I would like to thank Paula Hogan from Manic Prods. for making this interview possible

Have you already released the DVD/CD of your concert in Biebob?

Gunther Theys: No, the DVD/CD is not released yet. Early next year both DVD and CD should be on the market. It was a great experience though. Professionals taking care of the audio/visual tasks, a very supportive, heartwarming crowd. It will be a nice document for sure. At this moment we are working on the lay out, writing the liner notes, are selecting the pictures etc...Takes a lot of preparation. You know we like to take care of matters like the artwork, lay out, letter font etc ourselves. We find all aspects of our releases extremely important. From the songwriting to the cover art or lay out, we are rather demanding and therefore do most of it ourselves...We really feel miserable when we discover mistakes made by the printer or designer of the label. So we try to prepare as carefully as possible...

Why did Domingo leave the band? How different is Davy´s playing?

We had to fire Domingo as we were no longer satisfied with his musical qualities. On "Dim Catrcosa" piano is perpormed by Oliver Philipps who is a classical musician. Live Domingo was not able to perform these parts on a similar level. The general discontent created a bad atmosphere in the band. He, from his part, was convinced he was doing a fine job though. A musician who does not admit his limitations will not improve so we had no choice but to fire him. Not a pleasant situation. We always liked the guy very much, at first he broke also personal contacts because of our professional decision. Understandable but a pity nevertheless as we had great times together. Therefore I was pleased to see him at the recordings of our live cd/dvd. New member is Davy Wouters who is known from OBLIVION and live performances with DANSE MACABRE. He is a born pianist/keyboardplayer and has what it takes to play in the current ANCIENT RITES where keyboards are not just an instrument on the background any longer. Years ago we got introduced to his work when he opened with OBLIVION for ANCIENT RITES. Jan and I were aspecially impressed by the performance of both keyboardplayers and I remember writing Davy a congratulating letter. A pity that band never made it as they were ahead of their time. Isn't life peculiar that both keyboardplayers of OBLIVION joined DANSE MACABRE and one ended up with ANCIENT RITES as well?

Do you have new songs composed for a forthcoming albums? Are they similar to the ones in "Dim Carcosa"?

We have been too busy promoting the album. Many concerts in and outside of Europe. We do not write when being on the road. Besides I am involved in different bands so I have been recording with IRON CLAD (Heavy Metal) and DANSE MACABRE (Goth), rehearsing with LION'S PRIDE (Oi!) and setting up a Folklore project. Soon we start writing new material but I have just been informed that more tours are approaching. This slows down the writing process.

Looking back on "Dim Carcosa"...are you completely satisfied with the way it came out? Would you have changed something?

I believe in all our releases. Including the positive or eventual negative aspects. There always are things that could have been done a bit different or which are open for improvement but often that is a matter of personal taste. A musician evolves constantly. I know that even within our own ranks some members look back in a rather negative way on the earliest releases (ep's) as they find them too primitive or lacking skill. I do not share that discontent as I believe every release is like a testimony of a certain epoque of a band. I wxould not change one single note I ever played. Not that I consider our work as perfect, but re-writing the band history is not an option. No regrets. As far as "Dim carcosa" is concerned: I am satisfied with the interaction between the different music styles on the album, compositions ranging from several kinds of Metal to Classical and Folklore. How these completely different genres become one logical whole. I would like the album to be remembered as an authentic, timeless one, a record that offered a different breeze within our style. When an artist/perfectionist looks back on his previous work he will always detect things that could have been done better but it is important to stop working on your creation at one point or the work will NEVER be finished.

How do you get inspiration for composing your music?

Inspiration strikes when least expected. Each musician has his own style/approach (how it should be!). Originality is highly appreciated within our ranks. Every band member has a long tradition in Metal. We already were into the Metal scene even before Black/Death Metal was created. We obviously take part in that scene but our roots and approach differ from the other bands in our style and older (traditional Metal and first generation Black/Death) and other influences shine on trough as well. Also we ignore what is popular or fashionable at the moment and go our own way. We play what we instinctively feel without ever considering what the press/audience might think of it. We try to achieve a ballance between aggression and melancholy, brutality and atmosphere. Unlike most other bands in the B.M. scene we want to achieve a clear, tight and heavy sound/production. Surely we respect primitive Black Metal but because of our ancient Heavy Metal roots we settle for a tighter sound. We try to improve with each release and wish to avoid stagnation. It is our aim to grow without selling out and evolve in a natural way. We have a natural 80's Metal touch to our music because A.R. started in that era but at the same time we have a modern approach. Our sound contains different aspects of Metal and even elements of Classical, Medieval and Folk music can be detected in our music. We play what we feel, there is no real A.R. recipe, just emotions, dreams and visions we try to put to music. A classical musician once told us that the structure of our songs (including the more extreme Metal parts) is similar to the way medieval musicians composed their music, I can't think of a better compliment. We never analyze our music, we try to achieve a ballance of different atmospheres that fit to the concept of the band.

