Mannhai
| Mannhai | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Helsinki, Finland |
| Genres | Stoner rock, Stoner metal |
| Years active | 1999–2009 (on hold) |
| Labels | Spinefarm Records, Bull's Eye Records |
| Website | www.mannhai.com |
| Members |
Olli-Pekka Laine Ilkka Laaksomaa Pasi Koskinen |
| Past members |
Mikko Pietinen Jani Muurinen Kasper Mårtenson |
Mannhai is a Finnish stoner rock / stoner metal band from Helsinki. The band was formed in the end of 1999 by bass player Olli-Pekka "Oppu" Laine and guitarist Ilkka "Ile" Laaksomaa. Soon they were accompanied by a young drummer Mikko "Junior" Pietinen and the following year by lead singer Jani "Joãnitor" Muurinen.
In 2004 singer Jani Muurinen left the band after three albums. In 2005 Mannhai got Pasi Koskinen persuated to replace Muurinen as a vocalist. Koskinen is best known for being the lead singer of Amorphis during the years 1996–2004.
Band's name Mannhai comes from an Indian belief. In the countrysite of the state of Uttar Pradesh in India, people in villages thought an evil disguised spirit called "the Mannhai" snatched their children when night falls.
Olli-Pekka Laine, Ilkka Laaksomaa and Mikko Pietinen recorded three instrumental songs for a starters. With this demo tape they tried and lured their old friend Jani Muurinen as their singer. Till the end of the year 2000 another three song demo tape came out and was introduced to Spinefarm Records which led into signing a recording contract. Without a single live gig Mannhai started to record their first album.
Their debut album The Sons of Yesterday's Black Grouse in 2001 got people interested in the new band. Mannhai started intense touring until the August 2002. Then it was time to get back in the studio for their second record. With this second album Evil under the Sun Mannhai topped its predecessor. The record includes the classic Mannhai song "Spiritraiser" as well as the video, directed by Tuukka Temonen (former bass player of the Finnish Punk/Hard Core group Apulanta).
In 2004 the third album saw the daylight. The Exploder is a lot more experimental than the other albums by Mannhai. The third album has influences significantly from progressive metal and from the seventies heavy metal, but even from blues with Maria Hänninen singing the backing vocals on some of the tracks, and Esa Kuloniemi from Honey B and the T-bones playing slide guitar on some others. The record being something else than its predecessors it is also more complicated and scattered, including only few straightforward rock and roll songs. The progressive sound has a lot to do with keyboards, played by Kasper Mårtenson (ex-Amoprhis). When The Exploder came out Mannhai made a practical joke: The web address www.mattivanhanen.com directed websurfers not to the web pages of then Prime Minister of Finland Matti Vanhanen but to the website of Mannhai.
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Wikipedia