Antiquus Scriptum's interview for Music Of Shadows Webzine

1. Hello Sacerdos Magus! Please introduce Yourself and Antiquus Scriptum to us.

Hello Robert! Well, Antiquus Scriptum is my personal project created in 1998 after leaving the Black Metal band Firstborn Evil (currently The Firstborn), with whom I've been between 1995 & 1998. Has released three albums, some compilations and is being recorded a fourth full-length. All the works are scheduled soon to be re-edicted, too ... It's a project that seeks inspiration in ancient Lusitanian heritage, legends, ancient history, mythology, but also focus on issues more personal and introspective... The music ranges from old school Black Metal with charisma more pagan, viking & symphonic, with Thrash Metal influences over, mixing bits of traditional music or Folk, ambient music, classical, etc... Anyway, that's my personal world and the cosmic universe in the form of musical notes and phrases...

2. As much as I know Antiquus Scriptum was a full member band but very soon

only You were left in the band, why so? Do like to work alone on your music

or what's the reason that only You're left?

Antiquus Scriptum still was a band two years, between 1998 & 1999, but the musicians whom were with me were simply not suitable for the project and I was really keen to do something, not alone, but of my creation. Entirely written and played by me, with my lyrics and music, but of course, always with the participation of musicians and friends is what happened... I've never made music alone and think I'll ever make! After that, I invited the brothers Vieira, Paulo Vieira and Gustavo Vieira, whom has come with me from Firstborn Evil and is still working with them passed 17 long years... Now more recently increased his younger brother Ricardo Vieira and etc... Although being the project mine as I have said, has always many guests in studio... It can not be considered a band, but is not also a one-man-band...

3. From what I know, some people think that You're a christian and that Antiquus Scriptum

is a christian band. What are Your thoughts on christianity and religion in general and what

do You think about bands that use music (especially black & death metal) to spread it?

"I am not Athenian or Greek, but a citizen of the world", as the great philosopher Socrates said, or am not a Christian, nor satanic, neither believer nor practitioner, or anything!... I consider myself skeptical and believe only what I see! I do not give any importance to the supernatural, the Biblical nor any of it! For me, good and evil are two sides of the same coin, that Jews eternalized with the invention of heaven and hell... Of course I can not stand the position that the Catholic Church took, and still takes in the course of world history, but to take refuge in evil is something that I do not... Rumors of Atiquus Scriptum be a Christian band, are likely to square beasts whom think that only come very satanic and evil forces Beelzebub ahead, as if they were smart enough to try to understand the thematics of the project before judge it, maybe would not say so much nonsense! Sure Antiquus Scriptum is not a Christian project, it is all shity inventions, perhaps by the logo contain a Templar cross and I do not walk around screaming for Satan!... Of course there are very good bands with Christian message, though I REPEAT (!), This is not the case Antiquus Scriptum or more or less... For example, I love Helloween and they have a clear Christian message in the lyrics... Inside the Black Metal is also, perhaps such as Antestor or Shadows Of Paragon... Two excellent bands with Christian message, making a Black Metal to take his hat, dear Robert!... I have very eclectic tastes and I do not hold the religions, or messages... I can take a CD of Mayhem to hear some Gregorian chants of Christian monks without any problem!

4. Please tell me a bit about Your musical history. Why have You started making music?

What does it mean to You? What are your musical influences?

I watched from a young age that just focus on music, the melodies and even the lyrics... I was born in 1976 and of course, I remember starting to pay attention to music in there soon for 1980, 81. My father had a collection of vinyl records of artists such as Cat Stevens, Demis Roussos, Abba, Ping Floyd, Janis Joplin, The Doors and those artists of the 70's. It marveled me to hear that and now paying attention to the different instruments. As you know the eighties was a very rich fields of the arts, especially cinema and music. The Pop broke out on TV and radio and were almost weekly, hits that were immortalized forever!... I remember being fascinated with such hits and want to get the songs for me. A friend of mine, there in 1986 offered me a tape with the original first album of Xutos & Pontapés, which were an important Rock band here in Portugal in the 80's and blew it because I was addicted to Rock insomuch whom never got the drop! Was fashionable play and have a band and was at this time that breaks out the Heavy Metal here by Lusitanian lands... It was a torrent of generations of musicians and garage bands, such as had never been seen and never again think about!... I had my first Thrash Metal band, the Anesthesia in 1992, where I was bass and vocals. Then in 1994 I formed a Punk / Hardcore band called Psycoma, which lasted until the end of '95, when we formed the Black Metal band Firstborn Evil, which currently designates only by The Firstborn, with whom I've been three wonderful years of my life and was the band in which one can say that I became a musician! Also I met two friends for life, Paulo and Gustavo... You also asked about my musical influences and I think I have already answered that in the first question too, I also like Folk, world music, classical music, soft music, Gregorian chants, opera and all that... I have a very eclectic ear in the vast fields of music!...

5. It's pretty obvious that You have a strong conection with nature and history, why so?

Yes, it is true! Although I fully live in the city today... My family is from Gêres, in the north of Portugal and is hence my passion for nature and folklore. I have always be captivated by the haughty landscapes of North, the magestic of the mountains, the rivers, lakes... Not only that, the Folklore, the lifestyle of people still very attached to the ancestors, everything that has always fascinated me from an early age, too! History has always been a discipline that I loved in high school and is still a frequent source of inspiration for writing lyrics to Antiquus Scriptum, as I have already said... I love ancient history and a lot of people ask me if I have any training in this area, eheheh, because of my dedication. In the project I can reconcile these two passions together with the desire to making music and I feel very good about it!

6. As much as I know a new release is coming via Luci Dist. Can You tell us what

the we can expect from it, will it be in the manner of Your earlyer releases or will

it be something new?

Yes, is scheduled for Christmas, let's see if we can meet the timing... Look, you can expect an ripe album, solid, with strong compositional structures, lyrics and much too strong melody, guts and inspiration!... Has the vehemence and aggressiveness, of course, of the first albums, but is more technically evolved, more spontaneous and with arrangements already very well done! I think this album will not disappoint anyone, on the contrary, I think even maybe the best candidate to the best work of Antiquus Scriptum, but let's wait to see how it's received by the guys and then we talk about it... But wait a step forward in the career of Antiquus Scriptum, with many bridges and interludes as usual and a chapter of covers of some funny versions we made...

7. I want to thank You for the interest in Music Of Shadows Webzine and I hope that You've enjoyed the interview. Please feel free to close this interview the way You want.

Look Robert, just want to wish the best for Music Of Shadows and to the guys also I want to ask only for you don't get the mp3 only and buy the albums of bands you like! Buy sweaters, go to concerts, buy the records, but support the bands you like, especially the small ones, as they unfold in order to survive in this world which is the decline in music Underground. Thank you all for reading this interview, hug!

. Thanks Sacerdos Magus!

. Thank you Robert and all the best!