自杀情绪 - 法国Gothic Metal乐队The Old Dead Tree专访

Volcano Magazine
15 minutes ago
13 min read

今天采访到的是来自法国的哥特金属乐队The Old Dead Tree。这支起步于1997年的乐队经历了一段非常坎坷的路程，在发行首张EP"Blossom"发行后，乐队鼓手的离世让成员们备受打击。首张专辑"The Nameless Disease"便是乐队献给鼓手的作品。The Old Dead Tree的音乐氛围凄美而沉重，主唱Manuel Munoz独特的音色与演唱风格为乐队带来了独一无二的优美气质。乐队曾在2009年解散，虽然成员们对于乐队的未来以及接下来的创作方向并不明朗，但幸运的是成员之间的友谊让乐队的火种始终没有熄灭。2013年，乐队为庆祝首专发行十周年重聚，乐队重建的火苗重新燃起。2024年12月6日，乐队发行了他们的回归专辑，也是他们的第四张全长专辑"Second Thoughts"并获得了广泛的好评。在今年九月，杂志有幸联系到了The Old Dead Tree的主唱Manuel Munoz并进行了这次专访。

（V: 代表笔者 M: 代表Manuel Munoz）

Today we're interviewing French gothic metal band The Old Dead Tree. Formed in 1997, the band has endured a tumultuous journey. Following the release of their debut EP Blossom, the sudden passing of their drummer left the members devastated. Their debut album, The Nameless Disease, stands as a tribute to that drummer. The Old Dead Tree crafts an atmosphere that is hauntingly beautiful yet profoundly heavy, with vocalist Manuel Munoz's distinctive timbre and delivery lending the band a uniquely ethereal quality. The group disbanded in 2009, though the members' future and creative direction remained uncertain. Fortunately, the enduring friendship among them kept the band's flame alive. In 2013, the band reunited to celebrate the tenth anniversary of their debut album, reigniting the flame of their reunion. On December 6, 2024, they released their comeback album, also their fourth full-length album, Second Thoughts, which received widespread acclaim. This past September, the magazine had the privilege of reaching out to The Old Dead Tree's vocalist Manuel Munoz for this exclusive interview.

(V: represents author M: represents Manuel Munoz)

采访对象：Manuel Munoz（The Old Dead Tree乐队歌手）

采访时间：2025.09.18

V: 你好! 欢迎The Old Dead Tree参加火山杂志的采访，首先非常感谢你们的参与！这应该是你第一次接受来自中国的金属杂志采访是吗？

Greetings! Welcome The Old Dead Tree for this interview with Volcano Magazine. First off, thank you so much for joining us! This should be your first time being interviewed by a Chinese metal magazine, right?

M: 是的！

Absolutely !

V: 1997年，The Old Dead Tree在法国成立，是一支历史超过20年的乐队，虽然中途你们经历了一段时间的解散，但如今你们终于重回舞台。可以请你介绍一下乐队成立的故事以及乐队的历史吗？

Founded in France in 1997, The Old Dead Tree is a band with over 20 years of history. Although you went through a period of disbandment, you've finally returned to the stage. Could you share the story of the band's formation and its history?

M: 乐队经历过一段坎坷的岁月，首任鼓手的自杀成为这段历史的烙印。我们曾亲密无间，这场悲剧对我们造成了深远影响。首张专辑"The Nameless Disease"是完全献给他的作品。2000年代我们发行了三张专辑，巡演遍及欧洲各地并与Paradise Lost、Opeth、Epica、Katatonia等乐队同台演出。2009年，我们都精疲力竭，决定各奔前程。2013年我们短暂重组，为首张专辑二十周年巡演庆贺并在2019年发行了名为"The End"的EP，收录了解散前创作的最后几首作品。

The band has a troubled history that was marked by the suicide of our first drummer. We were all very close and this tragedy had a profound effect on us. Our first album, The Nameless Disease, is entirely dedicated to him. In the 2000s we released 3 albums, toured all over Europe and shared the stage with bands like Paradise Lost, Opeth, Epica and Katatonia. By 2009, we had reached the end of our tether and decided to go our separate ways. We shortly reformed in 2013 to tour and celebrate the 20th anniversary of our first album, and in 2019 we released the last tracks written before the split on an EP called The End.

