最后的晚餐 - 美国Death / Doom Metal乐队Collapsed Vein专访

2 days ago18 min read

今天采访到的是来自美国的单人Death / Doom Metal乐队Collapsed Vein，在经历了一系列的糟糕经历之后，Kevin George决定自己一个人组建并创作歌曲，于是2013年Collapsed Vein乐队成立，但是Kevin George并没有马上创作歌曲，在搁置了一段时间之后，Kevin George决定为这支乐队创作一些作品，于是今年乐队发布了第一张正式专辑“Pain Communion”，一张精彩的Death / Doom Metal作品诞生了，令人窒息的氛围与宏大的质感融为一体，让人不禁将其与Yob、Neurosis和Triptykon相提并论。专辑中沉重的旋律和雷鸣般的贝斯与萦绕耳边的管风琴和空灵的合唱相得益彰，形成了超越Old School Doom Metal的独特音效体验。Kevin George对Collapsed Vein的构想是一种令人身临其境的绝望与超越的严酷仪式，将缓慢、破碎的厄运与大教堂般的氛围融合在一起。“Pain Communion”不仅仅是一张专辑，更是一次通往深渊的蜕变之旅。在新专辑发行之际乐队的创始人Kevin George与杂志取得联系进行了一次专访！

（V: 代表笔者 K: 代表Kevin George）

Today's interview is with Collapsed Vein, a one man Death / Doom Metal band from the United States. After a series of bad experiences, Kevin George decided to form and write songs on his own, and Collapsed Vein was formed in 2013, but Kevin George didn't write songs right away. After some time on the back burner, Kevin George decided to create something for the band, and this year saw the release of the band's first official album, “Pain Communion”, a brilliant piece of Death / Doom Metal, with breathtaking atmospheres and grandiose textures. A wonderful piece of Death / Doom Metal was born, with breathtaking atmospheres and grandiose textures that draw comparisons to Yob, Neurosis and Triptykon. The album's heavy melodies and thunderous bass are complemented by haunting organ and ethereal choruses, creating a unique sonic experience that transcends Old School Doom Metal.Kevin George's vision for Collapsed Vein is an immersive and stark ritual of despair and transcendence, combining slow, crushing doom with cathedral-like atmosphere. “Pain Communion is more than just an album, it's a journey of transformation into the abyss. On the occasion of the release of the new album, the band's founder Kevin George contacted the magazine for an interview!

(V: for the author K: for Kevin George)

采访对象：Kevin George（Collapsed Vein乐队创始人）

采访时间：2025.03.24

V: 你好Kevin George先生很高兴见到你，非常感谢你接受我们的采访。这应该是你第一次接受中国杂志的采访吧。首先向所有的中国歌迷问好。Collapsed Vein乐队是哪一年成立的？你是如何组建这支乐队的？

Hello Mr. Kevin George, nice to meet you and thank you very much for participating in this interview. I think this is your first time accepting an interview from a Chinese magazine. First of all, I would like to say hello to all Chinese fans. In which year was the Collapsed Vein band founded? How did you form this band?

K: 你好，谢谢！是的，这是我第一次接受中国杂志的采访，我真的很荣幸。感谢所有中国乐迷花时间了解我的音乐。我希望它能在情感层面上引起你们的共鸣。我不知道Doom Metal在中国有多为人熟知，但也许我可以帮你们唤起一些兴趣！Collapsed Vein乐队成立于2013 年，但多年来一直处于平静的发展阶段。最早的音乐素材是在寒冷的漫漫长夜里，驱车行驶在乡间小路上，聆听Doom Metal和Death Metal的音乐时产生的。我开始独自创作，随着时间的推移，我逐渐意识到这个项目需要保持孤独，才能忠实于其最初的精神。在创作Collapsed Vein之前，我曾有过一些令人失望的经历，那些人做出了承诺却没有兑现。这种被背叛的感觉更加坚定了我的愿望，那就是创造一个完全依靠自己的项目。

Hello and thank you! Yes, this is my first time being interviewed by a Chinese magazine, and I’m truly honored. To all Chinese fans—thank you for taking the time to explore my music. I hope it resonates with you on a deep and emotional level. I’m not sure how familiar doom metal is in China, but perhaps I can help dredge up some interest! Collapsed Vein was founded in 2013, though it remained in a quiet, developing phase for many years. The earliest material came to life during long, cold nights spent driving through rural roads, listening to doom and death metal. I began writing alone, and over time it became clear that the project needed to stay solitary to remain true to its original spirit. Prior to Collapsed Vein, I had some disappointing experiences with people who made promises but didn’t follow through. That sense of betrayal only solidified my desire to create something that depended entirely on myself.

V: 乐队中只有你一个人，所以你可以完全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, so you can create songs completely according to your own ideas. Can you introduce your creative process?

K: 作为唯一的成员，我可以完全按照自己的想法来创作音乐，不会有任何妥协。我的创作过程通常始于一段吉他旋律或管风琴旋律--能立即营造出一种氛围的东西。在此基础上，我通过层叠鼓、贝斯、环境纹理和人声来构建编曲。每一种声音都是特意为营造气氛而选择的--除非能增强作品的情感分量，否则不会加入任何声音。其中一些素材直接受到我所欣赏的乐队的影响，如Yob、Triptykon、Neurosis和Crowbar。他们的情感强度和音质深度对我影响很大。但我的灵感也同样来自内心--悲伤、生存恐惧、对世界现状的失望或是安静思考的时刻。音乐成为这些思想和情感的容器，让我通过声音来探索和处理它们。

Being the sole member allows me to shape the music exactly as I hear it in my head, without compromise. My creative process often begins with either a guitar riff or an organ melody—something that immediately sets a mood. From there, I build out the arrangement by layering drums, bass, ambient textures, and eventually vocals. Every sound is chosen deliberately to serve the atmosphere—nothing is included unless it enhances the emotional weight of the piece. Some of the material is directly influenced by bands I admire, such as Yob, Triptykon, Neurosis, and Crowbar. Their emotional intensity and sonic depth have had a big impact on me. But just as much of my inspiration comes from internal places—grief, existential dread, disappointment with the state of the world, or moments of quiet reflection. The music becomes a vessel for those thoughts and feelings, allowing me to explore and process them through sound.

V: 你的专辑具有出色的录音效果。这张专辑是在哪个录音棚录制的？哪位制作人为你制作了这张专辑？这张专辑的录制过程顺利吗？

Your album has excellent recording effects. Which studio did you record the album in? Which producer made the album for you? Did the recording process of this album go smoothly?

K: 谢谢，我真的很感激。这张专辑是在蒙大拿州的两个地方录制的：一个是我在卡利斯佩尔的家“实验室”，另一个是我的另一支乐队“At Home In Hell”的排练场地，在几小时车程之外的大瀑布镇。我把第二个地方称为Executioner213 Recordings，它也是我经营的一个小型兼职录音服务机构。录音、混音、母带处理和制作等所有工作都由我自己完成，同时我还负责演奏所有乐器。对我来说，最重要的是保持完全的创意控制，完全按照我的设想来塑造声音，不受外界影响。从制作的角度来看，Steve Albin的专辑给了我很大的启发，他原始、诚实、未经雕琢的制作方式引起了我的共鸣。我试着利用有限的资源来传达这种氛围。这个过程肯定有其挑战性。我没有完整的制作团队，也没有顶级的录音室设备，因此需要大量的实验和学习。最大的障碍是鼓和人声，因为这不是我传统上擅长的领域。但这种挣扎也是旅程的一部分。它让我完善了我的方法并捕捉到了一些非常个人化和未经过滤的东西。这并不总是一帆风顺的，但它是真实的，我不会用任何东西来交换这段经历。

Thank you—I really appreciate that. The album was recorded between two locations here in Montana: my home “lab” in Kalispell, and the rehearsal space for one of my other bands, At Home In Hell, located a few hours away in Great Falls. I refer to that second location as Executioner213 Recordings, which also serves as a small part-time recording service I run. I handled everything myself—recording, mixing, mastering, and producing—as well as performing all of the instruments. It was important to me to maintain full creative control and shape the sound exactly as I envisioned, without outside influence. From a production standpoint, I was heavily inspired by albums worked on by Steve Albini—his raw, honest, and unpolished approach resonated with me. I tried to channel that vibe using the limited resources I had available. The process definitely had its challenges. I don’t have access to a full production team or top-tier studio gear, so there was a lot of experimentation and learning involved. The biggest obstacles were drums and vocals, as those are not areas I’m traditionally known for. But the struggle was part of the journey. It allowed me to refine my approach and capture something very personal and unfiltered. It wasn’t always smooth—but it was real, and I wouldn’t trade that experience for anything.

V: 你的Logo设计非常漂亮。谁为你们设计的Logo？你们的专辑封面设计也非常独特和复古。是谁为你们设计的？

Your logo design is very beautiful. Who designed the logo for you? Your album artwork design is also very unique and retro. Who designed this artwork for you?

K: 谢谢！我很高兴你注意到了这些视觉元素--它们是Collapsed Vein的标识和氛围的重要组成部分。Logo是由Jason Roberts设计的，他不仅在地下金属场景中以复杂的Logo设计而闻名，还是多个极端乐队的成员，如Nightmare Fuel、Massdead、ex-Splatterhouse和Phobia。我最初有一些关于矮人头盔与符文的想法，但我无法在视觉上实现这个概念。大约在那个时候，我在网上看到Jason关于设计Logo的帖子，在查看了他更多的设计作品后，我直接联系了他。我们讨论了我想要的氛围，他想出了一个感觉恰到好处的东西--介于Entombed Logo和恶魔城中可能看到的东西之间。专辑封面由Illustranesia.com的Septian Fajrianto创作，他是印度尼西亚的一位出色艺术家。大约六年前，我第一次在Instagram上发现了他，最初是请他为我的另一支乐队At Home In Hell创作插图。我立刻被他的风格所吸引，因为这让我想起了古典木刻艺术，比如Albrecht Dürer的作品。关于“Pain Communion”我问他是否能诠释我的一些想法，大约一个月后，他带来了现在的最终专辑封面。它看起来感觉就像一幅被遗忘的宗教画--朦胧、神圣、腐朽--这一切都与专辑中精神崩溃和生存恐惧的主题完美契合。Logo和艺术品都为整体氛围做出了巨大贡献。这对我来说非常重要--尤其是在这种类型的音乐中，图像需要立即传达出音乐背后的情感重量和意图。

Thank you! I’m glad you noticed those visual elements—they’re an essential part of Collapsed Vein’s identity and atmosphere. The logo was designed by Jason Roberts, who’s not only known for his intricate logo work in the underground metal scene, but also as a member of several extreme bands like Nightmare Fuel, Massdead, ex-Splatterhouse, and ex-Phobia. I originally had some ideas involving a dwarven helmet with runes, but I couldn’t quite get that concept to work visually. Around that time, I saw Jason posting about doing logos online, and after checking out more of his design work, I reached out to him directly. We discussed the vibe I was going for, and he came up with something that felt just right—somewhere between the Entombed logo and something you might see in Castlevania. The album artwork was created by Septian Fajrianto of Illustranesia.com, an incredible artist based in Indonesia. I first found him on Instagram about six years ago and originally hired him to create artwork for my other band, At Home In Hell. I was instantly drawn to his style because it reminded me of classical woodcut art, like the works of Albrecht Dürer. For Pain Communion, I asked if he could interpret a few loose ideas I had, and about a month later, he came back with what is now the final album cover. It looks and feels like a forgotten religious painting—haunting, sacred, and decayed—all of which fits perfectly with the album’s themes of spiritual collapse and existential dread. Both the logo and the artwork contribute heavily to the overall atmosphere. That was extremely important to me—especially in a genre like this, where the imagery needs to immediately signal the emotional weight and intent behind the music.

V: 你的音乐主题是关于什么的，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？你是否创作了歌词，歌词的灵感来源是什么？

What is your music theme about, why did you choose this music theme, and what do you want to express through this music theme? Have you created any lyrics and what inspired these lyrics?

