1.Can you tell us a little bit about the band for those that have never heard of you before?
Check out the music… We are in no way the most interesting thing about us. we’re a strange combination hairy, stinking Metal Heads, like any other hairy, stinking Metal Heads. Our rehearsal space looks like shit and smells even worse. I guess the song Denim and Leather by Saxon covers it, along with a bunch of dusty books on classic occultism.
2. How would you describe your musical sound?
Baphomet: Our sound is kind of a mix of classic Heavy Metal fused with proto doom, with a lot of dramatic, quasi-progressive elements added.
3. The lyrics cover a lot of occult topics, how would you describe your views on Occultism?
Abraxas: Rather than seeing occultism as a set of beliefs or as mere Satanism our take on occultism is that it is an ultimate spiritual rebellion against all such set doctrines. The student of the occult is ever searching to challenge his or her view of the world while the Christian/Satanist/Atheist is always looking to confirm it.
4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the bands name?
Abraxas: Magister Templi is the name of one of the highest grades of the 18th century German alchemical order “Gold und Rosenkreuzer“. The title was also used by the British magical order “the Golden Dawn” as the first grade of their third order, or the order of the secret chiefs of the tradition. Not known to anyone except a select few of the greatest adepts.
5. What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and how would you describe your stage performance?
Baphomet: It's difficult to say which show was the best. We had a blast when we played with Pagan Altar. Those guys has been a huge inspiration for Magister.
6. Do you have any touring plans for the future?
Abraxsas: Not yet. We have some shows planned in Norway, but nothing more so far. Hopefully people will like our record and book us.
7. The band is from Norway a country known for black metal how would you describe the scene for doom and traditional metal?
Baphomet: The black metal tradition in Norway is really strong and the Norwegian metal scene has in many ways been centered around the black metal culture. Even though Magister Templi is not a black metal band, we all listen to black metal and 3/5 of the members play in Svarttjern.
The doom and traditional metal scene does not have a strong identity like the black metal metal subculture, so it's scattered all over the place. The bands are very different. But I guess the whole metal scene in Norway is more aware of the old gods, bands like Pentagram, Angel Witch, Witchfinder General and Pagan Altar. There is a lot more traditional metal and doom metal records around, but especially when it comes to traditional heavy metal, there are very few Norwegian bands.
8. On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of doom and heavy metal?
Abraxas: So far, so good. We’ve had nice people from all corners of the world saying great things about us.
9. What direction do you see your music heading into on future releases?
You never know. We started this band with no preconceptions of what kind of music we wanted to play. The whole idea with this band was to write riffs and lyrics with a free mind, without thinking genres. So the songs we have today are a genuine expression of this process, and if we were to change this, we would lose the creative force in the band.
10. What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
Abraxas: The common ground of the band is that we are all suckers for 70’s hard rock and 80’s Heavy Metal. Lately Slough Feg has been a lot on our minds and in our stereos, apart from that it’s business as usual; Manilla Road, Deep Purple, Jethro Tull and Uriah Heep.
11. Outside of music what are some of your interests?
Baphomet: Movies, especially the films of Herzog, Jarmusch, Argento, Carpenter and Jean Rollin, and everything weird, like obscure biker movies from the sixties and stuff like that. I also have a degree in sociology, which is a "once in, never out" type of fascination.
Abraxas: Occultism, literature and Home Brewing.
12. Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview?
Get a bottle of Gammel Opland Aquavit, sit back in you iron maiden and check out our album.
Cheers!
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