Manhattan Skyline
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
This article or section needs copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone and/or spelling. You can assist by editing it now. A how-to guide is available, as is general documentation. This article has been tagged since January 2007. |
| Manhattan Skyline | |
|---|---|
| Country | Oslo, Norway |
| Years active | 2002 - present |
| Genres | Mathcore Metalcore Tech Metal |
| Labels | Audio Is a War |
| Members | Even Bekkedal Hans Marius Midtgarden Fredrik Melby Steffen Sether Sigurd Mæle |
Manhattan Skyline is a Norwegian mathcore band based in Oslo, Norway. They use their influences from metal, hardcore, contemporary music, jazz, fusion, electronica, gabber, and the odd hip hop drum to create a blend of hard-hitting rock for the likes of the Dillinger Escape Plan, Converge, and Botch, but also with mellow passages reminiscent of Cult Of Luna and Red Sparowes.[citation needed] After their performance at the 2005 Bodø Hardcorefestival, they were praised as " One of the fastest and most technical bands in Norway today " by The Faceless Masses website. After releasing an EP, their full-length debut album is intended for early 2007.
Contents |
[edit] History
[edit] Past
Manhattan Skyline was formed in 2002 in the Norwegian city of Oslo by drummer Steffen, guitarist Fredrik, and vocalist Hans Marius. After playing in various minor hardcore/metal/punk bands, they decided to start a band that would challenge them more. Further down the road, members of Kaospilot, Slingshot Idol, The Break Quintet, and Next Life joined (and left).
In October 2003, they recorded their debut release, the Tarantula Arms EP. This was a 3" MCD that consisted of seven songs featuring off-time rhythm patterns, furious riffage, and a whole lot of intensity.
Bassist Anders (bass stand-in for a long time, now in Kaospilot) and guitar player Christian parted with the band after a while. After a long search and several part time bassists, the band gave its chance to a friend of one of their classmates who had formerly done some stand-in bass playing with Norwegian hardcore act c-t Prevail, as well as being the lead singer in the Norwegian emocore band unset. His name was Sigurd and he fit in well.
Jørgen, who at an earlier point had handled the bass duties, played guitar with the band for a year or so, until the band parted ways with him. Finally, guitarist Fredrik met the talented 19 year old Even (formerly in Oslobased hardcoreact In Dialogue With Radiometer). So after 3 years, 3 guitarists and 4 bassists, Manhattan Skyline finally had a working line up.
[edit] Present
Manhattan Skyline contributed a song called "A) Spitting Milk or B) Swallow or Drown" to React With Protest's Emo Armageddon 7" compilation, which was released in February 2005 and included bands such as Funeral Diner, The Birds Are Spies They Report to the Trees, Suis La Lune, and Catena Collapse. Throughout 2005 and the beginning of 2006, the band was also writing and arranging new songs for their first full-length album. As of 2006, the band is laying down the tracks in the studio with producer Petter Kaos from Kaospilot, aiming at a late 2006 or early 2007 release.
Their new material, as presented through a handful of gigs the past year, is far more complicated and aggressive, but at the same time the musical landscapes presented to the listener are more diverse, roaming from the complex and heavy to the subtle and soothing. Influences span from 1970s groups of progressive rock and jazz fusion like King Crimson and Weather Report, electronic music like Squarepusher, Aphex Twin, and Venetian Snares, as well as post-rock groups like Fugazi, Shellac, Quicksand, all the way to a handful of noisy hardcore bands like Botch, Dillinger Escape Plan, Refused, Converge and Coalesce.
During the fall of 2006, the band is planning to tour internationally, including a 2-week UK tour in the English and Scottish countrysides.
[edit] In the press
- Quotes about the Tarantula Arms EP
" Members of Kaospilot and The Slingshot Idol blast through seven songs in barely 13 minutes on their dazzling debut EP appropriately named "Tarantula Arms". Displaying intricate stop and go drumming and herky jerky chaos riffage of the highest calibre this supergroup have made a record that is way too over the top and loud to ignore. This is extremely angry and screamy music not for the faint of heart. "
- – Electric Human Project.com
" An excellent Norwegian group. Rapid, chaotic and straightforwardly nutcase music. Good violence with a good quite fast key metal played noisy. Some good station-wagons for half-compartment play.. Mmmh a delight j'adore!!! I wonder what its like to be in this group because it consists of the members and ex-members of Kaospilot and The Slingshot Idol, two groups which are already very very very well! Here one continues in a register already visited by Kaospilot... without nevertheless resembling it too much. However the fans of Kaospilot will adore!! In short truths is delirious of metal quite fast chaos emo played. A pure moment of pleasure here. "
- – Shoot Me Again.com
[edit] Members
- Current members as of 2006
- Hans Marius Midtgarden - vocals
- Fredrik Melby - guitar
- Even Bekkedal - guitar
- Sigurd Mæle - bass
- Steffen Sether - drums
- Former members
- Anders Braut Simonsen - bass
- Jørgen Waag - guitar, bass
- Christian Johansen - guitar
- Hai Nguyen - bass
[edit] Discography
| Cover | Released | Title | Label | Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October, 2003 | Tarantula Arms | Audio Is a War | EP | |
| February 11, 2005 | V/A Emo Apocalypse | React With Protest | 12" compilation featuring "A) Spitting Milk or B) Swallow or Drown" |
