今天采访到是一支来自葡萄牙的Black Metal乐队Subtonal Abysmal Ceremony，这支乐队是我采访到所有的乐队中最独特的一支乐队，乐队的唯一成员Melkor在不断探索极端金属音乐的时候出现了这支乐队的想法，这支乐队最大的特点就是没有吉他的演奏，而是采用了大量的贝斯失真才创作这支乐队的作品，让Subtonal Abysmal Ceremony乐队的第一张专辑“Occult Resonance”，在众多Black Metal乐队的作品中脱颖而出，创造了一种原始的，沉浸式的，仪式化的氛围音乐。这个项目的想法来自于对低沉音调和低频催眠性质的迷恋。我想创作一种感觉像神秘仪式的音乐，一种原始的、令人不安的音乐。Melkor尝试不同的极端音乐方法，可见Melkor的创作意识1是多么的超前，在前不久Subtonal Abysmal Ceremony的唯一成员Melkor与杂志取得联系进行了一次专访！
（V: 代表笔者 M: 代表Melkor）
Today, I interviewed a Black Metal band from Portugal, Subtonal Abysmal Ceremony. This band is the most unique one among all the bands I interviewed. Melkor, the only member of the band, appeared when he was constantly exploring extreme metal music. The idea of this band, the biggest feature of this band is that there is no guitar playing. Instead, a lot of bass distortion was used to create this band's works, which made the first album "Occult Resonance" of Subtonal Abysmal Ceremony stand out among the works of many Black Metal bands and created a primitive, immersive and ritualized atmosphere music. The idea of this project comes from the fascination with low-pitched and low-frequency hypnotic properties. I want to create a music that feels like a mysterious ceremony, a primitive and disturbing music. Melkor tried different extreme music methods, which shows how advanced Melkor's creative consciousness 1 is. Not long ago, Melkor, the only member of Subtonal Abysmal Ceremony, got in touch with the magazine and had an exclusive interview!
(V: on behalf of the author M: on behalf of Melkor)
采访对象：Melkor（Subtonal Abysmal Ceremony乐队创始人）
采访时间：2025.03.01
V: 你好Melkor很高兴认识你，非常感谢你参加这次采访，我想这是你的乐队第一次接受中国杂志的采访，首先向所有中国粉丝问好，Subtanal Abysmal Ceremony成立于哪一年，你是如何开始乐队的？
Hello Melkor nice to meet you and thank you very much for participating in this interview, I think this is the first time your band has been interviewed by a Chinese magazine, first of all say hello to all the Chinese fans, Subtonal Abysmal Ceremony was formed in what year and how did you start the band?
M: 你好，感谢您给我机会与中国歌迷谈论我的音乐！很高兴能与新的观众建立联系。Subonal Abysmal Ceremony是一个具有独特声音特性的实验项目。我无法确定它形成的确切年份，因为它是我不断探索极端音乐的有机产物。这个概念围绕着黑暗的仪式、被遗忘的邪教和深奥的仪式展开，声音独特，没有吉他，只有严重扭曲的低音，营造出一种原始、身临其境和仪式化的氛围。这个项目的想法源于我对深沉、深沉的音调和低频的催眠性质的迷恋。我想创作一种感觉像神秘仪式的音乐，一种原始而令人不安的音乐。这是我的许多项目之一，我尝试了不同的极端音乐方法，总是努力突破界限。
Hello and thank you for the opportunity to talk about my music with Chinese fans! It’s a pleasure to connect with a new audience. Subtonal Abysmal Ceremony was created as an experimental project with a unique sonic identity. I can't pinpoint an exact year for its formation, as it emerged organically from my constant exploration of extreme music. The concept revolves around dark rituals, forgotten cults, and esoteric ceremonies, with a distinct sound, there are no guitars, only heavily distorted bass, creating a raw, immersive, and ritualistic atmosphere. The idea for the project came from my fascination with deep, abyssal tones and the hypnotic nature of low frequencies. I wanted to craft music that felt like an occult ceremony, something primal and unsettling. It’s one of my many projects where I experiment with different approaches to extreme music, always striving to push boundaries.
V: 你是乐队里唯一的一名成员，所以写歌很容易，因为你可以随心所欲地创作音乐，你能描述一下你的创作过程吗？
You're the only one in the band, so it's easy when it comes to songwriting because you can create music the way you want to, can you describe your creative process?
M: 是的，作为Subtional Abysmal Ceremony的唯一成员，我获得了完全的创作自由，这是我真正珍视的。我的过程总是从脑海中的氛围或概念开始，我不仅仅写即兴重复段或结构；我想到了我想唤起的整个感觉。由于这个项目以黑暗仪式和神秘仪式为中心，我的目标是创造一些催眠和身临其境的东西。我通常从尝试低音开始，因为这个项目中没有吉他。我使用了强烈的失真、效果和分层技术，使低音听起来厚重而富有质感。从那里我构建节奏和结构，经常让音乐自然发展，而不是遵循传统的歌曲结构。人声是另一个关键元素，我把它们看作是一种额外的氛围，而不仅仅是音乐上的歌词。我希望它们感觉像咒语，像声音在被遗忘的寺庙的古老大厅里回荡。一旦一切都被记录下来，我自己混音并掌握，确保最终的声音具有我想象的重量和深度。由于我负责从歌曲创作到制作的各个方面，我可以确保每个细节都符合整体愿景，毫不妥协。
Yes, being the only member of Subtonal Abysmal Ceremony gives me complete creative freedom, which is something I truly value. My process always starts with an atmosphere or a concept in mind, I don't just write riffs or structures; I think about the entire feeling I want to evoke. Since this project is centered around dark rituals and occult ceremonies, I aim to create something hypnotic and immersive. I usually begin by experimenting with bass tones, as there are no guitars in this project. I use heavy distortion, effects, and layering techniques to make the bass sound massive and textured. From there, I build the rhythm and structure, often letting the music evolve naturally rather than following traditional song structures. The vocals are another crucial element, I treat them more as an additional layer of atmosphere than just lyrics over music. I want them to feel like incantations, like voices echoing through ancient halls of forgotten temples. Once everything is recorded, I mix and master it myself, ensuring that the final sound has the weight and depth I envision. Since I handle every aspect, from songwriting to production, I can make sure that every detail fits the overall vision without compromises.
V: 你的录音很棒，这张专辑是在你自己的工作室完成的，你能描述一下你的制作过程吗？你使用了什么设备？
Your recordings are fantastic, the album was done in your own studio, can you describe your production process? What equipment did you use?
M: 非常感谢。是的，整张专辑都是在我自己的工作室录制、混音和掌握的。我的制作过程非常亲力亲为，因为我自己会照顾好每一步，以确保最终的声音与我的愿景相匹配。对于贝斯这是Subonal Abysmal Ceremony的核心，我使用了Ernie Ball StingRay 5弦，直接插入我的通用音频接口并在输入阶段进行压缩。从那里开始所有的魔法都发生在我的DAW Reaper中，在那里我使用各种插件和效果雕刻了声音，创造了定义项目的巨大仪式氛围。对于人声，我保持了简单，只是一个普通的舒尔SM58。但魔法再次出现在处理过程中。我使用了不同的层次、混响和效果，让人声感觉更像咒语，而不是传统的歌唱，增加了音乐的沉浸感和催眠性。由于这个项目中没有吉他，我专注于使贝斯尽可能富有表现力和质感。混音和母带制作过程也是由我在收割者中完成的，在那里我将最终的声音塑造得深沉、原始、仪式化，忠实于Subtonal Abysmal Ceremony的精髓。
Thank you! Yes, the entire album was recorded, mixed, and mastered in my own studio. My production process is very hands-on, as I take care of every step myself to ensure that the final sound matches my vision. For the bass, which is the core of Subtonal Abysmal Ceremony, I used an Ernie Ball StingRay 5-string, plugged directly into my Universal Audio interface with compression applied at the input stage. From there, all the magic happened within my DAW, Reaper, where I sculpted the sound using various plugins and effects to create the massive, ritualistic atmosphere that defines the project. For vocals, I kept it simple, just a regular Shure SM58. But once again, the magic was in the processing. I used different layers, reverbs, and effects to make the vocals feel more like incantations than traditional singing, adding to the immersive and hypnotic nature of the music. Since there are no guitars in this project, I focused on making the bass as expressive and textured as possible. The mix and mastering process was also done by me in Reaper, where I shaped the final sound to be deep, raw, and ritualistic, staying true to the essence of Subtonal Abysmal Ceremony.
V: 乐队的Logo设计得很漂亮，谁为你设计了这个Logo？你的专辑封面设计得也很漂亮，给人一种压抑的感觉。谁为你设计了这件艺术品？
The band's logo is beautifully designed who designed this logo for you?Your album artwork is also beautifully designed with a depressive feel.Who designed this artwork for you?
M: 非常感谢。Subtral Abysmal Ceremony的Logo是由我设计的。我想要一些感觉古老而深奥的东西，几乎像一个Logo，而不是传统的乐队Logo，在视觉上代表音乐的仪式性和催眠性。我使用Photoshop以数字方式创建了它，仔细地塑造它，以反映该项目的模糊和神秘的主题。
专辑封面也是我按照同样的愿景创作的。我的目标是捕捉一种压抑、怪异和仪式化的氛围，让听众在听音乐之前就沉浸在视觉中。Photoshop是我选择的工具，它让我可以制作纹理、阴影和细节，让艺术品有一种古老的、几乎像文物一样的感觉，就像属于一个早已被遗忘的邪教。视觉方面和声音一样重要，我总是确保它们完美互补。
Thank you! The logo of Subtonal Abysmal Ceremony was designed by me. I wanted something that felt ancient and esoteric, almost like a sigil rather than a conventional band logo, something that visually represents the ritualistic and hypnotic nature of the music. I created it digitally using Photoshop, carefully shaping it to reflect the obscure and occult themes of the project. The album artwork was also created by me, following the same vision. I aimed to capture a depressive, eerie, and ritualistic atmosphere, something that visually immerses the listener before they even hear the music. Photoshop was my tool of choice, allowing me to craft textures, shadows, and details that give the artwork an aged, almost relic-like feel, like something belonging to a long-forgotten cult. The visual aspect is just as important as the sound, and I always make sure they complement each other perfectly.
V: 你的音乐主题是什么？你为什么选择这样一个音乐主题，你想通过这样的音乐主题表达什么？你还创作了一个歌词部分，这些歌词的灵感来自于什么？
What is the theme of your music about? Why did you choose such a musical theme and what do you want to express through such a musical theme? You also created a lyrics section, what inspired these lyrics?
M: Subtonal Abysmal Ceremony的主题围绕着邪教、被禁止的礼拜仪式和黑暗的深奥仪式。音乐旨在给人一种古老仪式的感觉，催眠、沉浸和令人不安。与其遵循传统的歌曲结构，我想创造一些感觉像是召唤的东西，就好像听众正在见证甚至参加一个被遗忘的仪式。我选择这个主题是因为我一直对历史的阴暗面、隐藏的知识和秘密命令的仪式着迷。被遗忘的邪教和失传的做法，这些存在于阴影中、远离世界的东西，有着强大的力量。通过这首音乐，我想唤起那种神秘、不安和超越的感觉，一种超越物质世界的东西，一种黑暗中原始而深刻的精神。歌词也遵循同样的路径。它们不仅仅是伴随音乐的文字；它们是咒语、圣歌、咒语。我创建歌词部分来强化这种氛围，从古老的宗教文本、晦涩的仪式和杜撰的文字中汲取灵感。其中一些受到了真正的深奥传统的影响，而另一些则纯粹是我自己的创作，感觉就像很久以前在秘密仪式上低声说的话。
The theme of Subtonal Abysmal Ceremony revolves around cults, forbidden liturgies, and dark esoteric rituals. The music is meant to feel like an ancient ceremony, hypnotic, immersive, and unsettling. Instead of following traditional song structures, I wanted to create something that feels like an invocation, as if the listener is witnessing or even taking part in a forgotten rite. I chose this theme because I’ve always been fascinated by the obscure side of history, hidden knowledge, and the rituals of secret orders. There’s something powerful about the idea of forgotten cults and lost practices, things that existed in the shadows, away from the eyes of the world. Through this music, I want to evoke that sense of mystery, unease, and transcendence, something beyond the material world, something primal and deeply spiritual in a dark way. The lyrics follow the same path. They are not just words to accompany the music; they are meant to be mantras, chants, invocations. I created the lyrics section to reinforce this atmosphere, drawing inspiration from old religious texts, obscure rituals, and apocryphal writings. Some of them are influenced by real esoteric traditions, while others are purely my own creation, meant to feel like something that could have been whispered in secret ceremonies long ago.
