因此，我存在 - 葡萄牙Progressive Metal乐队Freitanás专访

Volcano Magazine
2 hours ago
21 min read

今天采访到的是来自葡萄牙的Progressive Metal乐队Freitanás，这支乐队由João Pedro de Freitas一个人创建，2026年发行的第一首单曲“Ninguém”便引起很多人的关注，不久之后乐队发行了第一张正式专辑“Ergo Sum”获得了成功，12首歌曲时长55分钟，以复杂的编曲，优美的旋律，得到了关注和支持，这张专辑所有的工作全部由João Pedro de Freitas完成，在新专辑发行之际João Pedro de Freitas与杂志取得联系进行了一次专访！

（V: 代表笔者 J: 代表João Pedro de Freitas）

Today we interviewed Freitanás, a Progressive Metal band from Portugal. Founded by João Pedro de Freitas, their debut single "Ninguém," released in 2026, garnered significant attention. Shortly after, their first studio album, "Ergo Sum," was a success. The 12-track, 55-minute album, with its complex arrangements and beautiful melodies, received considerable acclaim and support. João Pedro de Freitas handled all aspects of the album's production. To coincide with the album's release, he contacted the magazine for an exclusive interview.

(V: Represents the author; J: Represents João Pedro de Freitas)

采访对象：João Pedro de Freitas（Freitanás乐队创始人）

采访时间：2026.07.17

V: Freitanás这个名称是好友Rui Martins在科英布拉Taberna 58酒馆聚会时定下的绰号，后来你直接将它用作单人企划名字，这个名字对你而言承载了怎样私人的纪念意义？

The name Freitanás was originally a nickname given to you by your good friend Rui Martins during a gathering at Taberna 58 in Coimbra, which you later adopted as the title of your solo project. What personal sentimental meaning does this name hold for you?

J: 最初，这只是Rui给我起的一个很酷的昵称，大家都开始用，但不知不觉中，它演变成了我的“金属”形象。我开始在Aoidos的演出上介绍成员时使用它，也用在乐队的宣传材料上，而当我着手做这个个人项目时，我突然意识到它就应该叫这个名字。这张专辑最大的灵感来源是Devin Townsend，他一开始会在他的项目名称后加上“Band”或“Project”作为后缀，后来干脆去掉，只用Devin Townsend这个名字。对我来说，我的原名João Freitas听起来不够独特，不足以印在专辑封面上，但Freitanás感觉很酷，所以我就用了它。它代表了我内心深处对金属乐的热爱，而整个创作过程和这个项目也帮助我治愈了过去十年来一直困扰我的一些伤痛。

It started as a cool nickname that Rui gave me and everyone started using, but, at some point, it morphed into my “metal” persona. I started using it at Aoidos’ shows when presenting the members, used it on press materials for the band, and, when it came to do this solo project it sort of clicked in me that it had to be called like this. My greatest inspiration for this album was Devin Townsend, and he started using the “Band” or “Project” as suffixes for his projects, until dropping it and going as Devin Townsend only. For me, my original name, João Freitas, didn’t sound different enough to be slapped across an album cover but Freitanás felt like a really cool option, so I stuck with it. It represents a part of me that is very much engrossed in the metal scene, and this whole process and project helped me heal some aspects of this side of my life that had been hurting for the last 10 years.

V: 你同时作为Aoidos完整阵容的主唱、吉他手，本身已经拥有稳定的乐队创作出口，当初是什么契机让你决定开启Freitanás这个单人音乐企划？

You work as both lead vocalist and guitarist for the full lineup of Aoidos, already having a stable band as an outlet for your creativity. What was the inspiration that pushed you to launch your solo music project Freitanás?

