黑乌鸦与白乌鸦 - 捷克Death Metal乐队Hypnos专访

今天采访到的是来自捷克著名的老牌Death Metal乐队Hypnos，1999年成立的Hypnos乐队，在成立不久之后和来自波兰的Death Metal乐队Infernal Maze在波兰Mad Lion Records厂牌发行了第一张Spilt专辑，2000年乐队的第一张正式专辑“In Blood We Trust”在德国Morbid Records厂牌发行，一张经典Old School Death Metal作品，经典的Riff让人记忆犹新，清晰，干净的后期制作也是这张专辑最大的亮点，随后乐队发行的两张专辑也受到广泛的关注和支持，2006年宣布解散，直到2009年Hypnos乐队才重组并且在2010年发行了EP专辑，随后乐队发行的多张作品也是受到所有歌迷的关注，2023年乐队发行了他们的最新EP专辑“Deathbirth”，前不久我联系到了乐队的吉他手Bruno进行了一次专访！

（V: 代表笔者 B: 代表Bruno）

Today's interview is with the famous Czech veterans of Death Metal, Hypnos. Formed in 1999, Hypnos released their first Spilt album shortly after, together with Polish Death Metal band Infernal Maze on Poland's Mad Lion Records, and their first official album, “In Blood We Trust”, was released on Germany's Morbid Records in 2000. The band's first official album “In Blood We Trust” was released on Germany's Morbid Records, a classic Old School Death Metal effort with memorable riffs and crisp, clean post-production. The band released two more albums which received a lot of attention and support, and in 2006 they announced they were disbanding, and it wasn't until 2009 that Hypnos reunited and released an EP in 2010, followed by a number of releases which received a lot of attention from all their fans, and in 2023 the band released their newest EP, “Deathbirth”. Deathbirth”, not long ago I contacted the band's guitarist Bruno for an interview!

(V: for the author B: for Bruno)

采访对象：Bruno（Hypnos乐队吉他手）

采访时间：2024.09.11

V: 你好Bruno很高兴见到你，非常感谢你参加这次采访，我想这是你们乐队第一次接受中国杂志的采访，首先向中国的乐迷们问个好，Hypnos乐队成立于1999年，在捷克是一支非常有经验的乐队，当初是谁建议成立这支乐队的？Hypnos这个名字的含义是什么？

Hello Bruno nice to meet you and thank you very much for participating in this interview, I think this is the first time that your band has been interviewed by a Chinese magazine, first of all say hello to the Chinese fans, Hypnos was formed in 1999, it is a very experienced band in the Czech Republic, who suggested to form this band in the first place, and what is the meaning of the name Hypnos? What is the meaning of the name Hypnos?

B: 你可能是对的，因为在我的记忆中，我从来没有到过中国。最初的想法来自我自己，我离开了在那里生活了14年的Krabathor乐队并想继续组建新的乐队，沿用以前的风格--Death Metal。关于乐队的名字，我是在Pungent Stench乐队的首张专辑中找到的。我喜欢这个词，简短，在国际上容易发音。

You are probably right, because as far as I remember I never did any intie to China indeed. Original idea came from me. I was leaving band Krabathor, where I spent 14 years and wanted to continue with new band in the same style as before, death metal. Concerning name, I found that as a song title on the debut album of Pungent Stench. I liked the word, short and easily pronounced internationally.

V: 你们乐队现在只剩下你一个初代成员了，其他成员都换过了，当然对于一个老牌乐队来说，换人是很正常的事情，你们上一次换人是在2023年，为什么第一代成员退出了乐队，新成员又是如何加入乐队的？你对他们的工作满意吗？

You are now the only original member left in your band, the rest of the members have been replaced, of course it's a normal thing for a veteran band to change members, you last changed members in 2023, why did the first generation of members quit the band and how did the new members join the band? Are you happy with their work?

B: 他们只是没有在乐队中坚持下去，实际上我从来没有解雇过他们中的任何一个。当然我也希望乐队阵容保持不变，因为我很欣赏像Gojira或Behemoth这样的乐队，他们多年来一直坚守在一起。但这就是生活，人们会改变工作重点、感到疲倦或对其他成员改变主意等等。我们现在的阵容很好，我希望它能长久保持下去，我期待着与Vlasa, Canni和Sataroth这些人一起录制另一张全长专辑。

They just did not last in a band, actually I never fired any of them. Of course, I would wish to keep line-up constant, as far as I adore such bands as Gojira or Behemoth who are standing strong together over long years. But this is life, people change priorities, get tired or change their minds over other bandmembers, whatever. We have good line-up now and I would wish it lasts for a long time and I am looking forward to record another full length album with these guys, Vlasa, Canni and Sataroth.

