It can already be read from their band name, which refers to a philosophical methodology dating back to Socrates, that MAÏEUTISTE have high ambitions. But not only thematically, also musically the French black metallers present themselves remarkably sophisticated on their second album „Veritas“. In an interview with frontman Temüdjin and bassist Keithan, the two answer questions about the baroque influences of the record, the antagonism in black metal and the sometimes a bit comical conceptual names of French post-rock bands.
As far as I know, you named your band MAÏEUTISTE after a philosophical method of gaining knowledge thought up by Socrates. What exactly made you choose this name?
Yes, indeed, we chose that name because we are sincerely trying to evoke some ideas about knowledge, erudition. The art of giving birth to ideas is a fascinating concept which resonates in our imagination.
Your first demo is also called „Socratic Black Metal“ – one can assume that classical Greek philosophy and especially Socrates have shaped you. Where does your interest in this topic come from?
Our interpretation of maieutic should be interpreted more in a poetic rather than a philosophical way in our songwriting. Black metal is rooted in conflict, it sublimes art as an ideal of antagonism. It’s certainly not the only one, but it sincerely crystallizes this question for us. In 2006, when we began our project with Eheuje, we realized that it could be fake to portray satanism and folklore in black metal. About the title, it’s more a provocation because we were sure that it would be criticized by purists, and we won when it was the case!
You combine different styles in your music, but the focus is probably put on black metal. Why do you think this genre is the best way to turn your concepts into music?
Besides previous explanations, the reason why black metal remains is more about our sensitivity. Maybe because it’s raw and sincere, like a powerful declamation. However, bringing many other influences into it happens spontaneously.
Your self-titled debut album was quite extensive and stylistically diverse, but for some listeners it was too overblown and not consistent enough. How do you feel about these criticisms?
We can fully accept that. Our first album was elaborated during a decade. We were ambitious in our approach and we discovered our mistakes as it came. We wanted to be fulfilled about what story was told in this album.
Nevertheless, we have no remorse about how and with whom it was made. It was experimental, juvenile, but we were implicated, maybe sometimes too exigent… like many black metal listeners pretend to be! (laughs)
There is a time period of four years between your first and your new album „Veritas“. What have you been up to during this time?
We are involved in many projects. Also, our jobs and studies are time-consuming. We also wanted to retain a certain degree of independence concerning recording. Our friend and sound engineer James Leonard from Plastic Lobster Studios, which provided us expertises for the production, did a fantastic job with these constraints of home studio. During this period, Keithan and James, also involved in Barus (death metal), released their first album “Drowned” in 2018, which also affected the release date of „Veritas“.
Your current album is a bit shorter and from my point of view a bit more homogenous than your debut. Was this your goal during songwriting and choosing the songs for the final tracklist?
Yes, one of the goals of that record was to make a more readable release, and as a consequence, a more powerful one. The first album was laborious, especially when it came to deliver it on a physical package: too long for a CD, way too long for a LP. We did almost three different masters, each one was shorter than the previous. We cut between tracks to fit in the limits of each package. That’s why our vinyl remaster is more focused and efficient. Furthermore, the first album needed this diversity, crossing the border of consistency.
With „Veritas“, it was way more easier. Six tracks is enough to build the atmosphere and the rhythm we wanted to achieve. The difficulty was more about the wish to master our signature.
The record was also described as more progressive than its predecessor. In which way does this development show in your opinion?
We are not really adepts of classification in music genre, but we can say that the progressive has always been obvious in our songwriting. We tried to elaborate songs with a narrative construction, with variations and transformations during each song. We agree that it’s more relevant in „Veritas“, more fluent we would say!
„Veritas“ is, as far as I know, partly influenced by the Baroque era. How did this epoch come to be part of your creative process?
Each influence in MAÏEUTISTE resonates like obsessions for us, something that we harvest continually. The Baroque era can be seen as a period of effervescence, enlightement. It gave us the contrast we wanted with the first album in different ranges: shade of grey to gold, austere to grandiloquent.
The Baroque influences are especially obvious in the artwork and the interlude „Suspiramus“. Would you say that the Baroque also influenced the album in other ways – for example concerning the other tracks or the lyrics?
The track “Suspiramus” is a free adaptation of the second movement of Allessandro Scarlatti’s Salve Regina, “Ad te suspiramus”. It was an obsession of Keithan and he wanted to exorcise his inner demon.