J: 一切都始于那首"Synergy"，它是所有歌曲中最老的一首，创作于2022年。当时Aoidos还处于起步阶段，正处于短暂的停滞期，因为我们失去了第一位鼓手，而我当时也和Ekid身处不同的城市。于是，我开始创作，并没有考虑这些歌曲是否符合我们当时想要打造的Aoidos的音乐风格。就这样"Synergy"诞生了，还有许多其他歌曲，基本上已经创作出了一张完整的专辑。后来，Aoidos开始走红，我就把这些歌暂时搁置了。时间快进到2024年，当我开始更认真地练习打鼓，并且达到了可以创作歌曲的水平时，我重新翻出了那些文件。我原本计划继续使用其中的素材，但最让我印象深刻的是"Synergy"，它似乎是一个开启新项目的绝佳起点，让我有机会探索金属乐的不同领域。还有更多我以前创作的歌曲想要探索，所以，敬请期待 Freitanás 未来发行的作品中会收录其中一些歌曲。

It all started with the song “Synergy”, the oldest of the bunch, hailing from 2022. Aoidos was still in its formative years and in a small pause, having lost our first drummer and me being in a different city than Ekid at the time. So, I started writing without thinking if the songs would fit into the Aoidos aesthetic we were trying to create. That’s how “Synergy” was created, as were a multitude of songs, basically a complete album. Then, Aoidos started gaining traction and I put those songs on hold. Fast forward to 2024, when I started playing drums more seriously and got to the point I was good enough to write stuff with it, I went back to those files. The plan was to use more of that material, but the one that stood out was “Synergy”, which seemed like a wonderful place to start a new project, one that made it possible for me to explore a different side of metal. There are still more of those older songs that I still want to explore, so, be ready to hear some of them in a future Freitanás release.

V: 你在日常喜欢听哪类音乐？谁的作品最能给你带来创作灵感？

What genres of music do you personally enjoy listening to in your spare time? Which artists’ discographies fuel your creative inspiration the most?

J: 正如我认识的许多金属乐手都会证实的那样，我们听的音乐远不止金属乐。这是一件好事，因为这样我们才能将新的理念融入重金属音乐的世界，防止它停滞不前。最近我一直在听Portishead的歌。他们歌曲营造的氛围是我体验过的最震撼的重金属音乐之一。像"Cowboys"或"Only You"这样的歌真的让我深受启发，尤其是他们在纽约Roseland的现场专辑。简直太棒了。最近我也在听很多Soulquarians旗下艺人的作品，比如The Roots、Erykah Badu，尤其是J Dilla。他们的节奏感真的促使我去尝试金属乐之外的其他音乐类型，虽然我还没能达到他们那种精准的律动感。当然，我的歌单里也有很多金属乐。最近我一直在狂听Crowbar的全部作品。他们的riff、音色、Kirk的嗓音，一切都完美无瑕。可以肯定的是，Aoidos的下一张专辑会受到金属乐界一些影响。另一个值得关注的乐队是Rivers of Nihil，他们正在打造一种独树一帜的音乐风格，从令人惊艳的氛围到震撼人心的嗓音，都让我非常欣赏和敬仰。我希望有一天能和他们一起演出。

As many metal artists I know will confirm, we listen to more than just metal. And that’s a good thing, because, that way, we can incorporate new ideas into the heavy world, preventing it from stagnating. Recently I’ve been listening a lot to Portishead. The ambience they create with their songs is some of the heavier things I’ve ever experienced. Songs like “Cowboys” or “Only You” are really inspiring to me, especially on their live album in Roseland NYC. Glorious stuff. Been listening to a lot of the Soulquarians group of artists, like The Roots, Erykah Badu, and, especially, J Dilla. Their sense of rhythm really pushed me to try different things outside the realm of metal, although I’m yet to achieve their level of pocket groove. And, of course, there’s a lot of metal on my playlist. Recently been binging the whole Crowbar discography. Their riffs, their tone, Kirk’s vocals, everything is perfect. Expect some influences from that side of the metal camp on the next Aoidos release, for sure. Another name has been Rivers of Nihil, they are really creating a special sound of their own, between the amazing ambiences to the crushing vocals, that I really appreciate and look up too. I would love to play with them, one day.

V: "Ergo Sum"取自笛卡尔我思故我在的哲学命题，这个哲学内核是如何贯穿整张专辑12首曲目，构建统一叙事逻辑？这张专辑的创作动机是什么？官方介绍提到专辑核心是“直面成年世界的精神风暴，把独立生存的压力、孤独转化为宣泄式音乐”，这些创作灵感是否全部来源于你自身真实的成长经历？

The album title Ergo Sum derives from Descartes’ philosophical statement Cogito ergo sum (I think, therefore I am). How does this philosophical core run through all twelve tracks of the record to build a cohesive narrative thread, and what drove you to create this album? Official materials state that the record revolves around navigating the inner tempests of adulthood, channeling the heavy weight of independence and loneliness into cathartic art. Is every ounce of this creative inspiration drawn directly from your own real-life growth experiences?

