Manitou

Aug 27, 2004
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So, I picked up Entrance by Manitou (Oyvind's previous band) recently, and, while I bought it mainly just to hear his older work (without expecting to really like it), I was pleasantly surprised! I'm still trying to put my finger on what this reminds me of - it's really not that similar to SA - but whatever it is, I like it. The music, while not on the level of SA, is still pretty technical, and it has a pretty good groove going. For those that are familiar with Manitou, this is their only work, right?
 
Sounds like Fates Warning to me. It is their only work and I have a friend who is supposed to be sending me their demo. Search out the band Trivial Act, they are similar to Manitou and just as great.
 
Manitou released an official demo in 1991 simply named "demo '91", which often is preferred by the fans. Only one song(When Silence Descends) made it to Entrance. The rest of the songs were supposed to be on the next album, but sadly Manitou disbanded before that ever happened. We wrote those songs when we were 18-21 years old, and I can hear the nerve in the music.
Back then our lives were 100% about metal music, and we always hung out and discussed, wrote, listened to or played metal. I listened to Fates Warning - Awaken The Guardian every day for about 2 years. We played live wherever someone would book us and we seldom got money for it. As long as we got beer and a good PA, we were satisfied.

Entrance didn't come out the way we wanted to. The final mix was too stiff and sterile to our ears. We wanted it to be more heavy and groovy, like we sounded when we played live. Inspirations back then were alcohol and bands like early Fates Warning, early Metallica, Voivod, Slayer, early Queensrÿche etc.

-Öyvind
 
Wasn't there something on that "Norway Rocks" compilation lp?


Oh...that's a complicated story. I'll try to explain it:
Exercise, a band from where I come from, were asked to contribute on the Norway Rocks-album. They recorded their material, but disbanded before the album came out. Their guitarist Tor Höiland and their bassist Tom Erik Eriksen joined Manitou, and they canged named from Exercise to Manitou on the album but they kept Exercise's music.
 
You are only to be proud of Entrance...It is THE soundtrack of the 90`s to me....Sadly I lost my copy in the middle of a divorce:lol: and now i cannot find it anywhere. I keep a very worn out tape copy of it, sigh. I check out e-bay and other similar places on a regular basis,hoping it will suddenly show up, but no luck as of yet. Entrance is beautiful, powerful and spheric, Do any of you remember Damn The Machine ( Chris & Mark Poland)? Holds somewhat the same feeling...
-lise
 
You are only to be proud of Entrance...It is THE soundtrack of the 90`s to me....Sadly I lost my copy in the middle of a divorce:lol: and now i cannot find it anywhere. I keep a very worn out tape copy of it, sigh. I check out e-bay and other similar places on a regular basis,hoping it will suddenly show up, but no luck as of yet. Entrance is beautiful, powerful and spheric, Do any of you remember Damn The Machine ( Chris & Mark Poland)? Holds somewhat the same feeling...
-lise

http://gemm.com/q.cgi?rb=VERO&via=link&artist=Manitou&title=Entrance


both entrance and damn the machine are very overlooked gems of the 90s.

good call.
 
Be careful when buying from GEMM. I only payed a few dollars more than that and I got mine directly from the label. It generally runs for about $50 on ebay. Totally worth every penny and I wouldn't consider selling for any price.
 
Manitou will start rehearsing again soon.
First of all we must see how we work together after all these years.
I guess we'll start with the songs from Entrance, than maybe the demo. If that works out well, there's a chance we'll start working on new songs. I've been told that there is "a ton" of new progressive, heavy and groovy riffs.
The future's so bright, I gotta wear shades ...:headbang:
 
Ok, so Manitou's first gig in 16 years went very well, so we'll keep it up. Next show 14th of april.
We've also started on new songs, and the first song "The Shadow Lounge" will soon be released as a demo.:wave: