Volcano Magazine
- 14 hours ago
- 16 min read

寂静之夜，邪神降临 - 捷克Melodic/Atmospheric Death Metal乐队Ravenoir专访

今天采访到的是来自捷克的Melodic/Atmospheric Death Metal乐队Ravenoir，2020年由Alesh A.D.组建，2021年在斯洛伐克Gothoom Productions厂牌发行了第一张正式专辑“The Darkest Flame of Eternal Blasphemy”，如果你喜欢Dimmu Borgir，Behemoth，Cradle Of Filth等乐队的话，那么Ravenoir你一定会非常的喜欢，优美的旋律，阴暗，冰冷，恐怖的氛围，给人留下了深刻印象，2022 - 2023乐队在Gothoom Productions厂牌又发行了两张专辑，可见Alesh A.D.创作灵感非常丰富，这两张专辑并没有因为连续发行而且制作低劣，反而是更加的精良，保持着很高的水准，就像Alesh A.D.自己说的一样，请你在夜晚降临之时聆听我的音乐，说到乐队创始人Alesh A.D.他也是捷克著名的音乐家、吉他手、主唱、作曲家、作词家和制作人。他经常被音乐记者称为多乐器演奏家，他十几岁时就加入了黑金属乐队 TERROR（1990-1996 年），开始了自己的音乐生涯。90 年代末，他加入了暗黑金属乐队 ROOT（1996-1999 年，2014-2022 年）的阵容，该乐队当时已享誉全球，在乐迷和音乐记者中享有崇高地位。Alesh A.D.不仅作为音乐家和作曲家，还活跃在文学领域。2017 年他撰写了巨著“Dark Roots”，该书按时间顺序详细记录了他当时所在的ROOT乐队的历史。“Dark Roots”是捷克共和国现代史上出版的最大的一本书。Ravenoir乐队也即将在老东家Gothoom Productions厂牌发行他的第四张正式专辑，前不久Ravenoir乐队的创始人Alesh A.D.与杂志取得联系进行了一次采访

（V: 代表笔者 A: 代表Alesh A.D.）

Today's interview is with Czech Melodic/Atmospheric Death Metal band Ravenoir, formed by Alesh A.D. in 2020 and released their first official album “The Darkest Flame of Eternal Blasphemy” in 2021 on Slovakia's Gothoom Productions label. Darkest Flame of Eternal Blasphemy”, if you like bands like Dimmu Borgir, Behemoth, Cradle Of Filth and others, then Ravenoir will be your favorite, with beautiful melodies, dark, cold and scary atmosphere, which makes a great impression on you. The band released two more albums on the Gothoom Productions label, 2022 - 2023, which shows that Alesh A.D. has a lot of inspiration, and these two albums are not poorly produced, but are even more polished and of a high standard, as Alesh A.D. himself said, “Listen to my music when the night falls”. As Alesh A.D. himself says, please listen to my music when the night falls, and speaking of the band's founder Alesh A.D., he is also a famous Czech musician, guitarist, vocalist, composer, lyricist and producer. Often referred to as a multi-instrumentalist by music journalists, he started his musical career as a teenager in the black metal band TERROR (1990-1996).In the late 90s he joined the lineup of the dark metal band ROOT (1996-1999, 2014-2022), which by that time had gained a worldwide reputation and enjoyed an Alesh A.D. is not only active as a musician and composer, but also in the field of literature, and in 2017 he wrote the magnum opus “Dark Roots”, which chronologically details the history of ROOT, the band he was in at the time. “Dark Roots” is the largest book published in the modern history of the Czech Republic, and Ravenoir is about to release his fourth official album on his old label Gothoom Productions, and Ravenoir founder Alesh A.D. got in touch with the magazine for an interview. got in touch with the magazine for an interview

(V: for the author A: for Alesh A.D.)

V: 您好Alesh A.D.先生，你于2020年创立了自己的工作室项目Ravenoir，这是怎么实现的？RAVENOIR这个名字有什么含义？

Hello, Mr. Alesh A.D., you founded your studio project Ravenoir in 2020. How did that happen? What does the name RAVENOIR mean?