V: 2024年12月6日你们发行了一张新专辑，首先我想问问新专辑的名字，专辑名叫"Second Thoughts"，而专辑中的第五首歌叫"Without A Second Thoughts"，我想知道是先有这首歌曲还是先有的专辑名字，专辑为什么叫这个名字呢？

On December 6, 2024, you released a new album. First, I'd like to ask about the album's title. It's called Second Thoughts, and the fifth track is titled Without a Second Thought. I'm curious—did the song come first or the album title? And why did you choose this name for the album?

M: 歌曲创作在先。专辑标题是在创作后期才确定的。我当时想为五年前宣告乐队解散的EP"The End"寻找回应之作。此外，专辑中多首作品探讨了怀疑、决策与责任担当的主题。"Second Thoughts"这个标题最终成为不二之选。

The song came first. The album title came rather late in the writing process. I was looking for a response to the title of our EP The End, which marked the end of the band 5 years earlier. Furthermore, many of the tracks on the album deal with doubt, decision-making and the need to take responsibility. Second Thoughts eventually became an obvious choice.

V: 在"Second Thoughts"专辑里，许多的歌曲的歌词其实都非常积极，比如我非常喜欢"Don’t Waste Your Time"的歌词：“Life is like a race. You may try to run every day. But do spare time to rest.”我想知道在创作这些歌词的过程中，你的灵感来源主要来自那里？

In the album Second Thoughts, many of the songs actually have very positive lyrics. For example, I really love the lyrics from “Don't Waste Your Time”: “Life is like a race. You may try to run every day. But do spare time to rest.” Where did your inspiration primarily come from when writing these lyrics?

M: 歌词总是最后才完成。我先构思主旋律，随后在我脑海里自然浮现的词句或片段常与整首曲子的基调相呼应，最后，我会围绕这些元素展开叙事。

Lyrics always come last. I start with a vocal melody, with words or bits of phrases that come naturally and are often linked to the general mood of the track. Then I build the narrative around these elements.

V: 能否请你介绍一下这张专辑的创作过程？这张新专辑和你们以往的专辑在创作过程方面有哪些改变吗？

Could you tell us about the song writing process behind this album? How does the creation of this new album differ from your previous albums?

M: 技术层面，我们现在在用2000年代所不具备的MAO工具。这意味着我们可以进行大量实验，在管弦乐编排和乐器配置方面取得突破。此外，我们如今都分散在不同城镇生活。由于一起排练机会极少，我们不得不重新建立远程协作的新模式。

Technologically, we now use MAO tools that we didn't have in the 2000s. This means we can experiment a lot and make progress with our orchestrations and instrumental arrangements. Furthermore, we all live in distant towns now. So we've had to reinvent a new way of working together from a distance because we rehearse very little.

V: 在这张新专辑"Second Thoughts"有许多声音设计让我觉得非常有趣，比如"Without A Second Thoughts"的结尾和"Luke"的开头可以听到开门关门的声音，人的脚步声，猪的叫声，还有教堂的钟声。这些声音设计让我想到Pink Floyd和Dream Theater。这些声音的设计是谁的想法？是为了贴合歌词所讲的故事而设计的吗?

There are many sound designs on this new album that I find particularly intriguing. For instance, at the end of “Without A Second Thoughts” and the beginning of “Luke,” you can hear sounds like doors opening and closing, footsteps, pig squeals, and church bells. These soundscapes remind me of Pink Floyd and Dream Theater. Whose idea was it to incorporate these sounds? Were they designed to complement the narrative of the lyrics?

M: 早在2005年发行的专辑"The Perpetual Motion"中，我们就尝试过加入拟音效果。我始终热衷于将听众带入故事的核心。为此我投入大量精力，寻找最能营造电影般氛围的声音素材，再经过精心剪辑将其融入音乐之中。多数人不会逐字研读歌词，往往只关注副歌中的一两句。而音效恰是解锁故事的另一把钥匙。有时只需极少量的音效，就能营造出让听众获得全新理解层次的氛围。

We had already experimented the addition of foley on the album The Perpetual Motion, released in 2005. I've always liked the idea of taking the listener to the heart of the story being told. I put a lot of work into finding the sounds best suited to creating a cinematic atmosphere and then editing and integrating them into the music. Most people don't read the lyrics and focus on one or two sentences from the chorus. The sound effects provide another key to the story. Sometimes very little is needed to create an atmosphere that offers a new level of understanding to the listener.

V: "Second Thoughts"给人一种“Ear Movie”的感觉，特别是当最后一首歌曲"The Worst Is Yet to Come"响起时，这首歌总让我感觉是你们下一张专辑，或者接下来的音乐预告。为何以这首歌作为专辑的结尾呢？

Second Thoughts feels like an “Ear Movie,” especially when the final track, “The Worst Is Yet to Come,” plays. This song always strikes me as a preview of your next album or upcoming music. Why did you choose this song to close the album?

M: 这首歌的标题本身就是对未来专辑的反讽宣告。"The Worst Is Yet To Come"也是我们乐队史上首支邀请其他乐队成员献声的作品。来自Regarde Les Hommes Tomber的TC与S.U.P的Ludovic Loez为这首歌注入了全新光彩，其复杂度与深度远超专辑前半部分的曲目。最后，这首歌也是"Second Thoughts"中最具复古风格的作品。它让人联想到2000年代的The Old Dead Tree，采用极具深意的渐进式结构。这是我们对坚持完整聆听专辑的乐迷的特别馈赠。这首歌本身也比"Second Thoughts"专辑的前半部分更具复杂性和深度。

The title of this song serves as an ironic announcement of a future album. The Worst Is Yet To Come is also the first track in our history to feature guest vocals from other bands. TC from Regarde Les Hommes Tomber and Ludovic Loez from S.U.P brought a different light to this song, which is more complex and profound than the tracks on the first part of the album. Finally, this track is also the most old school of Second Thoughts. It's reminiscent of The Old Dead Tree from the 2000s, with a very deliberate progressive structure. It was our way of rewarding listeners who keeps listening to the albums in their entirety. The song itself is also more complex and deep than the first part of Second Thoughts.

V: 2019年你们发行了一张叫做"The End"的EP，我想知道，在那个时候，你们已经决定将这张EP作为乐队对乐迷们的告别了是吗？

In 2019, you released an EP called The End. I was wondering—at that time, you had already decided to make this EP the band's farewell to your fans, is that right?

M: 是的。2009年乐队解散时我承受了巨大痛苦，无论如何都不愿再经历一次了。尽管偶尔会为纪念首张专辑十周年或为《The End》录制旧曲而重聚，但我实在无法想象我们真能重组。

Yes, it is. I suffered enormously when the band split up in 2009 and I didn't want to go through that again for anything in the world. Despite a few occasional reunions to celebrate the 10th anniversary of our first album or to record old tracks for The End, I really couldn't imagine us getting back together.

V: 那么在后来，是什么契机让那么你们开始创作"Second Thoughts"这张回归专辑？

So what prompted you to begin creating Second Thoughts, your comeback album?

说到底，是新冠疫情彻底打乱了所有计划。我们原定在发行"The End"时举办最终巡演，却遭遇了疫情爆发。一切戛然而止，演出接连取消，我们甚至考虑过彻底放弃这个项目。唯有巴黎场次因门票售罄得以保留并延期近两年才举行。这段空窗期里我们反复讨论，最终决定尝试创作新歌——这是自2009年以来首支新作"Terrified"。反响极为热烈。我们受邀参加欧洲最大金属音乐节Hellfest，唱片公司也承诺全力支持。这些都给了我们信心，于是开始着手创作完整专辑。

In the end, it was Covid that reshuffled all the cards. We were due to play a final series of concerts to accompany the release of The End when the pandemic hit. Everything came to a standstill, shows were canceled one after the other and we considered abandoning the project for good. Only the Paris concert, which was sold out, was maintained and postponed for almost two years. During this lapse of time, we talked a lot until we decided to try writing a new song, our first since 2009: Terrified. The feedback was excellent. We’ve been invited to play at Hellfest, Europe's biggest metal festival, and our label assured us of its support. That gave us confidence, and we started work on writing a full-length album.

V: The Old Dead Tree的人声部分真的特别出彩，我非常喜欢你们的人声部分，clean vocal的旋律非常动听，嘶吼富有爆发力。你有接受过专业的歌唱训练吗？或者你有系统地学习音乐的经历吗？

The vocal work on “The Old Dead Tree” is truly outstanding. I absolutely love your vocal arrangements—the clean vocals are incredibly melodic, and the growls pack a powerful punch. Have you ever received professional vocal training? Or have you had any formal musical education?