J: 是的，与Aoidos的专辑不同，这张专辑主要讲述的是我自己成年后的经历，关于成年人应该具备的品质，以及我们每个人在成长过程中所背负的期望。这就是“我思故我在”（Cogito, Ergo Sum）的由来。除了日益增长的责任、账单、人际关系和抱负之外，我们还要面对内心的独白、自我以及那些挥之不去的念头，也就是“我思故我在”（Cogito）。这种精神上的斗争有时会压倒生活的其他方面，束缚我们，限制我们的潜能。这就是为什么其中一首歌叫做“我思故我在”（Cogito），因为它是这个过程的一部分，但最终的目标是尊重和原谅自己，并带着疗愈继续前行。“我思故我在”（Cogito, Ergo Sum），这就是最终的目标。

Yes, contrary to the Aoidos album, this one is mostly about my own experience with adulthood, what’s expected from an adult and what expectations we all carry when growing up. That’s where the “Cogito, Ergo Sum” comes up. Beyond the mounting responsibilities, bills, relationships and aspirations, one has to contend with their inner monologue, the self, and the intrusive thoughts, the Cogito. That battle for the psyche sometimes overwhelms all other aspects of life, restraining us and limiting our potential. That’s why one of the songs is called “Cogito”, because it is a part of the process, but, the overall goal is to be, to respect and forgive ourselves and to carry on, healed. The “Ergo Sum”, that is the goal.

V: 整张"Ergo Sum"从录音、混音到母带处理，最困难的地方是什么？你有什么建议可以给刚刚开始进行单人计划的新手吗？

The entire production of Ergo Sum recording, mixing, and mastering was handled solely by yourself. What was the most challenging hurdle you faced during this process? Do you have any advice for new musicians who are just starting out with their own solo projects?

J: 起初，最大的挑战是打鼓，但这正是目的所在。我想挑战自己，练习、提升，并尝试一种与以往截然不同的创作方式。而这确实奏效了。现在，我的鼓技可能有些生疏，因为在进入混音阶段后我就停止了练习，但这些知识依然存在，打鼓如今已成为我生命的一部分，并将永远如此。在混音方面，最大的障碍是找不到一双干净利落的耳朵来聆听我的作品。通常，我喜欢与母带工程师合作，这样他们就能以清晰的视角来审视整个项目，而不会被几个月的工作和听觉疲劳所干扰。但这一次，或许是因为时间紧迫或预算不足，我决定自己尝试一下。我之前也混音和母带处理过一些唱片，比如Gizzah乐队的"Remnants"和Gargul乐队的"Gallows"，但为自己的音乐操刀混音和母带处理并非易事。你会变成自己最糟糕的客户，吹毛求疵，固执己见，不付钱，还让自己加班。但另一方面，这确实是个很好的锻炼，可以改善你这方面的缺点。完美主义就像一个牢笼，但当面临截止日期或堆积如山的工作时，你会开始妥协，开始投入，歌曲也会因此而进步。对于任何刚起步的人来说，大胆去做吧。对我而言，没有什么比创作和制作音乐更快乐的了，甚至比现场演出还要棒。但你必须投入其中，花时间，并且要明白，你的最初作品听起来会很糟糕，但你仍然需要展示它。把它给其他音乐人和录音师听。从他们的反馈中学习。创作更多的歌曲。几百个小时之后，它们听起来会更好。然后，几个月后，它们甚至会变得很棒。你会逐渐熟悉你的监听音箱、插件和乐器。很快，你就会发现YouTube上大多数的混音技巧都不值得你浪费时间。之后，你就能拥有一张令你引以为傲的专辑。所以，放手去做吧！只是别花好几年时间反复打磨同一首歌。多写几百首，很快你就能凭直觉分辨出哪些歌好听，哪些歌需要修改，哪些歌只是练习之作。说不定你还会像我一样，回头去改进那些你认为已经完美无瑕的作品。但这一次，你会更快、更精准地完成修改。

