First of all, thanks for taking the time to talk with UM! What is your name and what role do you play in the band?
I'm Antti and I'm the vocalist and also play some guitar.
Where do you hail from?
Our band hails from Southern Finland, close to the city called Tampere.
Who do you consider major influences?
We have a huge variety of influences, but bands like Pink Floyd, King Crimson, Dream Theater, Meshuggah, Pain of Salvation and Pantera are what everyone of us likes.
Nice, eclecticism is good! From where do you draw inspiration?
Inspiration comes from various things, of course, for example a single word can be a reason to start writing my thoughts onto a paper. Sometimes I come up with lyrics for a song, sometimes not. I think I can speak for the whole band when I say the inspiration for composing a song comes from the "need" to create something new and interesting. We are not trying to be different intentionally, though, we are just making the kind of music we can honestly call our own.
What's your local scene like?
Finland is of course famous for its many metal bands, but some bands around our city I could mention are Blueprint Human Being, which plays experimental metal with post-rock influences and Scorched Earth Tactics, which plays "extreme action metalcore". Really worth of checking out those two bands!!
How should people go about hearing your music?
We have released two demo CDs, the first one in November 2001 and the second December 2002 and both of them can be ordered from our website (www.manifoldobject.cjb.net). All of the songs from both CDs are also available in mp3.com (www.mp3.com/manifold_object).
If you could play a gig with 3 other bands, who would they be?
I think the other guys might choose different bands than I, but personally, a gig with King Crimson, Anathema and Dream Theater would be an ideal one, as Pink Floyd, I guess, is out of the question. On the other hand, a gig with Pantera, Meshuggah and The Dillinger Escape Plan would also be an interesting one
What's your best gig memory?
Actually, only one gig has been played so far so it's probably the best one
What's your worst?
Well of other gigs, I have seen many Finnish metal bands on the stage and the worst has absolutely been a gothic-metal-group called To/Die/For. It just was something ultimately boring and pathetic.
So theyre one to avoid then! Would you describe your sound as Hot or Cold?
I think our songs, especially on the second release, are so intense that I have to say Hot.
What are you plans for the future?
Hopefully our second demo-CD gets good feedback and breaks our way to stages all around Finland. A label signing us would also be a dream come true!
So, if that dream came true, which label would you sign to?
There are plenty of considerable labels around, but having a bunch of my own fave-bands in its roster, I would gladly sign with Prophecy Productions.
Which song of yours do you think people should listen to before any other?
This one is always difficult, but I would say "A Grand Trance" from our second demo-cd Mirrorlike. It's not that "metal", but the atmosphere is something incredible. If you want to listen to a more metallic song, I would suggest "Perfidious Schedule", also from Mirrorlike.
If a label said they'd sign you for a 10 album, multi-million pound deal, providing you got rid of one of your members (you can choose!), would you do it?
Sounds just like a Century Media-deal! At least for the 10 album part Anyway, I would leave myself! Well, maybe not We four guys are just so close friends and to all of us making music and having fun are the main things and the financial, as well as any other kind of success, really aren't that important.
Hah, do I sense some bitterness towards CM there? Anyway, I cannot fault your motives!
I have nothing personal against CM, but I've heard stories about them signing bands for 10 albums and not giving the bands their complete artistic freedom and I think that really sucks. If a band buys its way out of some label, like The Gathering did, there must be something wrong with the label. Of course, CM is not the only label to do that kind of things.
What's your favourite album of all time, and why?[/B]
Of all albums I would say Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here", because it has an incredibly strong atmosphere and the compositions, of course, are top class. But to decide what would be the best metal album I would say Master of Puppets by Metallica. I don't know if it's the BEST but a fucking good one anyway!!
What was the main reason you became a musician?
Wow, you're probably the first person to call me "musician"!! For me, music is a natural way of expressing myself and relaxing at the same time.
How would you like to be remembered?
If speaking of music, I would like to be remembered for uncompromising and innovative musical ideas and for profound lyrics.
What's the first word that comes to mind when you see the word MANOWAR!
The first actual word would be METAL, of course! \m/
What single location would you love to play a gig at?
I don't actually know why, but I would really LOVE to play a gig in London (with the bands I mentioned above, of course).
Im sure London would like to see you play with those bands too! What do you think of the current metal magazines? Which rock, and which suck?
The major metal magazines are well, not so interesting in my opinion, but luckily there are lots of uncompromising metal web ´zines around and their staffs are totally interested in METAL! Of course, I'm not that aware of the international situation, but anyway! A bad example of a major "metal-magazine" is Metal Hammer, I think that magazine is quite awful.
If you were asked to supply three reasons why people should listen to you, what would they be?
We are interesting, atmospheric and different.
Any message for your fans and the UM masses?
Spread the word: Prog-metal is NOT just Dream Theater! Anyone interested in melodic, atmospheric, slightly psychedelic prog metal should check us out, I can guarantee an interesting experience!! Thanks for your interest!