Which are your memories on the "Evil Prevails" EP?

It were years of cult. Black/Death Metal was strictly underground. Vinyl still mattered and independently releasing an ep was still an achievement. Worldwide there was a huge network of underground fanatics who were in contact through letters. Tape trading was still a code and every day we received and wrote between 5 and 15 letters. Internet did not exist. Every day the local postman carried huge bags of letters, tapes, magazines and records to my home... A.R. were a bunch of lunatic bangers, close friends from the same area. It were hard but creative times: we had to create our own "label" in order to release the ep as no record company was interested in the style. We invented Fallen Angel Records and took care of Europe. In South America Colombian Warmaster Records released the "Evil Prevails" sessions as a splitlp and Wild Rags Records released the ep in North America with a different cover and pics. I liked that "Do it Yourself" mentality. The best memories I keep on those years...

Ancient Rites Lyrics are really dark and obscure....what do you try to reflect in them?

Obviously there is a connection between our band's name and lyrical approach. The ANCIENT part is referring to our fascination towards Ancient/Medieval civilizations and empires which are forever buried by time and dust while the RITES stand for our connection with the Darkside. Ever since my childhood I'm consumed by these topics and obviously this fascination has a big impact on our work. My life has been a constant quest for historical knowledge. Therefore I consider myself lucky being able to travel a lot to experience and witness with my own eyes everything I learned about as a child through history books and literature. I have travelled through the Sahara desert by camels and visited remains of ancient civilizations in desolate places, I have entered the temple of Baalberith where thousands of years ago human (infant) sacrifices took place, descended down Portuguese crypts, visited ancient Greek temples, wandered through the remains of the streets of ancient Rome, travelled through Spanish mountains by horse, walked through medieval cities all over the East and West of Europe, saw where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake, followed rivers surrounded by castles that are silent witnesses of the splendour of the middleages, was in the center of Mycenian, Fenician and Carthagian War civilizations whose walls and streets much to my surprise still were quite intact, was surprised by the artistic aspects of the ancient Minoan Empire and was overwhelmed by the splendor of Asia Minor etc. The most spiritual and timeless moments I experienced when being on ancient/medieval locations. It is an advantage I live in a small medieval city in a house which is a protected monument because it is a part of a medieval abbey. When I look outside my window I see the middle ages, a few houses next to ours there is some kind of a bridge where bats live, all very picturesque. Concerning the Darkside I have to say I relate to certain philosophies of Satanism but in a symbolic (non religious/non dogmatic) way. A code based on knowledge, wisdom, strength and self respect. A down to earth, realistic approach guided by own instincts and principles. I find it important to avoid the same traps one can find in other religions. I do not believe in any higher (or lower for that matter) entities. Personally I relate to ancient traditions, therefore also Paganism catches my interest/sympathy. All this (and more) is reflecting on the lyrics I write and our work in general.

Are you planning some South American tour with the release of the next album?

Already years ago we planned to tour South America. A.R. always received a lot of letters from South American lands. Currently we are talking with a South American promoter who promised to set up a tour. Let us hope it will finally happen. It would be a perfect chance to perform in front of the traditionally loco South American crowds (whenever we play cities such as London many South American immigrants show up at our gigs and they are the most fanatic!) and personally I would also take a lot of pleasure in discovering the local cultures/history with my own eyes... Inspiration would suddenly strike...

Thanks a lot for the interview. Any final words?

All is said and done. My friend. Hope to meet in Buenos Aires face to face one day. My respect to the Argentina Headbangers Front!

http://www.ancientrites.be/
or
http://www.ancienthordes.tk/


Interview by Federico Marongiu