Interview with Antonio Bartoccetti of dark/mystic/prog bands JACULA & ANTONIUS REX.

Jacula and Antonius Rex, two cult bands. Jacula is a kind of musical ufo coming from the darkest crypts ....starting back in 1968, totally ahead of its time! It's about explorations of the mind, black and white meditations, vicious and possessed church organ sounds, guitar riffs never heard before, incantations and formulas by Antonio Bartoccetti. Jacula's records were mainly sold to cults, sects. It's something different to experience, you have to let yourself go, have a trip in a world made of dark woods, weird and threatening shadows, unholy rituals. Antonius Rex, the other musical experience, is exploring more progressive dimensions and paths, organ, ritual drums, heavy guitars, vocals by Doris Norton and Antonio Bartoccetti. It's a very unique atmosphere, there is a mysterious aura around the bands and the musicians and they are still being active these days with many different albums that are dark/prog/metal oriented. August, 2013 : 100 fans are selected and welcomed to a unique show in Perugia, an evening made of rituals and meditations, music performance, from 22 to 6am. The man is quite hard to find and only gave a few interviews, he's there, somewhere in the shadows, transmitting his visions and musical inspirations through the albums, often made in limited editions. It's for Fuzzine that he accepted this interview, it's an honour for me and it's a very rare opportunity so I hope you will enjoy this as much as I do.

Louis Hauguel : How did you come up with the creation of Jacula back in 1968 ?

Antonio Bartoccetti: Spending time with the wizard Franz Parthenzy.

2/ Was that unique sound that we found on Jacula's first two albums the result of being in contact with certain forces, did it help you to find some new inspirations/music landscapes to explore ?

AB: Yes… absolutely ….. the world is full of invisible forces …. there are more than 640 microdemons.

3/ Do you think the listener would be more receptive to Jacula's music if he/she is in a specific condition/state of mind ?

 AB: Yes… absolutely ….. Mind must be free from the absurdity of everyday routines.

4/ How was the atmosphere in the studio when you recorded the Jacula albums ?

 AB: It was full of magnetic fields.

5/ The other incarnation of your music, Antonius Rex is exploring different musical directions. What were the reasons to change from Jacula to Antonius Rex and later to Jacula again with the Pre Viam album ?

 AB: I must have two bands to express better all my feelings.
Jacula = esoteric parabiblic mystic
Antonius Rex = metal gothic prog

6/ What are the main themes/messages that Antonius Rex likes to deliver to its audience ?

 AB: The life is the death.

7/ What do you think of the "live" rendition of your music ? Is there once again any specific needs to feel and listen to the music a certain way and do you have any plans to perform again as Jacula or Antonius Rex ?

 AB: The world is going towards noises and supporting the wacky human side of the listeners. We still are doing what our soul suggest to us.

8/ How does the future looks like for you/Jacula/Antonius Rex, new plans ?

 AB: Listen carefully to the song "Antonius Rex Prophecy" lyrics.

9/ From your point of view, is there any concrete and effective way to pay tribute/contact the spirits ? Is there some 'invisible forces' influencing our everyday's life ?

 AB: SECRETS

10/ Those lines are yours ... do you have any comments, advises, words of poetry you would like to tell to our readers ?

 AB: I love much 'Disincantation' and 'The Fatal Letter' because of the lyrics.

Louis Hauguel for Fuzzine. (2013)

 ------------------------------------------------------ Extra interview :
CULT

Jacula "IN CAUDA SEMPER STAT VENENUM" (1969, Gnome, LP)
Jacula "IN CAUDA SEMPER STAT VENENUM" (1969, Charles Tiring LP) (C) Charles Tiring (white label, Charles Tiring signature, ltd 300 copies ) ---- (UNOFFICIAL)
Jacula "IN CAUDA SEMPER STAT VENENUM" (1981, Wandessa Yelton LP, ltd 100 copies ) (€ 500 ) (C) Wandessa Yelton (white label, WY signature, pictures + dark goth insert) ---- (UNOFFICIAL)
Jacula "IN CAUDA SEMPER STAT VENENUM" (2001, BWR) LP-CD (P) & (C) Black Widow&Musik Research - Published by Brioche Music
Jacula "IN CAUDA SEMPER STAT VENENUM" (2004 live in Paris) bootleg LP -- (UNOFFICIAL)
Jacula "IN CAUDA SEMPER STAT VENENUM" (2013, live in Perugia-Italy ) (€ 500 ) bootleg LP -- (UNOFFICIAL)

In project :

-------Jacula "MYSTIC VOICES " (2014, MR, LP-CD) - mystic - gothic - doom - progressive - parabiblic
-------Antonius Rex " C.M. " (2014, only LP 2014 + USB key) ---- (2014, Musik Research - LP Ltd. - 33)
-------Antonius Rex " H.P. " (2015, LP -CD-USB key) ---- (2015, Musik Research )