穷途末路 - 芬兰Heavy/Power Metal乐队Dead End Irony专访

今天采访到的是来自芬兰的Heavy/Power Metal乐队Dead End Irony，组建于2010年的Dead End Irony乐队是芬兰一支非常有资历的老牌乐队，组建之初由于阵容的不稳定直到2015年才发行了第一张Demo作品“Wounds That Never Heal”，这张Demo包含了乐队创作的四首歌曲，很好的体现出乐队成员之间的才华，优美的旋律，刚劲有力的Riff，其中穿插着一些漂亮的Solo，让乐队的作品更加容易让人记住，2018年的EP专辑“Into the Void”更是让乐队得到了更多歌迷和乐评人的关注和好评，这张EP专辑发行之后乐队并没有继续创作新的作品，而是选择“沉寂”，直到2023年乐队才发布了最新的单曲，这几首单曲也得到芬兰Samsara Records厂牌的赏识并且为乐队发行了2023 - 2025年的所有单曲，今年的新单曲“Gone”发行之际杂志也与乐队的歌手Vesa取得联系进行了一次专访！

（V: 代表笔者 W: 代表Vesa Winberg）

Today's interview was with Dead End Irony, a heavy/power metal band from Finland. Founded in 2010, Dead End Irony is a highly qualified veteran band from Finland. Due to their unstable lineup at the beginning of their formation, they did not release their first demo work "Wounds That Never Heal" until 2015. This demo includes four songs created by the band, which well reflects the talents of the band members, beautiful melodies, and powerful riffs. Some beautiful solos are interspersed among them, making the band's works easier to remember. The 2018 EP album "Into the Void" has even gained more fans and fans for the band. The attention and praise of music critics, this EP After the album was released, the band did not continue to create new works, but chose to "quiet down" until 2023 when they released their latest single. These singles were also appreciated by Finland's Samsara Records and released all the singles for the band from 2023 to 2025. At the time of the release of their new single "Gone" this year, the magazine also contacted the band's singer Vesa for an exclusive interview!

(V: represents author W: represents Vesa Winberg)

采访对象Vesa Winberg（Dead End Irony乐队歌手）

采访时间：2025.04.27

V: 你好Vesa很高兴见到你，非常感谢你参加这次采访。我相信这是你们乐队第一次接受中国杂志的采访。首先向所有中国球迷问好。Dead End Irony成立于2010年，是一支历史悠久的乐队。你最初是怎么组建乐队的？

Hello Vesa, nice to meet you and thank you very much for participating in this interview. I believe this is the first time your band has been interviewed by a Chinese magazine. First of all, let’s say hello to all Chinese fans. Dead End Irony was founded in 2010 and is a long-standing band. How did you form the band originally?

W: 谢谢你的邀请！很荣幸能接受您的采访，这确实是我们第一次有机会与中国金属迷交谈，这真的很酷。对于中国所有的金属爱好者来说，我们的信息很简单：“重金属要回家了。”这是一个口号，反映了我们相信真正的金属是永恒的。Dead End Irony由Simo Jokela、Antti Vainio和Mika Kauppinen创立。经过几次阵容实验，其他原始成员——Valtteri Backman和Jori Kauppinen——加入了。2012年Valtteri离开了专注于他的学习。我们花了几年时间寻找新的歌手，2014年Riku被选中，这标志着我们第一张EP“Wounds That Never Heal”的录制过程的开始，Valtteri作为2018年EP“Into the Void”的主唱回归，但最终选择专注于自己的音乐项目和工作室工作。

Thank you for the invitation! It’s an honor to be interviewed by you, and yes – this is indeed the first time we’ve had the chance to speak to Chinese metal fans, and that’s really cool. To all the metal fans in China, our message is simple: “Heavy Metal Is Coming Home.” It’s a slogan that reflects our belief that true metal lives forever. Dead End Irony was founded by Simo Jokela, Antti Vainio, and Mika Kauppinen. After a few lineup experiments, the rest of the original members – Valtteri Backman and Jori Kauppinen – joined. In 2012, Valtteri stepped away to focus on his studies. We spent a couple of years searching for a new vocalist, and in 2014, Riku was chosen, which marked the beginning of the recording process for our first EP, “Wounds That Never Heal”. Valtteri returned as vocalist for our 2018 EP “Into the Void”, but eventually chose to focus on his own music projects and studio work.

V: 你在2020年加入了乐队。乐队里有原创成员吗？你和其他新成员是怎么加入的？

You joined the band in 2020. Do you have any original members in the band? How did you and the other new members join?

W: 是的，我们仍然有乐队的原始成员——主音吉他手兼主要词曲作者Simo Jokela和贝斯手Antti Vainio。我是最后一个加入的，就在我之前我们的鼓手Antti Pekonen加入进来了。我们的另一位吉他手Krisse已经在乐队待了一段时间了。

Yes, we still have original members in the band – lead guitarist and main songwriter Simo Jokela, and bassist Antti Vainio. I was the last one to join, and just before me, our drummer Antti Pekonen came in. Our other guitarist, Krisse, has been with the band a bit longer already.