K: "Pain Communion"的总体主题围绕着精神衰败、孤独、悲伤和存在的解体。这并不完全是一张概念专辑，而更像是一种仪式性的反思--将深刻的个人经历融入更广阔、近乎神圣的氛围中。灵感大多来自于生活中的一些时刻，在这些时刻，一切都像是崩溃了--情感上的、精神上的、心理上的。这种痛苦让你质疑一切：世界、信仰、身份。与其说我在写歌词时有清晰的叙述，不如说我在写歌词时更像在念咒语或举行葬礼--抽象、支离破碎，但却深具深意。每首歌都探讨了一种核心情感状态或存在的重压，歌词的作用是放大这种情绪，而不是解释它。有些曲目涉及宗教主题--不是从传统信仰的角度，而是从崩溃的角度。这些歌曲探讨了教条的沉重、精神失落的创伤，以及随之而来的奇怪的自由感。其他歌曲则挖掘了悲伤的麻木感、与他人的隔阂，或仅仅存在于衰败世界中的无声暴力。所有的歌词都是我自己写的，我对这个过程和作为主唱还相当陌生。从这个意义上说，这张专辑对我来说是一次飞跃。但是，把自己从舒适区中推出来有助于我的成长，这让我更有信心继续创作和表演未来的作品。

The overarching themes of Pain Communion revolve around spiritual decay, isolation, grief, and existential unraveling. It’s not exactly a concept album, but more of a ritualistic reflection—something that channels deeply personal experiences into a broader, almost sacred atmosphere. Much of the inspiration came from moments in life where everything felt like it was breaking down—emotionally, spiritually, mentally. The kind of pain that makes you question everything: the world, your faith, your identity. Rather than writing lyrics with clear narratives, I approached them more like mantras or funeral rites—abstract, fragmented, but deeply intentional. Each song explores a core emotional state or existential weight, and the words serve to amplify that mood rather than explain it. Some tracks address religious themes—not from a place of traditional belief, but from a lens of collapse. They examine the weight of dogma, the trauma of spiritual loss, and the strange sense of freedom that can come with that disintegration. Other songs dig into the numbness of grief, the disconnection from others, or the quiet violence of simply existing in a decaying world. I wrote all the lyrics myself, and I’m still fairly new to that process—as well as to being a vocalist. This album was a leap for me in that sense. But pushing myself out of that comfort zone helped me grow, and it’s given me a lot more confidence to continue writing and performing in future material.

V: 你的专辑是在哪个唱片公司发行的？你是如何与这个品牌建立联系和合作的？你对这个品牌的工作满意吗？

Which label was your album released on? How did you establish contact and collaborate with this brand? Are you satisfied with the job at this brand?

K: "Pain Communion"是通过Collapsed Vein Bandcamp页面独立发行的，这让我有能力处理数字发行和邮寄实体唱片。目前我选择了独立发行，这样我就能保留对项目各个方面的完全创意控制权，从音乐和视觉效果到发行策略和时间表。我曾联系过几家唱片公司，但我必须保持现实--我知道他们对我这个新的Doom个人项目兴趣不大（这是被忽视的一个原因！）。而且即使我得到了唱片公司的邀请，在现阶段也很可能不会有太大的收获。我见过其他乐队过快地与唱片公司签约，结果失去了动力或者陷入了不利于长期目标的协议中。我并不反对将来与唱片公司合作，但必须在理念和创意上都适合。就目前而言通过Bandcamp这种DIY的方式提供了我所需的灵活性，让我能不折不扣地把音乐推出去。这符合Collapsed Vein的精神--个人的、未经过滤的、从头开始雕琢的东西。在公关和发行方面，我希望能得到唱片公司的帮助。在这一点上，我已经发出了数百封电子邮件，自己做了所有的宣传工作--我就是这样找到Volcano Magazine的！

Pain Communion is being independently released via the Collapsed Vein Bandcamp page, which gives me the ability to handle digital distribution as well as mailing out physical copies. At this point in time, I’ve chosen to stay independent so I can retain full creative control over every aspect of the project—from the music and visuals to the release strategy and timeline. I had contacted a few labels, but I had to stay realistic—I knew I had little expectation of them showing much interest in a new, solo doom project (a whole recipe for being ignored!). And even if I did get an offer, it likely wouldn’t be much of an offer at this stage. I’ve seen other bands jump into label deals too quickly, only to lose momentum or get stuck in agreements that don’t serve their long-term goals. I’m not against working with a label in the future—but it would have to be the right fit both philosophically and creatively. For now, this DIY approach through Bandcamp offers the flexibility I need to get the music out without compromise. It fits the spirit of Collapsed Vein—something personal, unfiltered, and carved from the ground up. The one area where a label’s help would’ve been welcome is with PR and distribution. I’ve sent out hundreds of emails at this point, doing all the promo work myself—and that’s how I found Volcano Magazine!