M: 非常感谢。创作和演绎人声需要投入大量个人精力。我正在接受训练以增强耐力，减少现场表演时对嗓子的损伤，但训练时间尚短。我幸运地能驾驭宽广音域并运用多种演唱技巧，但完全不懂如何读写乐谱。乐队自创立之初便凭直觉创作，在不断尝试中摸索前行。直到"The End"发行后成员Nicolas Cornolo的加入，才为我们补足了缺失的音乐理论知识。

Thank you very much. Writing and interpreting vocals is an enormous amount of personal work. I'm taking lessons to improve my stamina and reduce the damage to my voice when I'm performing live, but it's been a short time. I'm lucky enough to be able to cover a wide range of notes and use several vocal techniques. However, I'm unable to write or read music. Since the early days of the band we've worked on instinct, trying things out and learning as we go. The arrival of Nicolas Cornolo, who joined the band after the release of The End, gave us the knowledge of music theory that we were lacking.

V: 你们的新专辑依然由Season of Mist发行，据我所知从你们的首张全长专辑"The Nameless Disease"就是由Season of Mist厂牌发行的。我想知道你们为什么会选择这个厂牌？

Your new album is still being released by Season of Mist. As far as I know, your debut full-length album, The Nameless Disease, was also released by Season of Mist. I'd like to know why you chose this label?

M: 2002年我们向各大厂牌提交首张专辑的试听带时，没有一家厂牌愿意签约。唯独Season Of Mist对我们抱有信心，愿意冒险投资。幸运的是他们从未对此后悔过。我们与这家厂牌建立了真诚的信任关系，这家厂牌至今仍由一群真正热爱音乐的人运营着。

In 2002, when we presented the demos of our first album to labels, none wanted to sign us. Only Season Of Mist had faith in us and took the risk of investing in us. Fortunately, they never looked back. We have a real relationship of trust with this label, which is still run by people who are really passionate about music.

V: 你们参加了2023年的法国著名的金属音乐节Hellfest，这是你们第一次参加Hellfest吗？你们对那次演出感觉如何？

You participated in the renowned French metal festival Hellfest in 2023. Was this your first time at Hellfest? How did you feel about that performance?

M: 我们早在2008年和2013年就曾登上Hellfest演出。参与大型夏季音乐节总是令人无比欣喜，这为不同乐队提供了相聚同乐的契机。这场盛会更是欧洲各大唱片厂牌与经纪机构的必到场合。面对上万观众登台时我们确实非常紧张——重组后我们仅在小型场地演过三场。所幸演出非常成功，让我们能更从容地筹备后续计划。

We had already played there in 2008 and 2013. It's always a huge pleasure to take part in big summer festivals, which are an opportunity for different bands to get together and have a good time. It's also an important event attended by all the labels and booking agencies in Europe. We were obviously very nervous before going on stage in front of 10,000 people, as we had only played three concerts in small venues since reforming. Fortunately, the concert went very well and allowed us to prepare the follow-up with greater peace of mind.

V: The Old Dead Tree在2025年的下半年还有哪些计划？有哪些消息可以和大家分享一下吗？

What plans does The Old Dead Tree have for the second half of 2025? Is there any news you can share with everyone?

M: 我们即将发布四首在伦敦著名的艾比路录音室录制的新曲目，The Beatles, Pink Floyd和U2乐队都曾在此创作。这段经历令人难以置信，我们迫不及待想与大家分享成果！

We are about to release four new tracks recorded at the prestigious Abbey Road Studios in London, where The Beatles, Pink Floyd and U2 have all worked. It has been an incredible experience and we can't wait to share the results with you!

V: 非常感谢The Old Dead Tree来参加这次采访，祝你们接下来一切顺利，非常希望未来有机会看到你们的演出！最后，你有什么想对中国的金属乐迷们说的吗？

Thank you so much to The Old Dead Tree for joining us for this interview. We wish you all the best and we are very much looking forward to seeing you perform in the future! At the end of this interview, is there anything you'd like to say to your fans and metalheads from China?

M: 我认为音乐能让相隔千里、文化迥异的人们心意相通，这本身就是一件奇妙之事。共享同一份热忱，共鸣相同的激情，于我而言永远充满魔力。我们渴望游遍亚洲，与中国的金属乐迷相见，期待造访你们的国度。继续摇滚吧！

I think it's wonderful that music can bring people together who are thousands of miles apart and belong to different cultures.Sharing the same passion and feeling the same emotions sounds always magical to me. We would love to travel across Asia to meet Chinese metalheads and visit your country. Keep on rocking!