V: 你的专辑是在葡萄牙的Supergoat Wreck Whordes/Studios13唱片公司发行的，这是一个在你的国家有很多很棒的唱片公司，你是如何联系这个唱片公司进行合作的？你是如何联系该品牌与他们合作的？你对他们的工作满意吗？
Your album was released on the Portuguese label Supergoat Wreck-Whordes / Studios13, a great label in your country with a lot of great releases, how did you get in touch with this label to collaborate? How did you get in touch with the label to work with them? Were you satisfied with their work?
M: Supergoat Wreck Whordes/Studios13实际上是我自己的品牌。我创建它是为了发布我的项目，要么是因为我无法从唱片公司得到快速回应，要么只是因为我想在专辑准备好后立即以数字方式发布。它也是我学习的一种方式，提高了我的录音、制作和掌握技能，也完善了我的作曲技巧。该品牌诞生于必要性，但也是一个增长平台。通过它我能够进行实验，按照自己的方式发布音乐并在地下舞台上慢慢为自己建立一个名字，无论是作为作曲家还是录音室音响技术人员。所以就满意度而言，我可以说我完全控制了自己的释放，这正是我现在所需要的。
Supergoat Wreck-Whordes / Studios13 is actually my own label. I created it specifically to release my projects, either because I couldn't get a quick response from labels or simply because I wanted to release my albums digitally as soon as they were ready. It also served as a way for me to learn, improving my recording, production, and mastering skills, as well as refining my composition techniques. The label was born out of necessity but also as a platform for growth. Through it, I’ve been able to experiment, release my music on my own terms, and slowly build a name for myself in the underground scene, both as a composer and as a studio sound technician. So, in terms of satisfaction, I can say that I’m fully in control of my releases, and that’s exactly what I need for now.
V: 首先祝贺你的新专辑“Occult Resonance”发行，这张专辑充满了黑暗、寒冷和压抑的气氛，冷而可怕的即兴重复段，压抑的鼓声，营造出一种很好的气氛，最重要的是你没有吉他，只使用贝斯。你的作品充满了扭曲，你对你的作品有什么想法吗？你为什么不使用吉他？
First of all, congratulations on the release of your new album “Occult Resonance”, which is full of dark, cold and depressing atmosphere, cold and scary riffs, depressing drums, which creates a great atmosphere, and the most important thing is that you don't have any guitars, and you use the bass exclusively. A lot of distortion fills your compositions, do you have any thoughts on your work? Why do you use guitars?
M: 非常感谢。我真的很高兴你欣赏神秘共振的氛围。这正是我的意图，创造一些黑暗、冷酷、仪式化和身临其境的东西。没有吉他是一个深思熟虑的选择。我想挑战自己，看看我能在多大程度上把低音作为主要乐器，使用失真、分层和效果来创造出巨大而有质感的声音。我在Subonal Abysmal Ceremony中不使用吉他，因为我想摆脱传统的金属乐器。通过只依靠低音，我可以探索一种不同的声音景观，一种更深、更共振、更原始、更催眠的能量。低音在这里不仅仅是一种节奏或辅助乐器，它是一切的基础，从旋律到氛围。严重的失真在塑造声音方面起着关键作用。它增加了重量、深度和仪式性的混乱感，使音乐感觉更身临其境，几乎就像咒语。其结果是一种感觉独特的东西，在黑暗中既熟悉又不同，创造了一种压迫和怪异的氛围，定义了地下深渊仪式。
Thank you! I’m really glad you appreciated the atmosphere of Occult Resonance. That was exactly my intention, to create something dark, cold, ritualistic, and immersive. The absence of guitars was a deliberate choice. I wanted to challenge myself and see how far I could push the bass as the primary instrument, using distortion, layering, and effects to create a massive and textured sound. I don’t use guitars in Subtonal Abysmal Ceremony because I wanted to break away from traditional metal instrumentation. By relying only on bass, I could explore a different sonic landscape, something deeper, more resonant, and with a rawer, more hypnotic energy. The bass is not just a rhythm or supporting instrument here, it’s the foundation of everything, from melody to atmosphere. The heavy distortion plays a key role in shaping the sound. It adds weight, depth, and a sense of ritualistic chaos, making the music feel more immersive, almost like an incantation. The result is something that feels unique, both familiar in its darkness but different in execution, creating that oppressive and eerie aura that defines Subtonal Abysmal Ceremony.