V: 首先祝贺你的最新专辑即将发行。这是一部精彩的作品，带有世界末日的气氛和凶猛的死Death Metal，使你的专辑非常独特。此外一些管风琴乐器的演奏使你的专辑非常大气。你对你的工作有什么看法？

First of all, congratulations on the upcoming release of your latest album. It is a wonderful work, with a doomsday atmosphere and fierce death metal, making your album very unique. In addition, the performance of some organ instruments makes your album very atmospheric. What is your opinion on your work?

K: 非常感谢，这真的意味着很多。我与这种材料相处了很长时间，最终将其释放到世界上感觉就像放弃了一些神圣而沉重的东西。我为我用“Pain Communion”创造的东西感到自豪，不是因为它“完美”（它太不完美了！），而是因为它感觉很诚实。它是原始的、缓慢的，有时甚至不舒服——但这正是它所需要的。我不想让它听起来过于精致或容易理解——我想让它感觉像一场葬礼，一种精神上的、崩溃的、情感上令人心碎的仪式。老实说，这有点像是在和自己打架，因为我习惯于在其他项目中使用更精致的材料。但有了这个，我做出了有意的决定：我自己打鼓而不是编程，我用麦克风而不是插件大声播放真正的放大器，我倾向于不完美之处。我想让它尽可能地有机化——除了管风琴和合唱团的部分，这些部分都是用合成器完成的。这并不罕见，尤其是对于没有完整合唱团或巨额工作室预算的独立制作来说。管风琴和唱诗班元素是必不可少的。我不想让它们只是增添气氛——我想让它们成为基础，就像这张专辑是在一座破败的大教堂里演奏的。在这些纹理方面，受到了My Dying Bride和Type O Negative等乐队的很大影响。神圣的气氛和沉重的重量之间的对比是我一直被吸引的东西。所以我为这张专辑感到骄傲。这不是为每个人准备的，但这不是命中注定的。这是非常个人化的，我认为这在音乐中得到了体现。

Thank you so much—that really means a lot. I’ve lived with this material for a long time, and finally releasing it into the world feels like letting go of something sacred and heavy. I’m proud of what I created with Pain Communion, not because it’s “perfect” (it’s so imperfect!), but because it feels honest. It’s raw, slow-moving, and even uncomfortable at times—but that’s exactly what it needed to be. I didn’t want it to sound overly polished or accessible—I wanted it to feel like a funeral rite, something spiritual, crumbling, and emotionally crushing.

It was a bit of a fight with myself, honestly, because I’m used to working on more polished material with my other projects. But with this, I made intentional decisions: I played the drums myself instead of programming them, I used real amps cranked loud with mics instead of plugins, and I leaned into the imperfections. I wanted to make this as organic as possible—aside from the pipe organ and choir parts, which were done using synths. That’s not too unusual, especially for independent productions without access to full choirs or huge studio budgets. The organ and choir elements were essential. I didn’t want them to just add atmosphere—I wanted them to be the foundation, like the album was being performed inside a decaying cathedral. There was a lot of influence from bands like My Dying Bride and Type O Negative when it came to those textures. That contrast between sacred atmosphere and crushing weight is something I’ve always been drawn to. So yes, I’m proud of this album. It’s not for everyone—but it wasn’t meant to be. It’s deeply personal, and I think that comes through in the music.

V: 今年除了发行新专辑，你还有什么工作要做？例如创作或录制新歌时，你可以与所有人分享一些信息吗？

What other work do you have to do besides releasing a new album this year? For example, when creating or recording new songs, you can share them with everyone

