26/11/2022
We will start up a new tradition on I HATE's Facebook: an exclusive interview with an artist connected to the release (when possible). First up is Father Alex of THE TEMPLE.
Thanks to Ola of Griftegård/Dautha for helping out with this one!
1. It has been six years since Forevermourn, would you care to briefly sum up what has happened within The Temple in this, for an outsider, rather long interval between full length albums?
I was satisfied with “Forevermourn” as a debut album, but I always believed that we could do much better. So we had to be very accurate to our compositions. We needed to focus on details and the new songs needed to be played well. So we came up with the idea of making a demo of the album with the perspective to listen to it, grow in us, become mature, to correct it and become perfect. Then, many things happened that slowed us down, like the pandemic, the fact that I became a father and the professional obligations that we all had. The main reason beyond all excuses above is however, that I was trying to conceive deeper meanings and translate them musically and lyrically. I am quite satisfied with the result.
2. Comparing Forevermourn to Of Solitude Triumphant it is evident to these ears that your way of working with song melodies is more poignant and effective these days (while they fully retain their mournful, lamenting ebb and flow). The same elevation in quality can be noted in the riffing as well which is simply breathtaking at times, like on the closing track The Lord Of Light in which the swarming black metal-esque-yet-still-totally Doom- guitars in tandem with the sparse, punishing drumming is just sublime. Yes, your drummer sure is a satisfyingly consistent minimalist performer - no unnecessary fills and frills, leaving lots of air/space for the riffs to soar and land in! Awesome! In your own opinion, what are the insights and strengths you have gained as a band since Forevermourn?
Thank you for your kind words. The main thing that we achieved as a band, apart from the strong bond that grew within us, is that, finally, we all contribute to the songwriting. Forevermourn was written by me, as I am the bearer of the vision of doom that guides us. Then, the rest of the band understood the way I compose songs and became familiar with the vision of true doom which is clear. This knowledge gave us more opportunities as we all follow now the same composing path.
3. There are some startlingly low end notes played in The Foundations-how low are you tuned? The production as a whole is very well balanced and warm - What can you tell us about the recording process?
We use the drop-C tuning, exactly as Warning did. Actually, we wanted to make a cover for “Watching From A Distance”, which you can find it in our EP “As Once Was”. This was the day we realized that it is played in drop C tuning and we decided that this was the tuning we deserve to play! As far as the recording process is concerned. Well, we always love the whole process, specially the vocal sessions. It is the part where magic happens, everyone comes up with ideas, maybe with vocal lines that we haven’t thought and it is very interesting. Firstly we recorded the drums. It took us 2 days and it was great. The producer told our drummer to be more minimal but yet monolithic, because he believed that in this way we could approach a more solemn result. The rest of the recordings took place in a different studio. For the guitars and the vocal sessions we spent more time than we thought because of the specific atmosphere we wanted to succeed. Finally, the result makes us very happy, because despite all these months of effort, it was exactly what we wanted. Enormous!
4. Putting the choral Me To Lichno Tou Astrou first on the album perfectly sets the tone for the mournful, sacred, epic glory to come IMO, however it might also turn off the restless in the audience that has come primarily for the Metal in Doom. Is this a calculated risk from your side putting it first and might it even be a way of yours to test who is able to digest meat like real men and not only the milk reserved for babes (paraphrasing 1 Corinthians 3:2)? What can you tell us about the song, which is also performed by Mikis Theodorakis if I'm not mistaken?
I don’t believe that will turn off the restless in the audience that primarily came for the metal, because exactly after the intro, there is “The Foundations”, with a full dynamic range that will definitely make them satisfied. Me To Lichno Tou Astrou is the ideal beginning of this journey of the immortal soul through the material world. If you translate the lyrics, it has to do with the soul. Mikis is wandering in order to find his soul. I think it is the perfect prelude to open this album. Totally spot on, both because of the meaning but also because of the choir. As you said, it sets the standards of what it is about to follow, and what follows depicts exactly the forerunner
5. Not only the introductory piece but the album as a whole has a very sacred quality to it, much due to the lovely choral work in the songs, so... what is your relation to the sacred and how, if at all, does it shape your everyday life? In this context please elaborate upon the band name, if you care to do so?
I believe that living an everyday life, being able to see, hear, feel, walk and everything that we take for granted is sacred and we have to be grateful. I wouldn’t say that I am religious person, but I like the spirituality of the religions. I believe in good things in life and love. That’s what the song “The foundations” is all about. To set the foundations for a peaceful life. To love, to help, to forgive and to forget, which are things that are sacred, or maybe they lead to a sacred life. The Temple, is a place where sacred things usually occur. But it can also be our body that hosts our inner God, our higher self.
6. I would be so bold as to state that it is obvious to most whether an album is truly inspired or not and that Of Solitude Triumphant certainly is- how do you look upon the phenomenon of inspiration? Where does it come from- ideas in Plato's world of forms that yearn to manifest or holy spirit or just happily misfiring neural circuits within the brain? How does inspiration work through you and what is the feeling you have when it does? Do you have any particular methods for becoming inspired/getting in" the zone"? Any kind of preferred settings/stimuli? Is it possible to create without inspiration like many professionals claim, or in other words, is inspiration for amateurs only?