Thanks for taking the time to talk to UM!
I'm Antti and I'm the vocalist and also play some guitar.
Where do you hail from?
Our band hails from Southern Finland, close to the city called Tampere.
Who do you consider major influences?
We have a huge variety of influences, but bands like Pink Floyd, King Crimson, Dream Theater, Meshuggah, Pain of Salvation and Pantera are what everyone of us likes.
Nice, eclecticism is good! From where do you draw inspiration?
Inspiration comes from various things, of course, for example a single word can be a reason to start writing my thoughts onto a paper. Sometimes I come up with lyrics for a song, sometimes not. I think I can speak for the whole band when I say the inspiration for composing a song comes from the "need" to create something new and interesting. We are not trying to be different intentionally, though, we are just making the kind of music we can honestly call our own.
What's your local scene like?
Finland is of course famous for its many metal bands, but some bands around our city I could mention are Blueprint Human Being, which plays experimental metal with post-rock influences and Scorched Earth Tactics, which plays "extreme action metalcore". Really worth of checking out those two bands!!
How should people go about hearing your music?
We have released two demo CDs, the first one in November 2001 and the second December 2002 and both of them can be ordered from our website (www.manifoldobject.cjb.net). All of the songs from both CDs are also available in mp3.com (www.mp3.com/manifold_object).
If you could play a gig with 3 other bands, who would they be?
I think the other guys might choose different bands than I, but personally, a gig with King Crimson, Anathema and Dream Theater would be an ideal one, as Pink Floyd, I guess, is out of the question. On the other hand, a gig with Pantera, Meshuggah and The Dillinger Escape Plan would also be an interesting one
What's your best gig memory?
Actually, only one gig has been played so far so it's probably the best one
What's your worst?
Well of other gigs, I have seen many Finnish metal bands on the stage and the worst has absolutely been a gothic-metal-group called To/Die/For. It just was something ultimately boring and pathetic.
So theyre one to avoid then! Would you describe your sound as Hot or Cold?
I think our songs, especially on the second release, are so intense that I have to say Hot.
What are you plans for the future?
Hopefully our second demo-CD gets good feedback and breaks our way to stages all around Finland. A label signing us would also be a dream come true!
So, if that dream came true, which label would you sign to?
There are plenty of considerable labels around, but having a bunch of my own fave-bands in its roster, I would gladly sign with Prophecy Productions.
Which song of yours do you think people should listen to before any other?
This one is always difficult, but I would say "A Grand Trance" from our second demo-cd Mirrorlike. It's not that "metal", but the atmosphere is something incredible. If you want to listen to a more metallic song, I would suggest "Perfidious Schedule", also from Mirrorlike.
If a label said they'd sign you for a 10 album, multi-million pound deal, providing you got rid of one of your members (you can choose!), would you do it?
Sounds just like a Century Media-deal! At least for the 10 album part Anyway, I would leave myself! Well, maybe not We four guys are just so close friends and to all of us making music and having fun are the main things and the financial, as well as any other kind of success, really aren't that important.
Hah, do I sense some bitterness towards CM there? Anyway, I cannot fault your motives!
I have nothing personal against CM, but I've heard stories about them signing bands for 10 albums and not giving the bands their complete artistic freedom and I think that really sucks. If a band buys its way out of some label, like The Gathering did, there must be something wrong with the label. Of course, CM is not the only label to do that kind of things.
What's your favourite album of all time, and why?[/B]
Of all albums I would say Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here", because it has an incredibly strong atmosphere and the compositions, of course, are top class. But to decide what would be the best metal album I would say Master of Puppets by Metallica. I don't know if it's the BEST but a fucking good one anyway!!
What was the main reason you became a musician?
Wow, you're probably the first person to call me "musician"!! For me, music is a natural way of expressing myself and relaxing at the same time.
How would you like to be remembered?
If speaking of music, I would like to be remembered for uncompromising and innovative musical ideas and for profound lyrics.
What's the first word that comes to mind when you see the word MANOWAR!
The first actual word would be METAL, of course! \m/
What single location would you love to play a gig at?
I don't actually know why, but I would really LOVE to play a gig in London (with the bands I mentioned above, of course).
Im sure London would like to see you play with those bands too! What do you think of the current metal magazines? Which rock, and which suck?
The major metal magazines are well, not so interesting in my opinion, but luckily there are lots of uncompromising metal web ´zines around and their staffs are totally interested in METAL! Of course, I'm not that aware of the international situation, but anyway! A bad example of a major "metal-magazine" is Metal Hammer, I think that magazine is quite awful.
If you were asked to supply three reasons why people should listen to you, what would they be?
We are interesting, atmospheric and different.
Any message for your fans and the UM masses?
Spread the word: Prog-metal is NOT just Dream Theater! Anyone interested in melodic, atmospheric, slightly psychedelic prog metal should check us out, I can guarantee an interesting experience!! Thanks for your interest!
Thanks for taking the time to talk to UM!