At first, the biggest challenge was the drumming, but that was the point. I wanted to challenge myself to practice, to improve, and to write in a different way than I ever did before. And it worked. Right now, I might be a little rusty, since I stopped practicing when I entered the mixing phase, but the knowledge is still there, and drumming is something that is, now, a part of me and will be forever. Mixing-wise, the biggest hurdle was not having a fresh pair of ears to listen to my work. Usually, I like to work with a mastering engineer, so they can take the project with a clean vision, not muddled by months of labour and ear fatigue. But, this time, be it because of time constraints or lack of budget, I decided to give this one a shot. I’ve mixed and mastered records before, like “Remnants” from the band Gizzah or “Gallows” by Gargul, but working on your own music can be hard. You become your worst client, you nitpick everything, you’re stubborn, you don’t pay and you make yourself work overtime. But, on the other hand, it’s a really good exercise to improve that side of you. Perfectionism can be a cage, but when faced with deadlines or mounting piles of work, you start to compromise, to commit, and the songs improve because of that. To anyone starting out, go for it. For me, there’s no greater joy than writing and producing music, it’s better than performing live, even. But you have to dig in, take the time, and realize that your initial work will sound bad and you still have to show it. Show it to other musicians and engineers. Learn from their feedback. Write more songs. After a few hundred hours, they will sound better. Then, a few months later, they will sound good, even. You’ll get to know your monitors, your plugins, your instruments. Soon, you’ll see that most mixing tips on Youtube are not worth your time. And, after that, you’ll have a record you will be proud of. So, go for it! Just don’t keep working on the same song for years. Write hundreds of them, and soon, you’ll have a sixth sense about the ones that are good and the ones that need work or were just practice. Hell, you’ll even do what I do, and go back and improve things you thought were already perfect. But, this time, you’ll be quicker and more precise with it.

V: Aoidos与Freitanás的风格有着明显的差异，两种差异化的创作方向，会互相影响你日常写riff、编曲的习惯吗？

Aoidos and Freitanás feature noticeably distinct musical styles. Do these two contrasting creative outlets influence your daily process of writing riffs and arranging songs for one another?

J: 我属于那种“先写Riff”的作曲家。即使是为电影或电子游戏创作的古典音乐配乐（我也是自由职业者），我通常也是从一个可以重复使用的核心想法开始，无论是riff还是主题。有趣的是，我写完一个Riff后，就能立刻分辨出它是Aoidos的riff还是Freitanás的riff。两者的感觉和创作思路截然不同，这造就了一种与生俱来的身份认同感。当然Freitanás的大部分歌曲都使用特定的调弦——开放C调，但即便如此，有些Riff依然能精准地找到属于自己的位置。我觉得这完全是因为我弹奏和创作吉他riff已经超过15年了。这种能力只能通过时间和经验积累才能获得。

I am a “riffs first” kind of writer. Even with classical scores for movies or videogames, that I do as a freelancer, I usually start with a main repeatable idea, be it a riff or a motif. And, the funny thing is, right as I finish writing a riff I can tell if it’s an Aoidos’ riff or one for Freitanás. The feeling and the mindset for each one are completely different, and that translates to an innate sense of identity. Sure, Freitanás has a specific tuning for most of the songs, Open C, but even then, there are some riffs that just know where they belong. And I feel that only happens because I’ve been playing and writing guitar riffs for more than 15 years. This only comes with time and experience.

V: 你邀请了很多音乐人加入了作品的录制，最让我印象深刻的是《O Primo da América》收录了你祖父Américo的小号独奏，这首曲目也是写给祖父的致敬作品，可以分享这首曲子背后完整的创作故事吗？

You collaborated with multiple guest musicians on this record. What left the deepest impression on me is the trumpet performance by your grandfather Américo featured on O Primo da América, a tribute track dedicated to him. Could you walk us through the full story behind the creation of this song?

J: 那是我这张专辑里最喜欢的歌之一，也是我写过的所有歌里最喜欢的，可能以后也会一直写下去。很高兴它能引起你的共鸣。我爷爷在行进乐队里吹了很多年小号，他父亲教当地的孩子们乐理，所以他也子承父业。他还在教堂唱诗班指挥时弹管风琴，除了小号，他还在行进乐队里演奏“卡里良”（Carrilhão），这是一种介于管钟和钟琴之间的乐器，但便于携带。因为这种乐器很稀有，所以他演奏这种乐器时是乐队里的明星。他现在87岁了，随着年龄增长，他的记忆力开始衰退，尤其是自我怀疑，他说自己以前吹小号毫不费力，现在却完全吹不动了。嗯，2024年夏天，我耍了个小花招。我们当时在他家花园里吃午饭，我告诉他我想学小号，问他能不能给我一些建议。他拿出小号，开始吹奏音阶，以及一些他能凭记忆演奏的曲子。通常他会对自己目前的水平非常不自信，但不知为何，这次他却兴致勃勃，吹了将近一个小时。我一直用手机拍摄他演奏的过程。我保存了这些视频，并妥善保管。制作这张专辑时，我终于意识到这些录音的妙用。我把视频导入REAPER软件，找到一个大致的节奏，将他的音符与这个节奏对齐，然后开始根据他演奏的部分创作重复的旋律乐句。有了主旋律之后，我又创作了其他部分，包括吉他即兴演奏、鼓点和贝斯。这完全颠覆了我以往的创作流程，但我认为最终效果非常棒。最后，我加入了一段录音，他笑着说：“我想应该是这样的，但我记不起来了。”当我听完这段录音时，我意识到它完美极了，脸上带着微笑，眼里噙着泪水。

That’s one of my favorite tracks from the album and of all the songs I’ve written and probably will ever write. It makes me happy that it resonated with you. So, my grandfather played trumpet for many years in marching bands, his dad taught music theory to local kids so he followed in his footsteps. He also played organ while conducting church choirs and, beyond the trumpet, played “Carrilhão” on marching bands as well, which is a cross between tubular bells and a glockenspiel, but portable. He was the star of the band with that specific instrument, since it was quite rare. He is now 87, and, with old age, came problems of memory and, especially, of self doubt, saying he went from playing effortlessly to playing nothing at all. Well, in the summer of 2024 I kind of tricked him. We were having lunch in his garden when I told him I was interested in learning how to play trumpet and if he could give me some tips. He brought the trumpet out and started playing some scales and whatever pieces he could play from memory. Usually he would be very negative about his current ability, but, for some reason, this time he was quite happy and played for almost an hour. All the while, I was filming him with my phone. I saved those videos and kept them safe. When it came time to do this album I finally realized what I could do with those recordings. I imported the videos to REAPER, found a general pulse, aligned his notes to that tempo and started to create repeating melodic phrases from what he played. When I had that topline I created the rest, the guitar riffs, the drums, and the bass. Made me work completely upside down from my usual process, but I think it really turned out amazing. In the end, I put part of the recording where he laughs and says “I think it went like this, but I can’t recall”. I realized it was perfect when I finished listening and I had a smile on my lips and tears in my eyes.

V: 你深耕葡萄牙金属界多年，当下葡萄牙前卫、极端金属地下场景，和你刚入行时期对比，发生了哪些明显变化？

You have been an active part of Portugal’s metal underground for many years. Compared to when you first entered the scene, what notable shifts have taken place within the country’s progressive and extreme metal underground today?

J: 我注意到的主要变化是演出和音乐节的数量。过去10到15年间，小型音乐节和演出数量激增，这有利有弊。一方面，这给了乐队更多表演和展示音乐的机会。另一方面，有时同一个周末活动太多，导致观众分散，乐队最终只能对着自己的男女朋友、酒吧老板和当地的醉汉表演。但除了不同组织之间偶尔缺乏沟通之外，在我看来，音乐圈的整体发展势头良好。然而，资金短缺确实令人沮丧，尤其是对乐队而言。似乎除了音乐家之外，每个人都在赚钱。演出费很低甚至没有，如果按门票收入分成，每张票的票价就不能太高，所以大多数时候，演出费反而成了成本。此外，在支付摄像师、混音师、公关人员以及乐队发展所需的一切费用时，他们的预算非常有限，而且大部分都来自乐队成员的日常工作薪水。

The main shift I have noted was the number of shows and festivals. In the last 10 to 15 years the number of smaller fests and gigs has increased, which can be good and bad. For one part, it gives bands more opportunity to play and showcase their music. On the other hand, sometimes there are so many events on the same weekend that the audience is split, and bands end up playing to their girlfriends/boyfriends, the barkeeper and the local drunkard. But, beyond some lack of communication from the different organizations at times, the scene couldn’t be healthier, in my opinion. The lack of money can be frustrating, though, especially as a band. It seems that everyone but the musicians end up making money. The fees are low or non-existent, and if you do a percentage of the entries you can’t charge a lot per ticket, so you end up paying to play most of the time. And then, when it comes to paying for videographers, mixers, PR and all the things that bands need to grow, their budget is very limited, and mostly, coming from the band members’ day job salary.