A: 向遥远的中国，当然也向Volcano magazine杂志的所有读者致以亲切的问候。我开始纯粹的录音室项目Ravenoir，主要是因为我有相当多的作曲潜力，总是有新的音乐想法要宣泄，这对我来说是最有成就感的事情。当时爆发的大流行病造成了困难局面，使我当时活跃的ROOT乐队的音乐会活动暂停了一段时间，这从根本上加速了我启动新项目的决定。我的生活发生了很多变化，我也重新评估了自己的价值观，这导致我停止了演出。对我来说，重返音乐会舞台的愿望已经无可挽回地消失了。因此Ravenoir将只是我与客座音乐家合作的工作室项目。之所以叫Ravenoir是因为我非常喜欢乌鸦。我对它们黑暗而富有表现力的象征意义非常着迷。我们都知道乌鸦是思想、知识和智慧的象征，是秘密的守护者，同时也是死亡的黑暗象征和所谓的来自另一个世界的信使。因此双关语由两种语言的两个部分组成：RAVEN（英语--乌鸦）和NOIR（法语--黑暗）对我来说这是一个美丽的组合，完全符合我创作的作品，RAVENOIR 这一名称的作者是我的长期合作者、贝斯手Igor Hubík。

Warm greetings to the far reaches of China and of course to all the readers of Volcano magazine. I started my purely studio project Ravenoir mainly because I have quite a lot of compositional potential and always new musical ideas to vent and that is the most fulfilling thing for me. The difficult situation caused by the pandemic, which broke out at that time and suspended for some time the concert activity of the band ROOT in which I was active at that time, basically accelerated my decision to start a new project. A lot of things changed in my life and I also re-evaluated my values, which led me to stop performing. The desire to return to the concert stage is irrevocably gone in my case. So RAVENOIR will remain only my studio project, on which I collaborate with guest musicians. The name Ravenoir, because I am a great lover of ravens. I'm fascinated by their dark and expressive symbolism. As we know, the raven is a symbol of the mind, knowledge and intelligence, a guardian of secrets, but also a dark icon of death and a so-called messenger from the other side. Therefore, the pun consists of two parts in two languages: the RAVEN (English - raven) and the NOIR (French - dark). For me, it is a beautiful combination that completely corresponds to the work I compose. The author of the title RAVENOIR is my long-time collaborator, bassist Igor Hubík.

V: 乐队的Logo非常经典。谁为你们设计的？

The band's logo is very classic. Who designed it for you?

A: Logo及其平面设计的作者是Peter Bet'ko，顺便说一句他是Gothoom Productions的负责人。

The author of the logo and its graphic design is Peter Bet'ko, by the way the head of Gothoom Productions.

V: 虽然乐队是你一个人组建的，但我知道你的几位长期乐手参与了乐队的录制。你是如何结识他们的？他们是否参与了你们所有专辑的录制？

Although the band was formed by you alone, I know that several of your long-term musicians participated in the band's recording. How did you get to know them? Have they participated in the recording of all your albums?

A: Ravenoir的所有四张录音室专辑都是在不同阵容变化的情况下录制的，今后也可能如此。我有可能完全独自录制未来的一些专辑。就Ravenoir而言，乐队的阵容并不稳定，而且永远不会稳定。与我合作录制专辑的所有客座成员都是我的好朋友，他们的主要工作都在其他乐队。我非常感谢与他们的合作。

All four of Ravenoir's studio albums have been recorded with variously altered line-ups, and this is likely to be the case in the future. It is possible that I will record some of the future albums completely alone. In the case of Ravenoir the line-up is not and will never be stable. All the guest members I have worked with on the recordings are my good friends who have their main jobs in other bands. I appreciate working with them very much.

V: 乐队中只有你一个人，这在创作过程中非常方便，因为你可以按照自己的想法创作歌曲。能介绍一下你的创作过程吗？

You are the only one in the band, which is very convenient during the creative process because you can create songs according to your own ideas. Can you introduce your creative process?

A: 是的，Ravenoir的音乐方面过去、现在和将来都纯粹是我的事情。至于作曲、作词和录音过程本身，我的情况并无太大不同，多年来一直如此。无论是音乐构思还是歌词，都像璞玉一样被逐渐打磨，直到我完全满意为止。我的主要表达方式是吉他，所有的音乐创意都是通过吉他产生的。通常在创作歌曲的最初阶段，我就能清楚地知道歌曲的氛围和最终的声音效果。创作过程总是分为几个阶段，我会用两到三个月的时间录制专辑。制作专辑对我来说既是一种放松，也是一次冒险。

Yes, the musical side of Ravenoir was, is and always will be purely my business. As far as the process of composing, writing lyrics and recording itself is concerned, it is not much different in my case and has been the same for many years. Musical ideas and lyrics alike are gradually polished like diamonds in the rough to my complete satisfaction. My main means of expression is the guitar and all musical ideas are created through it. I usually have a clear idea from the initial stage of composing a song what the atmosphere will be and how it will sound in its final form. The creation process is always divided into several phases and I spend two to three months recording the album. Making an album is always a kind of relaxation and also an adventure for me.

