Old School Black Metal act from France, Temple of Baal, spawned this dying world 10 years ago (until now) to bring back darkness and aggression. After releasing three CDs, the band is now working on their upcoming third album. Expect nothing but aggressive and dark music. Other recent release is a Split EP with another French Black Metal band, Aosoth, and is released thru Debemur Morti Productions.

First, please introduce your band. To those who didn’t know or those who want to know, what can they expect from you and your music? Any new updates, new releases out or any upcoming merchandise?

Amduscias : We started ten years ago in 1998, playing old school Black Metal in a time where the big hype was sophisticated, “symphonic” Black Metal. We wanted to bring back darkness and aggression… And I guess we succeeded somehow… Our first release was a rehearsal tape with a raw sound a xeroxed cover when everyone else wanted to look clean and professional… Of course we have evolved, we tend to work out more our sound and outlook today but we never forget the point that the whole has to be really dark and aggressive. Being “clean” and polished is and will forever be out of question, even though we now have a more professional sound than before.

We have released three CDs (re-release of our “Black Unholy Presence” demo, and two albums) and we are now working on our third album, on which you can expect an even more aggressive and dark music. We have now a second guitar player in the band, who goes by the name of Alastor, so our sound is bigger and we both play on seven strings guitars so I would say that our music today tends more to sound “old school Black/Death”. You can still hear our basic Black and Thrash influences (Darkhtrone, Mayhem, Bathory, Sodom, Slayer…) and some sonic touches coming from Death Metal, like Carcass, Autopsy, Bolt Thrower, Morbid Angel… The last update concerning releases is a split EP with French band Aosoth that just came out on Debemur Morti Productions.

Tell us about evolution. Not really about evolution in general but perhaps maybe about your evolution as a “musician” and getting involved in the scene. What is your opinion on the underground nowadays than it was before?

Amduscias : I guess… Concerning Black Metal, less and less bands gain my attention, except for few exceptions. Too many bands doing the “necro” thing and doing it in a bad way. Too many bands jumping in the “orthodox” bandwagon and being in fact stupid empty teenagers who have no clue on what they’re dealing with. All this lacks authenticity. I can’t take them seriously. But I like a certain Death Metal renewal with bands like Dead Congregation (Gre) or Graveyard (Spa). At least it brings back true Metal aggression with musicianship and real Metal production (professional AND aggressive.)

About song writing, how long will it take to complete a song (your song). Is it possible to complete it all in an hour, or in day, or it might even took long periods of refining the lines, etc. How do you know or when can you say that the song is finished? Who wrotes the lyrics? Do each and everyone in the band contribute their ideas?

Amduscias : A song a month I would say, counting the several rehearsals we need to have it all finished. It might take a longer or a shorter time, depending on the complexity/simplicity of the song. And sometimes I can spend long months without being able to write proper lyrics, so it can affect the time during which the song is not quite finished, even if the musical side is totally done. I write all the lyrics. I used to write all the music but now I tend to give more room to the others. Temple Of Baal is more like a real band now, of which I am the leader of course but it’s not like my solo project with more or less session musicians. Two tunes on the next album (which will be released at the end of 2008) have been composed by Alastor for example.

What music format do you prefer the most; vinyl, CD, or cassettes? Do you think it is really good to release one album in these three mentioned formats? I mean, CD first then vinyl or vinyl first then CD is acceptable (at least to me), but CD first then vinyl then after that a cassette with same songs on them over and over again is something that I don’t understand! For collectors?

Amduscias : For collectors maybe. And also for a band like ours, it’s a mean to make our music listenable by more people. The key is not to have all the formats in one only country, it might be interesting to release a tape in a country in which we are most unknown for example, at least it will appeal to the most underground freaks, who remain our first and most faithful audience. Although I have nothing against having our band name spread on a bigger scale, but it takes time of course… What format do I prefer, well I have to say I listen mostly to CDs now, but vinyl is great because of its special sound and because it enables to do really beautiful artworks. And tape, even if it’s dying now, definitely has this Underground charm that reminds some good old days.

Then what is your opinion on bands who keep on releasing “rehearsal recordings” on various formats? Is this good or what? There are some bands who are fond on doing this and releasing same “rehearsal tracks” for about 4 releases (only with different album title) and if you’re not interested buying this, “you’re nothing but a poser” like is what being said in the ad.

Amduscias : This… sucks ! I’m not interested in those bands, I don’t care if they call me a poser, I can’t take that seriously honestly. What’s the point in releasing four times the same stuff under different titles ? Do they take their audience for fools, like when Mayhem’s singer comes on stage dressed in rabbit ? It ends up being the same and I hate being taken for a fool.

Artworks… how important is this to you? Do you buy a record just because the artwork is great? What about the photoshopped “artworks” nowadays? What do you prefer; a photographed being enhanced by technology, a b/w goats, or a hand painting?

Amduscias : I don’t buy my albums on their artworks. But artwork is highly important. Technology, drawings, black & white… I tend to like everything if it’s done with taste. Too many photoshop editing ruins the shit though. it looks fuckin’ bad. But today you have to work out your artwork if you want people to buy your CD, otherwise many of them will download it, I’m realistic about that. It has to look unique. A standard jewelcase CD with a standard artwork may be OK of course, but I definitely think that the audience today want something else.

What is your opinion on bootlegs and also the massive downloading of albums in general? Do you think all these ripped audios in filesharing sites helps the band? For nowadays over-crowded scene, what’s the best way for a band to get an attention? Is originality important?