V: 你认为近些年来前卫金属的发展走向如何？有些人通过AI创作歌曲，对此你的看法是什么？

Where do you see the general trajectory of progressive metal heading in recent years? Many creators now utilize artificial intelligence to write music—what is your personal take on this trend?

J: 我认为人工智能会一直存在，但也许不会再以现在的方式继续发展下去。目前，人工智能的应用和普及程度都在激增，几乎每个人都在和 ChatGPT 聊天，或者在谷歌上搜索人工智能的简介，而不是像2000年代那样点击令人望而生畏的维基百科页面。艺术和音乐领域尤其如此。Suno 的 CEO 说音乐家不喜欢创作音乐，我觉得他完全是妄想。他可能曾经尝试弹过一次吉他，结果手指疼，五分钟后就放弃了。但人工智能工具确实存在，而且很可能不会消失。但真正的问题不在于人工智能创作的艺术是否是艺术，而在于艺术本身是什么。作家布兰登·桑德森在他的主题演讲中对此做了完美的阐述：我们就是艺术。创作歌曲、绘画、书籍的过程本身就是艺术。作品完成后，我们变成了不同的人。歌曲、书籍、绘画，它们都是艺术的产物。但归根结底，这个过程在我们身上留下的印记才是真正的艺术。我对此深表赞同。这张专辑"Ergo Sum"见证了我自身的一些重大转变。从外人看来，我或许还是老样子，但对我以及真正了解我的人来说，我已经改变了。我治愈了一些伤痛，并采取了重要的措施来治愈其余的伤痛。这在Suno（指某个软件或软件）上是不可能实现的，也永远不可能实现。正如Brandon所说：“旅程永远比目的地更重要。”你可以用AI母带处理来加快制作过程，或许还可以用插件为歌曲的特定部分找到完美的采样（我不知道这是否可行，也许我发现了什么，记下来！），但整体体验才是最重要的。我认为AI音乐并没有抢走我的听众。也许它会抢走流行歌手的听众，那些每年都在炮制歌曲，试图打造夏日热门金曲的歌手，但他们的听众一开始就对这些歌不感兴趣。他们只想在通勤、做饭或者想扭动屁股的时候听首欢快的歌。但真正的音乐，由真正的音乐家创作的，永远都有一席之地。即使仅仅是为了我们自身的成长和愉悦。

I think artificial intelligence is here to stay, but maybe not the way it works today. Right now we are experiencing a boom in the offer and the usage, everyone and their moms are talking to ChatGPT or reading the AI summary on Google rather than clicking the Wikipedia page that everyone dreaded during the 2000’s. And that is the same for art and music, specifically. I think that Suno’s CEO is utterly delusional when saying that musicians don’t like writing music. He probably tried to play guitar once and realized it hurt his fingers so he gave up after 5 minutes. But the tools exist and probably won’t go away. But the real question is not if AI art is art, but what is art itself. The writer Brandon Sanderson in his Keynote Speech put it perfectly to words. We are the art. The process of making the song, the painting, the book, that is the art itself. When the work is done, we are different people. The song, the book, the painting, they are products of the art. But the changes that the process has imprinted in us is, ultimately, the real art. And I agree with that. This album, “Ergo Sum”, has been the soundtrack to some major changes in my own self. From the outside, people might say I’m the same guy, but, to me, and to those that really know me, I’ve changed. I’ve healed some wounds and took major steps to heal the rest. That wouldn’t be possible using Suno, and that will never be. As Brandon said: “It's always journey before destination.” You can speed up the process with AI mastering, maybe a plugin that finds the perfect sample for that specific part of the song (don’t know if that’s a thing, maybe I’m onto something, write this down!), but the overall experience is what matters. I say that AI music isn’t taking away my listeners. Maybe it’s taking from pop artists, those that manufacture songs each year to be summer hits, but their audience never cared about them in the first place. They only wanted a happy song to be playing while they commute, while they cook, or when they want to shake their bottoms. But there will always be a place for real music, by real musicians. Even if only for our own personal growth and pleasure.

