Antiquus Scriptum, the long-standing project led by Sacerdos Magus since 1998, is a unique and boundary-breaking force in the metal world. Born in the roots of pagan black metal, the band has evolved over the years, incorporating elements of thrash, death, crossover, and even hardcore. With a collaborative approach that brings in various guest musicians, Sacerdos Magus keeps pushing the limits of creativity, blending the ancient cultural heritage of Portugal with an unrelenting passion for metal in all its forms. From the latest album Toxic Waste to the ambient-tinged EP Patria Antiqua II, Antiquus Scriptum stands as a testament to musical evolution, resilience, and a refusal to be confined by genre.
Serial Metalbums: Hi, Sacerdos Magus. Even though Antiquus Scriptum has been active since 1998, I’ve just recently discovered your work. Could you introduce the band to those who might be unfamiliar with it? Who are the key members today, and what’s the meaning behind the name Antiquus Scriptum? And how would you describe the identity and musical vision of Antiquus Scriptum in a few words?
Sacerdos Magus: Greetings, Asmoth! Before more it's a pleasure to be part of Thy Serial Metalbums Blogzine, brother! Well... yes... Antiquus Scriptum was born in 1998 as a pagan black metal act, with strong influences of ambient music & folk, but since 2022, the project has changed it's music a bit to more blackened death metal, or even thrash metal/crossover, in the last works... Well... the principle key member it's me, ahaha! but always counting with the aid of many guest musicians, as ever... The project's name is taken from an excerpt of the enigmatic Mayhem's album, "De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas", thais says in Latin, "De Grandae Vus Antiquus Mulum Tristis, Arcanas Mysteria Scriptum", where I agglutinated the words "Antiquus" + "Scriptum", founding the name for this band and about the identity and musical vision of the project, I can say that Antiquus Scriptum is indeed a very eclectic metal band, with no musical frontiers, beside the labels, maybe the most eclectic band you ever heard since 2000, ahaha!... No, seriously... We play whatever we like and the music is always changing from work to work... a label it's hard to describe, in every work… since that's metal (or not), we make it!...
Serial Metalbums: Your music has evolved significantly over the years. How would you describe the evolution of your sound since the early days of the band? Have there been any particular moments or albums that marked a turning point in Antiquus Scriptum’s musical journey?
Sacerdos Magus: Yes, like I said, between 1998 & 2019, black metal was the main key for the project, with strong influences of viking metal, dark ambient & folk, when was myself making the musical part, in studio, of all the instruments, but in 2019 I was diagnosed with tendonitis, so, I had to leave the guitar work and I started to invite guest musicians to make me the instrumental part and since 2022, like I said, the music started to change gradually, 1st, to a blackened melodic death metal and then, to thrash metal, with crossover and old hardcore influences, either, that's the sound we make today. And that was the turning point of the band, indeed...
Serial Metalbums: Antiquus Scriptum blends elements of black metal, ambient, and other styles. What are the main musical influences that have shaped your sound over the years? Are there any non-musical influences - like books, films, or historical events - that have inspired your work, especially your lyrical themes and concepts?Sacerdos Magus: Well, the main musical influences that have shaped your sound over the years, it's heavy metal music and all that's related to it, but there are many non-musical influences too, of course, like books, films or historical events, yes... I like a lot of literature, especially related to ancient history, mythology and all that kind of stuff and I used to influence myself much in books of history, to write the songs for A.S. in the past, yes... Nowadays, it's more the daily news and the present state of Humanity, that's the motto to write lyrics... Our world, as it is and all the tensions and conflicts that surround it, wars and the present situation of Mankind, are now the subjects to write songs for the band, actually.
Serial Metalbums: Let’s talk about Toxic Waste, your new album released this year. What was the inspiration behind this record, and how does it differ from your previous work? How do you usually approach songwriting and recording? Has your creative process changed over the years?
Sacerdos Magus: Yes, Toxic Waste is a little different album, that all we've made until now and that's a work much rooted in old thrash metal music, from the 2nd half of the 80's, crossover music and hardcore and it has even influences from deathcore or trap metal, on it, for the 1st time... The creative process has changed a bit, because, like I said, before tendonitis, was me that used to write all the songs for the project, but now, I only write lyrics and make the vocal part, being guest musicians making the instrumental job, so, the process it's a little different, indeed...
Serial Metalbums: Patria Antiqua II, your latest EP, seems to continue a specific theme. Could you tell us more about the concept behind this EP and how it connects to the earlier Patria Antiqua release?
Sacerdos Magus: Yes... beside the metal vein, Antiquus Scriptum has its ambiental & folk influences and since 2012, are usual the ambiental works of the project, in parallel with the metal onslaughts and "Patria Antiqua II", is one of these releases... It stands, mostly for old Portuguese customs and traditions, Lusitanian mythology, ancient tales and myths from Portugal and that kind of universe that we've been practicing on the dark ambient/folk parallel works... There isn't much difference from the original "Patria Antiqua" release, or better, it's an extension of what we've made in the early ambiental works.
Serial Metalbums: How do you see the current state of the Portuguese black metal and extreme metal scene? Do you feel that the scene has evolved in a positive direction, or are there still challenges for bands like Antiquus Scriptum?
Sacerdos Magus: Well, the scene now it's different, from the previous 80's & 90's decades and it's better at some points, in my point of view, but worse in others aspects and the Lusitanian (Portuguese) scene, it's no different... I think heavy metal has become much more mainstream, now and it's not the "bogeyman" of the past, anymore, that society always related with drugs and delinquency, like it was when I was young and now it's present on every social media, YouTube, Instragram, Facebook and all that stuff... Kids now act normal, when it comes to metal, not like in my time, that was an absolute taboo! Like I said... it's better in some points, but decaying in other matters... Well, the challenges for bands like mine, are to keep struggling and stay alive and keep the fire burning, as always, I think... No better chance!…
Serial Metalbums: What are your thoughts on the global black metal scene today? Are there bands or movements that you feel particularly connected to or inspired by?
Sacerdos Magus: Well... it's sad to be said, but I sincerely think that the whole black metal movement is truly decaying and it's no more what it was in the early 90's and nothing like that, unfortunately... Now, there are many bands of black metal, all over the place, but not with the talent and imagination to make good music, like it was in the 2nd wave, back in the 90's, or not even close... black metal has been weakening from decade to decade, and it doesn't give any pleasure to say this, but it's the reality!...
Serial Metalbums: With a discography spanning over two decades, do you feel that Antiquus Scriptum is a bridge between different eras of black metal? How do you see your role in the evolution of the genre?
Sacerdos Magus: Well... black metal has changed much, as well, in the past few dacades and now are many subgenres of it, like "raw black metal", "atmospheric black metal", "depressive black metal" or even "suicidal black metal" and those kinds of labels, that some, I don't like at all!... I really prefer the early stuff, more influenced by "pagan black metal", "viking metal" or "folk metal" and the new labels don't really say much to me... Antiquus Scriptum, is, or was, since we're not practicing black metal anymore, a turning page for the whole genre, because we appeared when all the things started to change.
Serial Metalbums: How do you envision the future of Antiquus Scriptum - will you continue exploring new sounds, or do you see yourself returning to your roots in some way?
Sacerdos Magus: Now, we are in a phase of exploring new sounds and trying to bring something new to our role, but no one knows if we can return to black metal again and to our previous roots... I don't regret that we can return to black metal sound and that's a hypothesis... Now, we're more into a thrash metal wave and all that stuff, but in the future, we never know...