V: 除了发行新专辑，你的乐队在2025年还在进行哪些工作，你能透露一些消息吗？
What are those things that your band is working on in 2025 besides releasing a new album, and can you shed some light on that?
M: 2025年，Subonal Abysmal Ceremony将继续发展，探索更黑暗、更身临其境的声音景观。除了研究新材料，我还尝试了不同的制作技术，以进一步推动声音，创造出更加仪式化、催眠和压迫的氛围。我对特别发行有一些想法，可能是一些概念性作品，更深入地探讨被遗忘的邪教和深奥仪式的主题。也有可能与其他有着相同愿景的地下艺术家合作，在保持其核心身份不变的同时，为项目引入新元素。除了Subonal Abysmal Ceremony之外，我还深入参与了我的其他音乐项目，每个项目都有自己独特的方法。2025年将是又一个充满创造力的一年，我期待着在合适的时候公布一切。
In 2025, Subtonal Abysmal Ceremony will continue to evolve, exploring even darker and more immersive sonic landscapes. Besides working on new material, I’m also experimenting with different production techniques to push the sound even further, creating even more ritualistic, hypnotic, and oppressive atmospheres. I have some ideas for special releases, possibly some conceptual works that dive even deeper into the themes of forgotten cults and esoteric rituals. There’s also the possibility of collaborations with other underground artists who share the same vision, bringing new elements into the project while keeping its core identity intact. Beyond Subtonal Abysmal Ceremony, I’m also deeply involved in my other musical projects, each with its own distinct approach. 2025 will be another intense year of creation, and I’m looking forward to unveiling everything when the time is right.
V: Subonal Abysmal Ceremony是一支非常独特的乐队，我会支持和追随你的乐队，希望通过这次采访有更多的中国粉丝会关注和支持你的乐队。最后你想对你的中国粉丝说些什么？
Subtonal Abysmal Ceremony is a very unique band, I will support and follow your band, and I hope that through this interview more Chinese fans will pay attention to and support your band, what would you like to say to your Chinese fans in the end?
M: 非常感谢您的支持！对我来说，让Subtonal Abysmal Ceremony接触到更多的人，尤其是在中国，真的意义重大。这个项目是为了唤起黑暗和身临其境的氛围而创建的，知道有听众在深层次上与它联系是非常有益的。对于所有中国歌迷，我们非常感谢你们的支持，我希望我的音乐能带你们踏上一段穿越未知的旅程。请随时与我联系，无论是通过我的个人艺术家脸书页面、乐队页面，还是通过Bandcamp。我总是乐于与那些与我的工作产生共鸣的人联系。再次感谢您的支持，希望您喜欢接下来的活动！
Thank you so much for your support! It truly means a lot to me to have Subtonal Abysmal Ceremony reaching more people, especially in China. This project was created to evoke dark and immersive atmospheres, and knowing that there are listeners connecting with it on a deep level is incredibly rewarding. To all Chinese fans, your support is greatly appreciated, and I hope my music takes you on a journey through the obscure and the unknown. Feel free to reach out to me anytime, whether through my personal Artist Facebook page, the band's page, or even via Bandcamp. I’m always open to connecting with those who resonate with my work. Once again, thank you for the support, and I hope you enjoy what’s coming next!
Subtonal Abysmal Ceremony乐队主要作品：
Subtonal Abysmal Ceremony - Occult Resonance（2025）
Subtonal Abysmal Ceremony乐队官方Bandcamp网站：https://studios13.bandcamp.com/
Subtonal Abysmal Ceremony乐队个人艺术家官方Facebook网站：https://www.facebook.com/Studios13melkor
Subtonal Abysmal Ceremony乐队官方Facebook网站：https://www.facebook.com/profile.php？id=61572318285519
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