V: 在你看来前卫金属的核心是什么？未来Freitanás会延续这张专辑的前卫曲风，还是尝试全新音色、实验方向？

In your opinion, what defines the core essence of progressive metal? For future Freitanás material, will you continue down the progressive sound established on Ergo Sum, or will you explore brand-new tones and experimental musical directions?

J: 对我而言，前卫音乐无惧未知。它勇于反叛，即便像金属或朋克这样的反主流文化流派显得停滞不前，过于执着于自身的界限。在前卫音乐的领域，一切皆有可能。每一种声音、每一种影响、每一个想法，都弥足珍贵。你可以追随内心，追寻那些带给你快乐的事物。别误会，我热爱死亡金属和黑金属，也热爱我与Aoidos的合作。虽然我可以在那支乐队里进行很多尝试，但在Freitanás，我发现自己拓展了自身的音乐品味和固有观念，从而产生了新的灵感，这不仅体现在我的个人专辑中，也体现在Aoidos未来的歌曲创作中！至于Freitanás的下一张专辑，我将延续"Ergo Sum"的风格，因为我觉得它就像是我生命中不可或缺的一部分，它融合了Devin Townsend式的音墙和清澈的嗓音。当然，我也会尝试融入一些新的元素，一切都将自然而然地发生，绝不强求。

For me, progressive music doesn’t fear the unknown. It rebels, even when counter-culture genres like metal or punk seem stagnant and overzealous of their boundaries. In the realm of the progressive, everything is possible. Every sound, every influence, every idea, all of them have value. You can just follow your heart, what brings you joy. Don’t get me wrong, I love Death Metal and Black Metal, and love my work with Aoidos, and although I can experiment a lot with that band, with Freitanás I found myself expanding my own taste and musical prejudices, resulting in new ideas, not only for the solo album, but for future Aoidos’ songs as well! Regarding the next Freitanás release, I will follow the path established by “Ergo Sum”, since I feel it’s a part of me that will always be present, that Devin Townsend inspired wall of sound with the clean vocals, but I will, evidently, try to incorporate new things, always in an organic way, never forcing anything.

V: 我被你的音乐深深吸引住了，我们杂志希望把你的单人创作带给国内、全球更多极端金属乐迷。采访最后，你有什么想对杂志所有读者、听众分享的话？

Your music has resonated deeply with me, and our magazine is eager to introduce your solo work to extreme metal fans both domestically in China and across the globe. To wrap up this interview, is there anything you would like to share with all of our magazine’s readers and listeners?

J: 读到这些话，我感到无比欣慰。虽然这个项目主要是为了我自己而做的，但我仍然非常感激大家的聆听和喜爱，所以再次感谢你们的聆听和给予我这次机会。此外，我还要感谢才华横溢的Ana Amado，她热情而优雅地为歌曲“From Filth, Beauty Grows”献声；以及我最喜欢的葡萄牙鼓手之一Gaspar Ribeiro，他在歌曲“Guilt-Ridden L.B.K.”中的鼓点精彩绝伦。和他们一起演奏真是太棒了。再次感谢大家，希望“Ergo Sum”能带给你们快乐和愉悦。如果你还没听过Aoidos，也请去听听，永远不要放弃你的梦想！

It fills me with great joy to read those words. Although this project was done mainly for me, I’m always grateful to hear that people listened and enjoyed it, so, thank you again for listening and for this opportunity. Also, I want to thank the amazing Ana Amado, who lended her voice with enthusiasm and grace for the track “From Filth, Beauty Grows”, and Gaspar Ribeiro, one of my favorite portuguese drummers, who destroyed the drums on the track “Guilt-Ridden L.B.K.”. It was a pleasure to play with them. Once again, thank you for everything, and I hope “Ergo Sum” brings you joy and pleasure. Check out Aoidos as well, if you haven’t, and never stop following your dreams!