V: 你的所有专辑都录制得非常好。你是在哪个录音室录制的？哪位制作人制作了你的专辑？新专辑的录制过程顺利吗？

All your albums have been recorded very well. Which studio did you record them in? Which producer produced your albums? Is the recording process of the new album going smoothly?

A: 所有录音都是在多个地点完成的。首先是在我位于布尔诺的鸦巢和位于比泽内茨的Shaark 录音室。如前所述录音过程分几个阶段持续进行。录音师和朋友Pavel Hlavica参与了乌鸦的所有制作与他在录音室的合作非常愉快。这就是为什么我总是喜欢回到Shaark工作室。我是所有专辑的签约制作人。第四张录音室专辑Nocturne早已完成，根据出版商的最新消息，几小时前刚刚将素材发送到制作部门。2024年11月2日，这张专辑将通过斯洛伐克厂牌Gothoom Productions以digipack CD独立包装和U盘的形式发售，新发行的专辑还将出现在所有数字平台上。

All recordings were always made in several locations. First of all it is in my home raven's nest in Brno and in Shaark recording studio in Bzenec. As I have already mentioned, the recording process takes place continuously in several stages. Sound master and friend Pavel Hlavica has been involved in all the Raven's productions and the studio cooperation with him is absolutely great. That's why I always like to come back to Shaark studio. I'm signed as a producer on all the albums.Fourth studio album entitled "Nocturne" is long since completed and according to the latest news from the publisher the material was just sent to production a few hours ago. On November 2, 2024, the album will be available via Slovakian label Gothoom Productions in the form of a four-panel CD digipack and a USB stick. The new release will also appear on all digital platforms.

V: “Nocturne”的封面也非常漂亮，谁为你设计的？

The cover of „Nocturne" is also very beautiful. Who designed it for you?

A: 我是所有专辑封面设计（包括小册子）的作者。新发行的"Nocturne"也是如此。专辑封面设计的所有素材都是我自己拍摄的，美术设计则是与Peter Bet'ko一起完成的。我想绝对避免使用AI软件进行平面设计的时尚潮流，这次我也想避免使用插图封面，虽然插图封面很时尚，但我觉得它们正在失去原创性，作者们开始复制自己。每张Ravenoir的封面都不一样，总是能准确反映专辑的音乐氛围和抒情方面。

I am the author of all album cover designs including booklets. The same is the case with the new release "Nocturne". All the materials for the album artwork were photographed by myself and the artwork was done together with Peter Bet'ko. I wanted to absolutely avoid the fashionable trend of graphic design using AI software and I also wanted to avoid illustrated covers this time, which are stylish, but I feel that they are losing their originality and the authors are starting to copy themselves. Each Ravenoir cover is different and always accurately reflects the atmosphere of the music and lyrical aspects of the album.

V: 你的音乐主题是什么？为什么选择这个主题，想通过它表达什么？歌词也是你写的。这些歌词的灵感来源是什么？

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

A: 我的音乐风格并不单一，也从来不是正统的金属乐追随者。音乐总能激起我的情感共鸣，至于是什么类型的音乐并不重要。音乐只有好坏之分。近四十年来，我一直钟爱Maiden, King Diamond和Mercyful Fate的作品，但我同样喜欢Depeche Mode、Radiohead、Nine Inch Nails、The Cure、David Bowie或环境优美、风景优美的音乐。金属乐对我的吸引力越来越小。多年来，黑暗、缠绵、痛苦、冰冷的旋律、原始感和和声一直是我作品的一个伴奏方面，我敢说这是我的一种特权。如果让我对Ravenoir的音乐风格进行分类的话，它融合了Black Metal, Doom Metal和Death Metal。迄今为止Ravenoir的所有专辑都以黑暗、神秘主义、地狱场景、亵渎为主题，最后但并非最不重要的是生与死的问题，这也是当前专辑“Nocturne”的中心主题。在前三张专辑中，我们与贝斯手伊戈尔共同完成了歌词，还有两首歌词是由BigBoss（ROOT）创作的。我真的不知道作曲和作词的灵感来源。我不知道究竟是什么触发了我。是我内心的某种东西激发了我的创作冲动，唤醒了我的情感认知和我的黑暗缪斯。