I am very glad that you are familiar with Plato’s world of forms, because it is something I strongly believe. Well, as far as the whole concept album is based on experiential facts of life, I can say that in order to compose a song, I have to be inspired by something strong. That’s why most of the songs have to do with loss, solitude, death and fear. I inspire from everyday life, from behaviors, from facts, from dreams, even from lives of others. If I don’t have an inspiration, I usually don’t write a song. Moreover, I come up with the idea of a vocal line and then, I arrange the riff that could follow this line. Then, because of the aeolian scales that we use, I add the appropriate choirs. When I finish a composition in the way that makes me satisfied, I feel relief, like it was something within me and now it is set free, translated into music.
7. Would you agree if I said that playing True Doom in the vein of The Temple, i.e doing it in a truly emotional and soul searching way, means that one runs the risk of becoming vulnerable in the eyes and ears of others in order to bring one's message through?
I would agree. Every soul crushing emotional music should make people vulnerable and maybe this is the way to deliver the message. When you are vulnerable you always perceive meanings deeper and better.
8. In my own experience, witnessing true Doom as performed by Warning, earlier While Heaven Wept and Isole, Count Raven etc live on stage this vulnerability, or nakedness (for a lack of a better word) is particularly tangible as there is nothing to hide behind when playing this style. No walls of distortion, fire and smoke, props/gimmicks will help a True Doom band set people's hearts ablaze, the only thing that matters is the strength of the message and how it is embodied, how much it is lived and felt by the performers. Is my categorical rambling something you can identify with? Is playing live with The Temple a joyful or cathartic experience or maybe a combination of both or neither? What is it that you seek for yourselves when going on stage and what do you want to give? Have you had a live moment where the receiving and the giving has been in complete balance from your perspective and how did this affect you? Do you have any shows planned in support of Of Solitude Triumphant?
I agree that there is no need for effects or making a “show”. The simplest the better. The major thing is the message to be delivered to the audience. During our live performances we try to retain the feelings of the album. We owe to be humble and solemn in order to achieve this and usually we lead to cathartic experiences. I can remember our live concert with Obsidian Sea at Ioannina City. The place was packed with friends and fans and it was magical. The message was clearly delivered and we were in complete balance between what we’ve preached and how the people reacted to this. We have planned few gigs in Greece and hopefully a European tour. However we want to play as many shows as possible in order to promote our album, as we all strongly believe in it!
9. Premonitions of the Final Hour...if there is one song that fully epitomises what True Doom is this must be it. Hell, the title says it all really. Probably my favourite track on the album. Do you have a song on Of Solitude Triumphant that is particularly close to your heart?
Thank you, this is my second favorite song of the album. “Profound Loss” is my best though. Even when we rehearse this song I’m getting the chills, specially during the vocals with the choir doing the second voices. In combination with the lyrics and the mournful heaviness of the epilogue of the song, it puts it in the first place of my heart. “Premonitions Of The Final Hour” indeed epitomizes what True Epic Doom is, from the beginning to the end.
10. I keep returning to the fact that your music has the signature of True Doom written all over it as it feels timeless, archaic and goes outside and above all trends, just like the four first Candlemass albums, Saint Vitus, early Trouble, early Isole etc - what is it within you that makes you want to work in this particular tradition? Is your (to me obvious) passion for True Doom shared by all band members?
Yes it is. We all love Doom metal in the epic and traditional way like the bands you’ve mentioned above. We believe that Doom metal should be played that way, in order to remain pure, as it is the purest form of metal. It is a difficult genre of music and that’s why it is not suitable for everyone, thing that makes it special and unique. I have this urge to play pure true doom since 2005, when doom metal changed my whole life. Since then, my band and I, try to serve it properly.
11. How is the fact that you hail from Greece, a country so rich in history, philosophy and religion, reflected upon the structure that is The Temple?
How does your country's cultural legacy impact you as a human being? How does the Greek populus in general relate to its heritage?
It is good that we hail from such a rich country, but things have changed since then. We are privileged to have this heritage of wisdom and all these amazing knowledge that was given to the whole world, but I don’t believe all these have an impact on us. We live in a modern world where everyone tries to harm others. That’s contradictory to what ancient philosophers have taught. Greek populus is always proud of their ancestors, but they do nothing to become even a bit like them. As a band, we try to preach some of the virtues of the ancients in ways of unity, solidarity, forgiveness and humility.
12. Finally, will we need to wait six more years for a full length or can we expect another True Doom Metal masterpiece within a more foreseeable future?
I am not sure if I can answer this, because as I said before, I need to be inspired from life changing events in order to compose. I guess it will be sooner than six years because hopefully we won’t have another pandemic! But notice that I will be more strict in the next album which means more time to complete every detail!
Feel free to add any closing words of your own…
I would like to thank you for this very unique interview, it was one of my best. I am really happy that musicians from bands that influenced me like my music, it is a real honor. I can remember listening to “Forevermore” by Isole back then and watching this I HATE RECORDS logo. I won’t hide that I thought that I would be glad if I one day joined this label, which I did! So you can understand how excited I am. Have a nice evening and support true doom!
https://www.facebook.com/the.temple.doom.metal
https://ihate.bandcamp.com/