K: 在“Pain Communion”发布后，我肯定会继续保持这种势头。我已经开始为下一个Collapsed Vein发行版写想法了——我还不确定这最终会是一张EP、一张Spilt的专辑还是另一张全长专辑。但创造力是存在的，我不想让它长时间处于休眠状态。我确实有一大堆即兴重复段，我可以翻阅一下，看看我是否能为下一个版本召唤出更多的素材。除了写作，我还在继续处理推广、运送实体副本并试图通过这样的采访来传播这个项目的信息。我还考虑过根据兴趣和预算进行一些有限的盒式磁带或黑胶唱片压制。尽管Collapsed Vein是一个工作室项目，但我并不排除未来进行现场表演的可能性——无论是独奏还是与特邀音乐家合作。我目前参与了其他几个让我很忙的乐队，我经常和他们一起去演出——即使只是为了地区演出——所以我一直很忙，所以我不会急于把这个项目搬上舞台。但如果需求存在并且有几个有决心的人想帮助它实现，我绝对会试试。因此，虽然这张专辑的发行是一个重要的里程碑，但它还远未结束。前方还有更多，我真的很高兴看到它的发展方向。

After Pain Communion releases, I definitely plan to keep the momentum going. I’ve already started writing ideas for the next Collapsed Vein release—whether that ends up being an EP, a split, or another full-length, I’m not sure yet. But the creative energy is there, and I don’t want to let it sit dormant for long. I do have a huge pile of riffs that I can dip into to see if I can conjure some more material for the next release. Outside of writing, I’m continuing to handle promotion, shipping physical copies, and trying to spread the word about the project through interviews like this one. I’ve also considered doing some limited cassette or vinyl pressings, depending on interest and budget. And even though Collapsed Vein is a studio project, I haven’t ruled out the possibility of live performances in the future—either as a solo piece or with guest musicians. I’m currently involved in several other bands that keep me busy, and I often travel to perform with them—even just for regional shows—so I stay occupied enough that I’m not rushing to get this project onto a stage. But if the demand is there and a few committed people want to help bring it to life, I’d absolutely give it a shot.

So while the album release is a major milestone, it’s far from the end. There’s much more ahead, and I’m genuinely excited to see where it leads.

V: Collapsed Vein是一个非常年轻的乐队，但它是一个很优秀的乐队。我将永远支持和追随你的乐队。我也希望通过这次采访吸引更多的中国歌迷关注和支持你们的乐队。最后你对中国歌迷朋友有什么要说的吗？

Collapsed Vein is a very young band, but it is a very excellent band. I will always support and follow your band. I also hope to attract more Chinese fans to follow and support your band through this interview. Do you have anything to say to your Chinese fans and friends in the end?

K: 非常感谢你的赞美之词和支持——这对我来说真的意义重大。作为一个在美国蒙大拿州一个安静的角落独立发行音乐的人，知道这个项目正在触及远在中国的听众，既超现实又令人深感谦卑。我不认为这是理所当然的。致所有阅读此文的中国粉丝和朋友：感谢您的时间、耳朵和兴趣。Collapsed Vein诞生于一个痛苦、孤独和精神解体的地方，但它也是为了希望其他人能够以自己的方式与这些感受联系起来而创作的。如果一个人通过这首音乐找到了安慰、意义或宣泄，那么这一切都是值得的。我希望继续发展这个项目，在你们的支持下，这让我更加坚定地继续前进。请随时联系，在线关注乐队或与任何可能与这种氛围重金属有联系的人分享。我看到你了，我很感激你——我希望“Pain Communion”能给你一些在最后一个音符消失很久之后仍然存在的东西。请与任何你认为可能对这种音乐感兴趣的人分享——对于像这样的地下乐队来说，口碑意味着一切。

Thank you so much for your kind words and support—it truly means a lot to me. As someone releasing music independently from a quiet corner of Montana, USA, it’s both surreal and deeply humbling to know that this project is reaching listeners as far away as China. I don’t take that for granted. To any Chinese fans and friends reading this: thank you for your time, your ears, and your interest. Collapsed Vein was born from a place of pain, solitude, and spiritual unraveling—but it was also created with the hope that others might connect with those feelings in their own way. If even one person finds comfort, meaning, or catharsis through this music, then it’s all been worth it. I hope to continue growing this project, and with support like yours, it makes me even more determined to keep pushing forward. Please feel free to reach out, follow the band online, or share it with anyone who might connect with this kind of atmosphere-heavy metal. I see you, I appreciate you—and I hope Pain Communion gives you something that lingers long after the final note fades. Please share it with anyone you think might be remotely interested in this kind of music—word of mouth means everything to underground bands like this one.