I'm not rooted in just one style of music and I've never been an orthodox metal follower. Music always has to stir emotions in me and it doesn't matter what genre of music it is. There is only good or bad music. I have loved the work of Iron Maiden, King Diamond and Mercyful Fate for almost forty years, but I am equally fond of Depeche Mode, Radiohead, Nine Inch Nails, The Cure, David Bowie, or ambient, scenic music. The metal scene appeals to me less and less. The dark, haunting, anguished, cold melodies, rawness and harmonies have been a companion aspect of my work for many years and I dare say a certain privilege. If I were to classify the musical side of Ravenoir by genre, it is a fusion of black, doom and death metal. All of Ravenoir's albums to date have been linked by the themes of darkness, mysticism, infernal scenes, blasphemy and, last but not least, the questions of life and death, which are the central theme of the current album "Nocturne". On the previous three albums we shared the lyrics with bassist Igor and two lyrics were written by BigBoss (ROOT). I don't really know the origin of the inspiration for composing music and writing lyrics. I don't know what exactly is the trigger for me. It's something inside me that sparks a creative impulse and awakens emotional perceptions and my dark muse.

V: 你与Gothoom Production和Black Barn Music 两个唱片公司合作发行过专辑。你是如何与这两家唱片公司取得联系并进行合作的？你对他们的工作满意吗？你的新专辑将在哪个厂牌发行？

You have released albums with two labels, Gothoom Productions and Black Barn Music. How did you get in touch with these two labels to collaborate? Are you satisfied with their work? Which label will you release your new album on?

A: 首张专辑"The Darkest Flame of Eternal Blasphemy"（2021年）和第二张全长专辑"In the Womb of Sin"（2022年）在Gothoom Productions旗下发行。2023年我做出了改变与Black Barn Music开始了完全臭名昭著的合作。在与他们有过几次不幸的合作经历后，也许我甚至不能把Black Barn Music称作一个音乐厂牌，而是一个说谎的失败者协会。第三张专辑“Cultus Inferi”没有在正确的时间得到必要的推广。更确切地说他们根本没有对这张专辑进行任何宣传，原因令人费解。把Ravenoir交到这个荒唐的伪唱片公司手中，是我的一个不明智的举动，也是一个非常错误的决定，我至今仍后悔不已。几经周折之后我立即停止了与他们的合作，RAVENOIR重新回到了Gothoom Productions旗下并将在他们的厂牌下发行下一张专辑 “Nocturne”。

The debut album "The Darkest Flame of Eternal Blasphemy" (2021) and the second full-length album "In the Womb of Sin" (2022) were released under Gothoom Productions. In 2023, I made a change and started a completely infamous collaboration with Black Barn Music. After several unfortunate experiences with them, perhaps I can't even call Black Barn Music a music label, but rather an association of lying losers. The third release "Cultus Inferi" did not get the necessary promotion at the right time. To be more precise, they didn't give this album any promotion at all, for incomprehensible reasons. Putting Ravenoir in the hands of this absurd pseudo label was an ill-advised move on my part and a very bad decision that I still regret to this day. After a few peripheries I immediately stopped working with them and RAVENOIR returned under Gothoom Productions, under their label the following album „Nocturne" will be released.

V: 首先祝贺你最新专辑的发行。很抱歉这是我第一次听到你的作品，但你的作品给我留下了深刻的印象。优美的旋律和经典的独奏，冷峻、沉重、阴暗的氛围为你的作品增色不少，疯狂、残酷的Death Metal乐段被你安排得非常合理。你对自己的作品有何评价？

First of all, congratulations on the release of your latest album. First of all, I'm sorry that this is the first time I've heard your work, but your work has left a deep impression on me. The beautiful melody and classic solo, the cold, heavy and dark atmosphere add more color to your work, and the crazy and brutal Death Metal riffs are arranged very reasonably by you. What do you think of your work?

A: 感谢你的赞美，当有人对我的音乐印象深刻时，我总是非常高兴。如今要想吸引人们的注意并为乐坛带来一些原创性的东西是非常困难的。我认为这已经不可能了。几年来音乐市场上的乐队已经过度饱和，听众们也开始迷失方向。他们的要求越来越高，批判性越来越强。我一直努力做到与众不同，保持自己的创作风格。创造力没有边界，不受任何限制。

Thank you for your compliment. I am always extremely pleased when someone is impressed by my music. Nowadays, it is very difficult to attract attention and bring something original to the music scene. I think it's not even possible anymore. The music market has been oversaturated with bands for several years and listeners are losing track. They are more and more demanding and uncompromisingly critical. I always try to be distinctive and to keep my compositional handwriting. Creativity has no boundaries and is not limited by anything.