V: 你们每张专辑都做得很好，你们是在哪个录音室录制专辑的？哪位制作人制作了你们的专辑？

You guys have gotten a lot better with each album, what studio did you all record your albums at? Which producer produced your albums?

b: 不同的录音室和制作人。首张专辑我们是在斯洛伐克的一家录音室录制的，那家录音室录制了很多Death Metal的作品，是我们自己制作的。但我们想做得更多，感谢当时的唱片公司，我们与著名制作人Harris Johns（Helloween、Kreator、Sodom、Tankard、Pestilence、Voivod、Immolation、Sepultura、Slipknot 等）在他位于德国的Spiderhouse工作室录制了下两张专辑。接下来的专辑我们在捷克共和国的两个不同的录音室录制，第4和第5张专辑是与挪威制作人Borge Finstad（Mayhem、Arcturus、Ihsahn、Borknagar 等）合作录制的，最后一张专辑再次由我们自己制作。

It was different studios and producers. Debut album we recorded on Slovakia in the studio that was recording much of death metal, in our own production. But we wanted more and thanks to our label at that time, we recorded next 2 album with famous producer Harris Johns (Helloween, Kreator, Sodom, Tankard, Pestilence, Voivod, Immolation, Sepultura, Slipknot etc.) in his Spiderhouse studio in Germany. Next albums we recorded in Czech Republic in 2 different studios, 4th and 5th with Norwegian producer Borge Finstad (Mayhem, Arcturus, Ihsahn, Borknagar etc.), last one in our own production again.

V: 反基督教、死亡、暴力是你音乐的主题，你为什么选择这个主题？你想通过这个主题表达什么？你们还创作了歌词部分，这些歌词是谁写的？他的灵感来自于什么？

Anti-Christianity, Death, Violence is the theme of your music, why did you choose it? What do you want to express through this theme? You also wrote the lyrics, who wrote the lyrics and what inspired them?

B: 所有歌词都是我写的，它们反映了我自己的观点和态度。我们只是时不时地涉及反基督教的问题，我主要写的是我在日常生活中遇到的话题，一些社会和个人的批评或者是我的心情和感受。此外我还试图在每篇文章中传达某种信息，让人们思考这些问题并尝试改变他们的态度和立场，从消极到积极。

I write all lyrics and they reflect my own opinions and attitudes. We are dealing with anti-christianity just from time to time, I mostly write about the topics that I am facing in daily life, some kind of social and personal criticism or my moods and feelings, let´s say. Also, I try to put some kind of message in each one, to make the people think about that and maybe try to change their attitudes and standpoints. From negative to positive.

V: 你们有了一个新的Logo，这个新Logo比旧Logo更漂亮，但你们的Logo总是设计得非常简单，这样更多人就能记住你们乐队的名字，谁设计的旧Logo，谁设计的新Logo？你们的专辑封面也非常独特，是谁为你们设计的封面？

You guys have a new logo, and this new logo is more beautiful than the old one, but your logos are always designed to be so simple, so that more people can remember your band's name, who designed the old logo for you? Who designed the old logo and who designed the new one? Your album artwork is also very unique, who designed the artwork for you?

B: 这绝对是乐队展示的重要部分。我们的旧Logo是由我的好友Juraj Immortal Harin设计的，他在3年前不幸去世。现在的Logo由我设计并由专业平面设计师完成。关于艺术品主要构思来自我，我将与平面设计师继续进行最终设计。

It is definitely important part of the band´s presentation. Our old logo was designed by Juraj Immortal Harin, close friend of mine who sadly passed away 3 years ago. Our current logo was designed by me and finished by professional graphic designer. Concerning artwork, main idea goes from me and I am continuing on final designing with the graphic designer.

V: 你们曾在Metal Age Productions、Morbid Records、Mad Lion Records、Einheit Produktionen等唱片公司发行过专辑。这些厂牌都很棒，你们是如何与这些厂牌取得联系并进行合作的？

You've released albums with Metal Age Productions, Morbid Records, Mad Lion Records, Einheit Produktionen, etc. These are all great labels, how did you get in touch with these labels to collaborate?

B: 事实上，我们只有两个厂牌。德国Morbid Records唱片公司发行了前三张专辑，其后继者 Einheit Produktionen发行了另外三张专辑。这两家唱片公司都由我的朋友Olaf Firmed管理，他实际上在1994年就签下了Krabathor。Metal Age Productions只发行了一张我们以前作品的回顾合辑，而其他唱片公司，如Mad Lion、Monster Nation、Magick Disc 或 Nasphyr则只发行了许可证或重新发行的唱片。

Actually, we ever had 2 labels only. German Morbid Records for the first 3 albums and their successor Einheit Produktionen for another 3 albums. Both labels are managed by my friend Olaf Firmed, who actually signed Krabathor in the 1994 year. Metal Age Productions released just 1 retrospective compilation of our previous work and other labels as Mad Lion, Monster Nation, Magick Disc or Nasphyr released just the licences or re-releases.