Amduscias : I’m not a mercantile kind of guy but I’m against this. I don’t think many people will buy the album even if they like it. It looks like a fast food you know, disposable music. You take, you consume, you throw away. Something which would never have been done with a CD. But I’m not naïve and I don’t think we can go back. That’s the way it is nowadays and that’s why you have to work on your layout & packaging to offer something special. There are kids out there who don’t have a single CD home, but they have the most underground Black Legion demo on MP3 format. It’s not something I like to say but it’s the truth… How to get attention… Originality may be a key, but when you want to sound truely original you often end up sounding like shit… I guess it’s all about being true to yourself, working on your music again and again, always sending demos or promotional materials to zines when you release something… It’s a lot of work and dedication… Luck can sometimes help, but nothing ever comes your way if you don’t move your ass !

Do you listen to other forms of “music” in general? Something non-metal like classical or industrial? Do this somehow influences you? Where do you take your inspirations when you write your songs?

Amduscias : I do listen to many other music styles. I couldn’t do otherwise, music is my life, my language and fits my different states of mind. I have also studied classical music at the university and am preparing to be a music teacher so… You have to be open minded to do that. I don’t know if I can say that it influences me. Maybe it gives me ideas for harmonies and textures. When I write songs, I take inspiration from the disgust I feel towards “my fellow humans” and the desire I have to destroy them all…Another theme of my lyrics is my perpetual search for transcendance and the desire I have to have answers to some riddles…

What is your opinion about “life”? Do you believe humans really got “souls”? What is success, because there is a lot of definitions, specially on some people that thinks travelling all over the world is already a “huge success”? What are your goals with this band? When is the time to quit metal (ie: listening, buying, being in a band, etc)?

Amduscias : I think humans have souls yes. Life : a moment in time one can use at his advantage or disadvantage. I believe in the Spirit and I’m constantly searching for transcendance, so yes, I think I can relate to the concept of a “soul”.

Success… I feel successful every time someone tells me our music made him feel something “special”.

My goals with this band… Getting more and more people telling me they feel this special thing !

Quitting Metal : I can’t imagine it for the moment because it is the music that enables me to communicate. There will maybe come a time when I feel I have to move on, but I think I’ll still be playing a strongly emotional music anyway.

Back to the band, what is your opinion on the use of keyboards? Is it really a problem? Do you think a metal band should not use this instrument just in order for them to stay “purely metal”? Then what is “purity” in metal? Do you think “experimenting” in music is bad? What is your opinion on the modernization of music (technical playing, etc)?

Amduscias : Keyboards are not a problem at all. I can’t see Temple using one though, except maybe in a different way than the conventional one. Because most bands that use keyboards soften their sound actually, and make their music more melodic. I would use a keyboard only to make my music even darker and aggressive in a harmonic way, (or maybe anti-harmonic !) or to create “unheard” sounds. The “organ/strings thing” has been waaaaay overdone.

Experimenting in music is never bad, the thing is that many people do that just for the sake of doing it, and it often sounds bad. I have lots of ideas myself, and I will surely do a strange thing some day but I really don’t think it will be in Temple Of Baal’s context.

Mordernization of music is also good in the sense that it enables composers to explore new domains. The electric guitar comes from a progress. Synthesizers come from a progress. Both have enable bands and composers to create sounds that were unheard before, that were first seen as bad and anti-musical, only to establish new norms within composing ! So yes of course, progress is a good thing.

Some bands claim that they are here for a message? What do you think is that message? I mean, if these bands really want to spread a message across, then why are they releasing limited amount of copies? I don’t think that releasing 250 limited copies is enough to spread that “message”.

Amduscias: I don’t know and don’t care about others. What you say is true, wanting to be the carrier of a message while limitating your release is stupid, unless you want the message to reach only the few devoted ones. In that case it makes sense but it’s just about preaching to already convinced people… To each his own truth. If I have one message to spread, it is this one. Use your mind, analyse, dissect, do not accept what is labeled as truth and refuse the common sheep mentality.

It is also noticeable about bands being so “defensive” nowadays. Loading themselves with a lot of excuses like: “no technical playing”, “no clean professional sound”, etc. What is your opinion on all of these?

Amduscias : Errrrr… Fuck’em ? Haha. Maybe. I think it made sense ten years ago, in a certain way, but not anymore. I am not against professional sound, I definitely want a professional sound… But an agressive professional sound ! Get the point ? I want people to feel power, aggression, violence and hopefully an occult aura when they listen to our band. To me the music we play in Temple Of Baal is a ritual in which feelings are pushed to the maximum. So writing occult lyrics, playing hyper fast or on the contrary dreadfuly slow, but with a soft sound, would definitely be a problem. I need a massive and violent sound, which doesn’t mean I want a shit sound. Shitting on technical playing is also totaly lame. But technique should be a mean, and not an end. Being technical for the sake of technic is useless. Music to me is a language, and I see musical technic the same way as I see for example the fact of learning more vocabulary : It is useful to say precisely what you mean. But you should be able to speak with simple words as well. Playing fast leads for example, is useful to accentuate a tension within the music. It will be effective if you’ve played a slow/moderate phrase before because it will bring a kick in the ass, you know ? On the contrary, playing hyper fast solos for the begining to the end will be boring as heaven. So all right, fuck BM punky kiddies, yes to good sounds, yes to technical playing, but too much of both definitely kills the feeling, so beware.

Alright, we’ve come to an end. Do you have any final thoughts? Thank you for your time…

Amduscias : Thanks for your interview, it’s been a pleasure ! We are going to release our third album at the end of the year, no label yet but we’re examining some proposals and some are quite interesting, so I guess you’ll soon hear again about us ! AMSG !