MANES
“SLOW MOTION DEATH SEQUENCE”
Album Review by Dark Juan

8/10

Manes are:

Tor-Helge Skei – Guitars, keyboards, programming
Eivind Fjøseide – Guitars
Torstein Parelius – Bass
Rune Hoemsnes – Drums, percussion
Asgeir Hatlen – Vocals

Well, now, that’s a bit of a change from the Manes I remember from the 90s. I was expecting acid spitting, sword brandishing, church burning black metal from Norway. I wasn’t expecting a cross between One Second era Paradise Lost, Mastodon, KMFDM and Tricky. I am somewhat taken aback, but I have just realised that one of the members of the band has brought his dog to the band photo shoot, so they must be alright geezers….

As you have no doubt guessed by their unpronounceable names and letters with lines through them, Manes are Scandinavian. I am not going to attempt to spell their names throughout this review. It would be pointless because I’d get them wrong. That would be unprofessional. And as you readers know, I’m nothing but professional in my reviews. Never have I ever been unprofessional and called people names or described what I would like to do to certain individuals. That would be foolish and the act of a charlatan. Anyway, Manes are an interesting band. Not many bands have crossed from avant garde black metal to quasi industrial, part electronic, part metal, experimental fields of endless white and freezing winds, which is what this album (their first since 2014) evokes. Songs on this record are organic things, starting simply and then growing slowly into behemoths. Last Resort is an excellent example of the crescendo building, staring with acoustic guitar and slowly building into a rock anthem, with multitracked vocal lines and electric alchemy from the guitarists. It is not a comfortable listen, sometimes with trip hop beats underpinning rock guitars, although the singer has an excellent voice – composed partly of wailing Ozzy Osbourne, part Brann Dailor of Mastodon on Oblivion. In fact, Mastodon are an influence I would say keeps creeping back in, and this is no bad thing for they are a band that split opinions, as Manes will undoubtedly do. Poison Enough For Everyone wanders around on a Nine Inch Nails-esque Pretty Hate Machine style bump and squelch percussion line with a simple but sublime guitar line over the top. Building The Ship Of Theseus is another track of opposites, sounding very like Paradise Lost over tinkly bonk electronics with some gorgeous female harmonies in the middle eight and muscular yet shimmering guitar work. The whole record evokes a feeling of looking out over a snow covered vista, and seeing a fur clad figure in the distance, the steel of his sword glistening in the winter sun and yet you knowing instinctively that he means you no harm. It’s a freezing, bleak world that Manes inhabit – mountains, wind carrying ice crystals that would flay your face in minutes and bitter bitter cold. But then the trippy hip hop elements of their sound inject a bit of life and suddenly a weak sun is glimpsed over a distant, ice sharp horizon. It’s as bleak as a Swans record, but as sparkling as Opeth as their most experimental.

So, does it fit in with the Dark Juan number one descriptor of good music? Is it INTERESTING? Or is it pompous, overblown bollocks of the worst kind? It is in fact a very good, atmospheric record. It’s best listened to with a whiskey in your hand, in a pitch black room with nothing but an open fire for light – this is the only way you will get to experience the true majesty of these soundscapes. I call them soundscapes because they are somewhat different than songs. Somehow, they are more than the sum of their parts and Dark Juan is indeed glad that Manes escaped the constrictions of black metal (no matter how avant garde, it’s still pretty formulaic) and wandered off into the wildernesses of their imaginations and delivered something quite special. Yet another reason Matt Tuck needs to shut his fucking mouth.

Shimmering, glorious, staggeringly beautiful yet incredibly dangerous and life threatening. Like watching polar bears from a distance of three yards, armed only with a tin opener and a bad temper. A fine record.

The Patented Dark Juan Blood Splat Rating System has turned the heating back on because it’s got a bit chilly in here… Manes are awarded 8/10 for this magnificent album. Well done, unpronounceable Scandinavian people! Well done indeed.

TRACKLIST

Endetidstegn
Scion
Chemical Heritage
Therapism
Last Resort
Poison Enough For Everyone
Building The Ship Of Theseus
Night Vision
Ater

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