V: 你们乐队的每个成员都是经验丰富的金属音乐家。你能告诉我们一些你的创作过程吗？我相信你丰富的经验会激励许多年轻的音乐家。

Each member of your band is an experienced metal musician. Could you tell us a bit about your creative process? I believe your broad experience will inspire many young musicians.

W: 我们的歌曲源于我们个人的影响，这些影响是在多年充满激情的音乐聆听中发展起来的。Simo通常会带来即兴重复段和歌曲的基础，通常会有一个清晰的愿景。然后我们在排练期间一起完善材料。Antti的鼓声增添了强烈的个人风格。我也从事过金属流派以外的音乐工作，我总是在我们的歌曲中寻找旋律的钩子。在同一条赛道上将厚重感与朗朗上口性结合起来是一个有趣的挑战。我对年轻音乐家的建议是：听各种各样的音乐，甚至超出你的主要流派。

Our songs stem from our personal influences, which have developed over many years of passionate music listening. Simo usually brings the riffs and a foundation for a song, often with a clear vision in mind. We then refine the material together during rehearsals. Antti’s drumming adds a strong personal flavor. I’ve also worked with music outside the metal genre, and I always look for melodic hooks in our songs. It’s a fascinating challenge to combine heaviness with catchiness in the same track. My advice to young musicians: listen to a wide range of music, even beyond your main genre.

V: 你们乐队Logo的设计很简单，但有金属质感。谁设计的？你的专辑艺术品也制作得很精美是谁做的？

The design of your band’s logo is very simple, but it has a metallic texture. Who designed it? Your album artworks are also beautifully crafted who made those?

W: The Dead End Irony的Logo由ModBlackmoon设计，而乐队自己也想出了这个名字。封面艺术作品由Tomás“Submarine”Krumpál创作。

The Dead End Irony logo was designed by ModBlackmoon, while the band came up with the name ourselves. The cover artwork has been created by Tomás “Submarine” Krumpál.

V: 你的乐队一直在与Samsara Records合作发行你的作品。这种合作是如何开始的？你对他们的工作满意吗？最近你似乎也与芬兰唱片公司Inverse Records合作过。你对两者的工作都满意吗？

Your band has been working with Samsara Records to release your material. How did that collaboration begin? Are you satisfied with their work? Lately, it seems you’ve also worked with the Finnish label Inverse Records. Are you happy with both?

W: Samsara和Inverse都是充满激情和专注的品牌。Samsara在将我们的音乐引入流媒体平台方面发挥了至关重要的作用。有了Inverse我们现在发布了我们的首张完整专辑，我们对此非常感激。两者都是很好的合作伙伴。

Both Samsara and Inverse are passionate and dedicated labels. Samsara played a crucial role in getting our music onto streaming platforms. With Inverse, we’re now releasing our debut full-length album, and we’re very thankful for that. Both are great partners to work with.

V: 你们乐队的音乐主题是什么？你为什么选择这个主题，你想通过它表达什么？谁写歌词，灵感从哪里来？

What is the lyrical and musical theme of your band? Why did you choose this theme, and what do you want to express through it? Who writes the lyrics, and where does the inspiration come from?

W: 没有严格统一的主题，但歌曲仍然形成了一个连贯的整体。例如，我们即将发行的专辑中有一首名为“Razor Gods”的歌曲涉及兄弟仇恨的主题。另一方面我们最新的单曲"Catch My Heart"告诉了一个虚构的故事，讲述了一位战俘父亲和他的儿子之间的对话，这是一个令人心碎的故事，尤其是当两人从未真正见面时。我们的歌词主要由乐队创作，并得到了Juha Matti Tepponen的额外帮助。

There’s no strict unified theme, but the songs still form a coherent whole. For example, a track on our upcoming album titled “Razor Gods” deals with themes of brotherly hatred. On the other hand, our latest single “Catch My Heart” tells a fictional story of a conversation between a father who is a prisoner of war and his son — a heartbreaking story, especially as the two never actually met. Our lyrics are mainly written by the band, with additional help from Juha-Matti Tepponen.

V: 你的乐队成立于2010年，但你的第一个demo直到2015年才发布。为什么你决定等这么久才发布你的第一个演示？

Your band was founded in 2010, but your first demo was only released in 2015. Why did you decide to wait so long before releasing your first demo?

W: 在2010年至2014年期间，乐队录制了几个Demo，但都没有正式发布。我们利用这段时间来发展我们的声音，共同成长为音乐家并为未来的发行奠定基础。到2015年我们已经准备好正式与更广泛的观众分享我们的音乐。

Between 2010 and 2014, the band recorded several demos, but none of them were officially released. We used that time to develop our sound, grow together as musicians, and build the foundations for future releases. By 2015, we felt ready to officially share our music with a wider audience.

V: 在2018年的EP之后，你休息了很长时间，直到2023年才恢复创作和发行音乐。是什么让你再次回归并开始发布新材料？

After your 2018 EP, you took a long break and only resumed writing and releasing music in 2023. What made you return and start releasing new material again?