V: 除了发行新专辑，你在2024年还有什么其他工作计划？能向我们透露一些信息吗？

In addition to releasing a new album, what other work do you have planned in 2024? Can you reveal some information to us?

A: 我打算休息一下，我已经决定"Nocturne"将是我这段时间的最后一张专辑。我将回到我正在创作的自传体书籍“Confessions of a Solitaire”中，我想在两年内出版这本书。当然我也会慢慢地、零星地为未来的RAVENOIR专辑创作新材料。

I plan to rest. I've decided that "Nocturne" will be my last album for a while. I will return to my work-in-progress autobiographical book "Confessions of a Solitaire", which I would like to publish in two years. Of course, I will also slowly and sporadically work on composing new material for a future RAVENOIR album.

V: 您参加过哪些现场表演，哪些给您留下了深刻印象？能描述一下现场的气氛吗？2024 年有新的演出计划吗？

Which live performances have you attended and which ones have left a lasting impression on you? Can you describe the atmosphere at the scene? Are there any new performances planned for 2024?

A: 关于这个问题，我只想简单说一下。Ravenoir纯粹是工作室的事情，我不打算举办任何音乐会。

Just very briefly on this question. Ravenoir is purely a studio thing and I don't plan to do any concerts.

V: 你不仅是一位出色的音乐家，还是一位出色的作家，你还出版了一本书。你能介绍一下这本书的内容吗？

You are not only an excellent musician, you are also an excellent writer. You have also published a book. Can you introduce the content of this book?

A: 我当然不认为自己是作家，这样比较不太恰当。我认为自己更像是一个档案保管员。2017 年，Shindy Production出版了“Dark Roots”，这是一本按时间顺序排列的传奇金属偶像ROOT 的档案。它或多或少是一本摄影集，收录了数千张从未出版过的照片，描绘了乐队从1987年到2017年的各个时期。详细的传记和完整的唱片目录。前任和现任成员的回忆，乐队好友的评论。来自媒体、乐迷杂志的文章和采访，以及有关ROOT乐队的其他趣事。格式为24x30cm，928页，光面铜版纸，精装，重4.95kg，双语（捷克语-英语）如上所述，我正在继续创作我的自传体书籍，这本书将反映我在1990 - 2025年期间的音乐活动。

I certainly don't consider myself a writer, that's not quite the right comparison. I consider myself more of an archivist. In 2017, Shindy Production published Dark Roots, a chronologically arranged archive of legendary metal icon ROOT. It is more or less a photographic book containing thousands of never published photos charting the various periods of the band from 1987 - 2017. Detailed biography and complete discography. Memories of former and current members, comments from close friends of the band. Articles and interviews from the press, fanzines and other interesting facts about the band ROOT. Format 24x30cm, 928 pages on glossy coated paper, hardcover, weight 4,95kg, bilingual (Czech-English). As I mentioned above, I am continuously working on my autobiographical book, which will reflect my musical activities in the time span 1990 - 2025.

V: 虽然Ravenoir是一支非常年轻的乐队，但你的创作经验为乐队带来了四部精彩的作品，我会一直支持和关注你们的乐队。我也希望通过这次采访能有更多的中国乐迷关注、支持和喜欢你们的作品。最后你有什么想对中国歌迷说的吗？

Although Ravenoir is a very young band, your creative experience has given the band four wonderful works. I will always support and follow your band. I also hope that through this interview more Chinese fans will pay attention to, support and like your work. In the end, do you have anything you want to say to your Chinese fans?

A: 我非常感激，也非常感谢你们对我的喜爱。我很高兴我的作品能传到全世界听众的耳朵里，也很高兴Ravenoir拥有越来越多的粉丝。我一直只做有意义、有成就感的事。我努力按照自己的内心感受去做。我不再觉得有必要向任何人证明什么。音乐是我的黑暗疗法。大家保重。

I appreciate it very much and thank you very much for your affections. I'm very happy that my work is reaching the ears of listeners all over the world and that Ravenoir has more and more fans. I always try to do only what is meaningful and fulfilling. I try to do it mostly the way I feel inside. I don't feel the need to prove anything to anyone anymore. Music is my dark therapy. Take care of yourselves, everyone.