Some instruments – especially the strings – were recorded with guest musicians. The guest contributions, however, are mostly used as an addition to your main sound in my view. Are you considering making such parts a more integral part of your music in the future?
MAÏEUTISTE has always been a collective experience with permanent and guest members. We truly like to express many ranges in our music. Guests are the opportunity to invite a new instrument, but also someone with a personality, bringing a new variety in the songwriting. Of course, we love using strings and we want to use them more in the future, but actually, it’s difficult to say how it will go for the next.
In my opinion the production of the album is quite powerful, but the clean vocals are mixed a bit quietly. Why didn’t you want the clean vocals the be too far in the foreground?
For the most part, clean vocals are used like a choir on „Veritas“, like it was in antique theater, like a declamation of a crowd. The production itself is powerful but “far”, “reverberate” like a theater. It will be different for the next one for sure, because we want to do something different.
There’s a lot to be discussed philosophically about the album title „Veritas“ („truth“). What truth (or truths) did you think of when you chose this album title?
All of them! „Veritas“ is about the nature of truth; not about truth itself. It would be absurd and pretentious! The concept of truth is multifaceted. It’s more about your personal experience of the world surrounding you, your point of view.
The concept of truth per se is often debated, whereby it is sometimes argued that there is no objectively ascertainable truth. What’s your opinion on that?
We would say that it’s rapidly tautological to evoke absolute truth. A name of an idea is the nucleus of the idea itself.
Let’s get back to talking about your current album per se. I find it interesting that you framed it with the two title tracks and pick up the same musical motif in both tracks. What’s this all about?
These two tracks are more like one for us. The beginning of the journey was already conluded in our mind, like a circle, a tautology.
„Veritas II“ starts with blissful clean guitars that almost remind me of the world-forgotten, peaceful mood of Alcest’s music. What was your intention behind starting the song in this way, while the album otherwise sounds rather intense?
Those clean guitars were more influenced by post-rock and the accelerated arpeggios of Mournful Congregation. But you are right, it’s a bliss before the path which leads to the final response of this journey, if we truly say it’s an answer.
In the closing track there are also about ten minutes of silence, then we get to hear some dark sounds. Why do you think it makes sense to let the listener wait so long for a short outro?
On a lot of CDs that we loved, there were several ghost tracks. And we put it in with that in mind. Silence is however necessery and interesting to giving some space between songs. This last track not enumerated was made by Celui Du Dehors, a friend of us. We were delighted by his proposal, but I prefer not to extend about it. There are a lot of secrets about it.
What will happen next with MAÏEUTISTE? Do you already have plans for live shows or on how soon you’ll start working on the next album?
Keithan: We already booked some live shows and want to do a lot more! Our next project is already on, but I can’t say too much about it for now, just that it will be more stratified and surprising!
Finally, I would like to go through our traditional Metal1.info brainstorming with you. What do you associate with the following terms?
The Gothic epoch: Temüdjin: As an architect in my professional life, I say „Craftsmanship, patience and pushing the boundaries“. Gothic Architecture was all like that!
Keithan: I would say a attempt to rise to the sky, a less penitent way to support god.
Post-rock: Temüdjin: Hum, as I don’t really listen to that style of music… let’s see: unbelievable french poetic & over-conceptual band names? Seriously, in my city (Lyon) you can go for a three band gig where the bands are called with the french words for „storm“ (orage) „mist“ (brume) and „waves“ (vagues). Ok guys, we know you saw the yesterday weather bulletin!
Keithan: Mogwai, definetly!
Contemporary philosophy: Temüdjin: Gilles Deleuze, a not so contemporary master.
Keithan: I would say Clément Rosset.
Ignorance: Temüdjin: The real disaster of this century!
Keithan: Or a blessing we are praised with!
French metal scene: Temüdjin: Alive and surprising as all french things should be!
Keithan: „Chaining The Katechon“, period.
Climate crisis: Temüdjin: Ok, let’s try to be a little bit positive with that serious matter… It’s the opportunity to see a new civilisation rising. But brutal and drastic changes always come with a price!
Keithan: Extinction Permien-Trias (the return), on screen next Summer!
Thanks again for lending us your time. Are there any last words you would like to say to the readers?
Beware of those who claim to hold THE truth!
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