W: 在此期间，阵容发生了变化，疫情也迫使我们休息。当我加入乐队时，已经有一些有前景的新材料在创作中。这给了我们新的能量和前进的动力。

There were lineup changes during that time, and the pandemic also forced us into a break. When I joined the band, there was already some promising new material in the works. That gave us fresh energy and motivation to move forward.

V: 首先祝贺你今年推出最新单曲"Gone"。它充满了金属的能量和力量，让我想起了80年代和90年代的乐队。这种安排、令人兴奋的即兴重复段和稳定的鼓声使你的声音强大而令人印象深刻。这是我今年听过的最好的歌曲之一。你自己觉得这首歌怎么样？

First of all, congratulations on the release of your latest single “Gone” this year. It’s full of metal energy and power that reminds me of bands from the ‘80s and ‘90s. The arrangement, exciting riffs, and steady drums make your sound powerful and very impressive. This is one of the best songs I’ve heard this year. What do you think about the song yourself?

W: 非常感谢您的宝贵反馈！我们很高兴听到“Gone”给人留下了这样的印象。这是一个很好的例子，说明合作如何将歌曲变为现实。Antti Vainio对歌词和即兴重复段有最初的想法，然后Simo进一步发展。当我们进入录音室时，我们的制作人Teemu Aalto带来了他自己强烈的愿景，这大大提升了这首歌的水平。我们真的为这个结果感到骄傲。

Thank you so much for the great feedback! We’re thrilled to hear that “Gone” made such an impression. It’s a great example of how collaboration brings a song to life. Antti Vainio had the original idea for the lyrics and riff, which Simo then developed further. When we entered the studio, our producer Teemu Aalto brought his own strong vision, which elevated the song significantly. We’re really proud of the result.

V: 这张新专辑和你以前发行的专辑有什么不同？

How is the new album different from your previous releases?

W: 新歌的编排和作曲更加周到。每个乐队成员都在音乐上成长，这反映在声音上。我们仍然喜欢我们早期的作品，但我们可以清楚地听到我们在演奏、写作和制作方面取得的进步。

The new songs are more thoughtfully arranged and composed. Each band member has grown musically, and this is reflected in the sound. We still love our earlier work, but we can clearly hear the progress we’ve made in terms of playing, writing, and production.

V: 你的乐队在每张专辑的录制中都取得了显著的进步。你用哪个录音室录制你的专辑？哪位制作人制作了你们的作品？新单曲的录制过程顺利吗？

Your band has progressed significantly with each album recording. Which studio did you use to record your albums? Who produced them? Did the recording process for the new single go smoothly?

W: 我们与Teemu Aalto一起录制了我们最近的材料，他有着敏锐的耳朵并致力于将歌曲塑造成更吸引听众的东西。我们真的很喜欢和他一起工作。录制过程进行得相当顺利，尽管他确实给了我们很大的压力——录制过程并不总是那么容易，但结果不言自明。

We’ve recorded our recent material with Teemu Aalto, who has a brilliant ear and a drive to shape songs into something more engaging for listeners. We’ve really enjoyed working with him. The recording process has gone quite smoothly, though he does push us hard — the sessions haven’t always been easy, but the results speak for themselves.

V: 作为一个历史悠久的乐队，你肯定参加过许多节日——哪些节日给你留下了深刻的印象？现场的气氛是怎样的？2025年你打算参加哪些节日？

As a long-standing band, you’ve surely played at many festivals – which ones have left a lasting impression on you? What was the live atmosphere like? What festivals are you planning to attend in 2025?

W: 我们目前正在制定2025年的展会日程，一旦确认将立即公布日期。敬请期待！

We’re currently building our 2025 show calendar and will announce dates as soon as they’re confirmed. Stay tuned!

V: 除了发布新单曲，你们乐队在2025年还有什么新计划？你能和歌迷们分享一些细节吗？

What other new plans does your band have for 2025 besides releasing new singles? Can you share any details with the fans?

W: 我们已经创作了许多新音乐。就我个人而言，我已经准备好了五六个可靠的想法。我们将继续制作大旋律和经典重金属，所以请留意即将到来的内容。

We already have a lot of new music written. Personally, I have five or six solid ideas ready. We’ll continue crafting big melodies and classic heavy metal – so keep an eye out for what’s coming.

V: Dead End Irony是一支经典的乐队，我将永远支持和追随你。我也希望这次采访能帮助更多的中国歌迷发现并支持你的音乐。最后你有什么要对你的中国粉丝说的吗？

Dead End Irony is a classic band, and I will always support and follow you. I also hope this interview helps more Chinese fans discover and support your music. Do you have anything to say to your Chinese fans in the end?

W: 衷心感谢你的话。能与中国歌迷分享我们的音乐，我感到非常荣幸和高兴。我们的信息很简单：让我们保持重金属的活力，让我们支持现场表演。我们希望有一天能为中国的歌迷表演，因为“重金属要回家了”

A big, metal-hearted thank you for your words. It’s a true honor and joy to share our music with our Chinese fans. Our message is simple: let’s keep heavy metal alive, and let’s support live shows. We would love to one day perform for our fans in China – because truly, “Heavy Metal Is Coming Home.”