V: 我是你们乐队的忠实乐迷，从你们的第一张正式专辑"In Blood We Trust"开始，我就一直在关注你们，对我来说每张专辑都是制作精良的经典之作、我能清楚地听到你们作品中每件乐器的每一个细节，爆破音与中速旋律平衡得很好，永远不会让人感到疲倦或乏味，在爆破音最突出的时候，吉他、贝斯和鼓声总是变化多端，有一首歌甚至还加入了一些键盘乐器。在这种情况下，主旋律是黑暗和不祥的。吉他独奏的技术含量不高，但旋律朗朗上口，变化多端，反复聆听也不会觉得乏味。插曲的使用总是恰到好处，而不是为了弥补歌曲创作技巧的不足。您对自己的作品有什么看法？新专辑与旧专辑相比有什么变化吗？

First of all, congratulations on the release of your latest EP “Deathbirth” in 2023, I'm a big fan of your band and I've been following you since your first official album “In Blood We Trust” and for me every album is a classic, well produced, I can hear every detail of every instrument in your work very clearly, the blasts are well balanced with mid-tempo melodies that never get tired or boring, the guitars, the bass and the drums are always varied when the blasts are the most prominent and one song even has some keyboards added to the mix. In this case the main theme is dark and ominous. The guitar solos are not very technical, but the melodies are very catchy and varied, so they never get boring on repeated listens. Interludes are always used in just the right way, not to make up for a lack of songwriting skill. Do you have any thoughts on your work? Has anything changed on the new album compared to the old one?

B: 谢谢您的评价，但就我个人而言，我认为这些专辑都没有我想要的那么好。要知道我们已经走过了25个年头，在这期间很多事情都发生了变化包括我自己，个人和音乐上都是如此。在考虑Hypnos的下一张专辑时，我的粗略想法是带来超重量级、朗朗上口、音效和制作都很棒的Death/Doom系列，我对这个想法感到非常兴奋。

Thanks for your words but personally, I do not consider any of these albums as good as I would like to. You know, we are celebrating 25 years on scene now and during this time, many things changed, including myself. Personally, and musically as well. While thinking of the next Hypnos album, my rough idea is to bring super heavy and catchy death/doom collection with great sound and production. I am excited with this idea.

V: 你们乐队在2024年有什么新计划？比如创作、录制一些新歌或者参加一些新的音乐节，能透露一些信息吗？我非常期待你们的新作品。

What's new for your band to work on in 2024? Like writing, recording some new songs or playing some new festivals, can you reveal some information to people? I'm really looking forward to your new work.

B: 我也一样！当然一旦我有了好心情，对新音乐有了新鲜感和渴望，我就会开始为下一张专辑创作新素材。2023年和2024年将主要用于现场演出，因为我想让新鼓手Sataroth参与到演唱会中来，让他积累新的经验。除了捷克、斯洛伐克、德国或波兰等常规国家，我们还巡演了一些多年未巡演的目的地（意大利、法国、比利时、荷兰）或全新的目的地（下周末的土耳其）我的愿望是在2025年秋天发行新专辑。

Same as me, man! Surely, I would like to start writing new material for next album, once I am in right mood, fresh and hungry for new music. Years 2023 and 2024 are dedicated mostly to live gigging, since I wanted to involve new drummer Sataroth into full concert load and let him get new experiences. Beside usual countries and Czech, Slovakia, Germany or Poland, we toured some destinations we did not tour for many years (Italy, France, Belgium, Holland) or completely new destination (Turkey next weekend). My wish plan is to release new album by the fall of 2025 year.

V: 你们参加过很多音乐节，有没有哪些音乐节给你们留下了深刻印象，能给我们介绍一下音乐节的氛围吗？

You guys have been to a lot of festivals, are there any festivals that have left a lasting impression on you and can you tell us a little bit about the atmosphere?

B: 例如3天前我们参加的法国Mennecy金属音乐节。这个活动很棒，背景非常专业，头条新闻是Dark Funeral或Lordi。此外我们非常期待下周末飞往土耳其，与Sodom和Samael一起进行一场音乐节演出。除此之外我当然还记得Brutal Assault、Summer Breeze和With Full Force等出色的音乐节，他们给了我们必要的支持。

For example, French Mennecy Metal Fest we played 3 days ago. Great event with very professional background and headliners as Dark Funeral or Lordi. Also, we are very looking forward to fly to Turkiye next weekend to do one festival show with Sodom and Samael. Beside that, I of course remember excellent festivals as Brutal Assault, Summer Breeze of With Full Force. They give us necessary support.

V: Hypnos是一支非常经典的乐队，我是你们的忠实粉丝，我会一直支持和关注你们的乐队，也希望通过这次采访能有更多的中国乐迷关注、支持和喜欢你们的乐队。最后有什么想和中国歌迷朋友们说的吗？

Hypnos is a very classic band, I'm a big fan of yours, I'll always support and pay attention to your band, and I hope that through this interview more Chinese fans will pay attention to, support, and like your band, what would you like to say to your Chinese fans at the end of this interview?

B: 首先，感谢你成为我们的忠实歌迷并为这次采访付出了努力，这将有助于我们在中国的传播。说实话我很想知道中国是否还有其他了解Hypnos的粉丝，如果能看到他们的反馈，我一定会很高兴。最后我希望你们听到我们的新专辑后不会失望。保重！

cheeeerz.

Bruno

First of all, thank to you for being our loyal fan and putting your effort into doing this interview, that will help us to spread our name over the China as well. Honestly, I am curious to know if there are other fans in China who know Hypnos. Will be definitely nice to see any feedback from there. And in the end, I hope that once you will hear our new album, you will not be disappointed. Take care！

cheeeerz.

Bruno