligence. It explores the impact of these forces on our minds, our society, and our very existence. It's about the loss of control, the constant evolution of technology, and the ultimate fear of becoming obsolete in a world that’s increasingly controlled by machines. The reason I chose this theme is that it felt incredibly relevant to where we are today, as we see technology becoming more powerful and all-encompassing. It’s a reflection of the anxiety and uncertainty that many of us feel in the face of rapid technological advancement. I wanted to channel these emotions into a form of expression that could resonate with others going through similar thoughts. The lyrics were co-written with my dear friend Catherine. We both shared a vision of capturing that inner tension between the human condition and the overwhelming power of machines. For inspiration, we drew from philosophical questions about the nature of existence, the loss of individuality, and the dark potential of a future shaped by AI. It's a look at both the dystopian future we might be heading toward, and the psychological toll it takes on the individual. I hope that through these lyrics, listeners can find a space to reflect on their own relationship with technology and the world around them. Ultimately, it's a warning and an invitation for us to reclaim our humanity before it slips away in the digital flood.

V: 你所有的专辑都是在你自己的厂牌Supergoat Wreck Whordes/Studios13上发行的，而这张专辑也是你自己发行的，那么到目前为止，你有联系过其他厂牌吗？

All of your albums have been released on your own label Supergoat Wreck-Whordes / Studios13, and this one is also on your own, so have you approached any other labels so far for this one?

M: 对于这张专辑，我甚至没有尝试接触任何其他唱片公司。老实说我非常专注于制作我能做的最好的音乐，有了Neural Plague，我觉得把一切都控制在自己的控制之下很重要，尤其是在创作过程和我希望我的音乐呈现方式方面。但我确实有一些令人兴奋的消息，关于我们在这些采访中谈到的其他专辑。在不久的将来，至少有五张专辑将以实体形式发行，所以有人对我的工作真正感兴趣。这给了我很大的动力，让我继续前进，更加努力地工作，提高我的声音。最终，我想继续在自己的品牌上发布我的音乐，但也要让更多的人关注我在做什么并希望能接触到更广泛的观众。这一切都是为了建立坚实而有机的东西，并确保我所创造的东西得到应有的认可。

For this album, I didn’t even try to approach any other labels. Honestly, I’m very focused on making the best music I can, and with Neural Plague, I felt it was important to keep everything under my own control, especially when it comes to the creative process and the way I want my music to be presented. But I do have some exciting news regarding other albums that we’ve talked about in these interviews. There are at least five albums that will be released in physical formats in the near future, so there are people out there who are genuinely interested in my work. This gives me a lot of motivation to keep pushing forward, working harder, and improving my sound. Ultimately, I want to continue releasing my music on my own label, but also draw more attention to what I’m doing, and hopefully reach an even wider audience. It’s all about building something solid and organic, and making sure that what I create gets the recognition it deserves.

V: 首先恭喜乐队刚刚发行了第一张专辑，这是一张旋律优美、编排精美的作品，旋律朗朗上口，令人难忘，你的歌声也同样出色，你对这张专辑有什么想法吗？

First of all, congratulations on the release of the band's first album just now, it's a melodic, brilliantly arranged piece of work with catchy melodies that are unforgettable, and your vocals are equally great, do you have any thoughts of your own on the album?

M: 谢谢你的好话！我为这张专辑的结果感到骄傲。我在歌曲创作、编曲和在人声中找到合适的平衡方面付出了很多努力。老实说，这是一段充满挑战但有益的旅程。这不仅仅是把旋律放在一起，而是创造一种与人们产生共鸣的完整体验，这是我一直在努力的事情。在个人层面上，这张专辑对我来说是一个巨大的进步，尤其是在声乐方面。我仍然在寻找自己的声音，无论是字面上还是比喻上，但有了Neural Plague，我觉得我真的在推动自己探索新的领域并通过歌声表达更原始的情感。旋律和编曲是它的自然延伸。我想要一些能打动听众的东西，一些令人难忘但又有深度的东西。我想，对我来说，这张专辑既是我现在作为一名艺术家的反映，也是未来发展的垫脚石。每个项目都是一个学习过程，尤其是这个项目教会了我很多关于我自己的声音和我想要前进的方向。

Thank you for the kind words! I’m really proud of how this album turned out. I put a lot of effort into the songwriting, arrangements, and finding the right balance in the vocals. Honestly, it’s been a challenging but rewarding journey. It’s not just about putting together melodies, it’s about creating a full experience that resonates with people, and that’s something I always strive for. On a personal level, this album represents a huge step forward for me, especially vocally. I’m still finding my voice, literally and figuratively, but with Neural Plague, I feel like I’ve really pushed myself to explore new territories and express more raw emotion through the vocals. The melodies and arrangements were a natural extension of that. I wanted something that sticks with the listener, something that’s memorable but also layered with depth. I guess, for me, this album is both a reflection of where I am right now as an artist and a stepping stone for what’s to come. Every project is a learning process, and this one in particular has taught me a lot about my own sound and the direction I want to head in.

V: 这张专辑发行后，你还有什么新的工作要进行？

Do you have any new projects coming up after the release of this album?

M: 是的，当然！有几件令人兴奋的事情正在进行中。在Neural Plague之后，我又推出了几张专辑，将探索不同的声音和主题。其中一些项目肯定会挑战我更深入地研究音乐和歌词，我期待着在我的创作过程中进行更多的尝试。我还计划以物理形式将其中一些项目变为现实，这是我一直在努力的方向。这已经过去很长时间了，我能感觉到势头的增强，这真的很有动力。除此之外，我仍然在与我的其他乐队和项目进行大量的工作，而且背景中总是有一些东西在酝酿。我倾向于沉浸在音乐本身中，所以我不断地发展和完善我所做的事情，未来几个月还计划了一些惊喜。随着事态的发展，我将分享更多细节！目前，我专注于全力支持Neural Plague并尽我所能地推广这张专辑，但未来肯定充满了令人兴奋的可能性。

Yes, absolutely! There are several exciting things in the works. After Neural Plague, I’ve got a few more albums lined up that will explore different sounds and themes. Some of these projects will definitely challenge me to go deeper into the music and lyrics, and I’m looking forward to experimenting even more with my creative process. I’m also planning to bring some of these projects to life in a physical format, which is something I’ve been working towards. It’s been a long time coming, and I can feel the momentum building, which is really motivating. Beyond that, I’m still juggling a lot of work with my other bands and projects, and there’s always something brewing in the background. I tend to get caught up in the music itself, so I’m constantly evolving and refining what I do, and there are a few surprises planned for the coming months. I’ll be sharing more details as things unfold! For now, I’m focusing on giving my all to Neural Plague and pushing this album as far as I can, but the future is definitely packed with exciting possibilities.

V: Neural Plague是一支年轻而优秀的乐队，我会一直支持和追随你的乐队，希望这次采访能给你的乐队带来更多的关注和支持，最后你想对中国粉丝说些什么？

Neural Plague is a young and very good band, I will always support and follow your band, and I hope that this interview will bring more people's attention and support to your band, what would you like to say to your Chinese fans in the end?

M: 首先，非常感谢您的赞誉和支持！我甚至无法表达这对我和乐队有多重要。我以前从未有机会像这样与中国的粉丝联系，但我不得不说，我对你们的文化非常着迷，这是我一直想探索更多的东西。一旦我找到时间，我会更深入地了解它。对于我所有的中国粉丝以及来自世界各地的所有优秀粉丝，感谢你们对Neural Plague和我所有项目的支持。你的支持真的让我进一步推动我的音乐。很荣幸知道我们的工作与你们所有人产生了共鸣，无论你们来自哪里。我还要非常感谢火山杂志帮助将这次采访和我的项目带给世界各地这么多人。正是因为你对地下音乐界的支持和奉献，我才能接触到全球如此多的粉丝。我真的很感激。对于在场的每一个人，让我们继续传播音乐，保持精神活力！非常感谢大家！

First of all, thank you so much for your kind words and support! I can’t even express how much it means to me and to the band. I’ve never had the chance to connect with fans in China like this before, but I have to say, I have an immense fascination with your culture, and it’s something I’ve always wanted to explore more. Once I find the time, I’ll be diving deeper into learning about it. To all of my Chinese fans, and honestly to all of the amazing fans from around the world, thank you for supporting Neural Plague and all of my projects. Your support really drives me to push my music even further. It’s an honor to know that our work is resonating with you all, no matter where you’re from. I also want to give a massive thank you to Volcano Magazine for helping to bring this interview and my projects to the attention of so many people around the world. It’s because of your support and dedication to the underground music scene that I’m able to reach so many fans across the globe. I truly appreciate it To everyone out there, let’s keep spreading the music and keeping the spirit alive! Thank you all so much!

Neural Plague乐队主要作品：

Neural Plague - Cybernetic Chaos（2024）

Neural Plague乐队官方Bandcamp网站：https://studios13.bandcamp.com/album/cybernetic-chaos

Neural Plague乐队官方Facebook网站：https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61570146298015#

Neural Plague乐队官方Spotify网站：https://open.spotify.com/artist/3c3JtlaU3bb19nUVQ5Id6L