Artist description "...part psychedelic, part acid trip.... Influences from the later 60's and early 70's but definitely has a hard edge... Each song is a landscape of thought and image....(it) is not dated work, rather it's current and vital."

Music Style Psychedelic, Alternative, Hard, intense, relaxed, rock

Musical Influences Pink floyd, Tangerine dream, Anathema,

Similar Artists I don't know

Artist History The band came together around September 1995 and proceeded to jam, on a regular basis for about a year under the name of cornucopia. A live demo was next on the agenda. It was decided that live was the way to go as the band felt that the true essence of what they are about would be achieved more easily in this format (also the fact that the band didn't have any money to record multitrack helped in this decision).The style of music that Sh'mantra play can sometimes be a contentious issue not because it is consistently changing but rather because it cannot easily be "pigeon holed". If one were to even attempt categorizing the band you'd end up with something like "...part psychedelic, part acid trip.... Influences from the later 60's and early 70's but definitely has a hard edge... Each song is a landscape of thought and image....(it) is not dated work, rather it's current and vital."Loudmouth Magazine - October 1997). When you see Sh'mantra live, look very carefully. Please make sure youare standing in the same room. Upon closing your eyes do they vanish?If you hear them singing, can you repeat what they're saying? You maysee light and dark, many colours and imaginary landscapes, does thisamuse or disturb you?... In December of 1996 the band went into the recording studio for the first time to record. Roughly six hours later a 10- track, 70 minute long live demo was born. At this stage this debut tape is no longer available. The response generated by the tape encouraged the band to record their debut CD interestingly named "Cornucopia". The decision for the name of the CD is partly due to the bands feeling that it was a suitable name and also to emphasise that the ideas spawned during the early days of the band are translated onto the CD. Again the CD was recorded as live as possible to capture the band at their best.

Group Members Matt Seldon: BassAlex Hole: GuitarThorin Kerr: Keyboards/ VocalsMichael Lenton: Drums

Instruments Guitar, Guitar, Bass, drums, keys, vocals (occassionally)

Albums "Cornucopia"

Press Reviews An Australian 5 piece recording for New Zealand label Cranium, whose music is quite unusual bringing to mind influences as diverse as jazz & psychedelic rock, coupled with some very interesting artwork which will have you wondering just where the band are coming from & this is answered over an epic album length, with a number of songs totalling more than 10 minutes long.The album opens with a slow building atmosphere called "Recurring Nocturnal Habit", seeming almost like watching the sun rise as it makes it's presence felt over the 10 minute length, while in similar fashion, "Shipwreckers" is another epic track that takes a similar form with a slow building merging with the opening track.We take a somewhat different turn with "Guinii", which for want of a better description, is a sort of improvised jazz, coupled with a more conventional rock leaning. Throughout the album, vocals are kept to a bare minimum, with many tracks either instrumental or running for several minutes without any lyrics at all, with closing number "Epoch" & "Archimedes Bath" being the best examples of these.Pick for me is a very cool rock number which is an instrumental called "Spawn Of Tamagotchi", featuring some razor sharp riffs as well as a great percussion & bassline. The band have achieved a great set of songs here & any fan of bands like Led Zeppelin or even Deep Purple, both of which used atmosphere to great effect, will love Sh'Mantra.For more information, write to Cranium Music, PO Box 10309, Te Rapa, New Zealand, 2001 or richard@cranium.co.nz hEARd - http://www.ozemail.com.au/~hmag Sh'mantra - "Cornucopia" (Cranium Music 1998, CRM003 CD) The latest release from our friends at Cranium is Australian band Sh'mantra's debut CD. Themusic, though difficult to define, is a great mix of psychedelia, raw jam rock, metal, andprogressive rock. The band consists of Matt Seldon on bass, Thorin Kerr on keyboards andvocals, Alex Hole on guitar, Shane Wedesweiller on guitar, and Michael Lenton drums. The verycool cover painting depicts an apocolyptic world with what looks like robots sporting bullhornson a terrain that seems to be a microchip. Smokestacks billow in the background. I thinkthis is a concept work and a voice during the first track says something about radiation fallout.The 10 minute opening track, "Recurring Nocturnal Habit" is an overture piece building up veryslowly and features some cool, though not flashy, metal sounding guitar. "Shipwreckers", one ofmy favorite tracks, is an extended jamming piece that gets downright psychedelic jazzy. Oneguitar and the rhythm section maintain the jazz feel while the other guitar wails away in an alltoo brief freakout. "Spawn Of Tamagotchi" is a raw, jamming metallic piece that perfectly fitsthe dark world depicted in the cover painting. Sh'mantra excels at creating adventurous heavyrock that focuses more on telling a story and creating aural landscapes than being flashy, whichis what this style of music typically is.The music is primarily instrumental, though there are some voiceovers and some dissonantvocals on "A'extent Dawn" that sound like Robert Wyatt (though the music certainly doesn't). Ireally like how this track alternates between light music during the vocal sections and bursts of doomy metal. There's some good guitar work with one guitar providing a psychedelic metalliccrunch and the other playing a simple, but disturbing melody line. The rest of the disc followsthese themes and I loved the distinct, but cooperative contributions from the twin guitars.In summary, Sh'mantra plays heavy, but melodic rock that should appeal to spacerockers, andfans of heavy psych and prog. Contact them c/o Cranium Music; PO Box 10-309, Te Rapa,Hamilton, New Zealand. On the web at http://www.cranium.co.nz Aural Innovations April '99 SH'MANTRA: Cornucopia Tracklist:Recurring Nocturnal Habit (10:45), Shipwreckers (9:00), Guinii (4:14), Spawn Of Tamagotchi (5:10), Reprise Of The Infernal Machine (0:24), Aextent Dawn (10:07), Paraphernalia (5:00), Archimedes Bath (10:38), Epoch (12:17). "In the beginning was a barren world. This barren world was a frightfull place to be for the many musical explorers that roamed it's terrain. Then one day came forth a Cornucopia that blew new colour and texture in the form of sound over this once barren land " A part of the bio of this CD by Sh'mantra, a five piece band from Australia. The various psychedelic textures of this CD range from 4 minutes to 12+ minutes and are created by two guitars, keyboards, bass, drums and some vocals. I was very impressed by this CD ! It sounds sublime and has a great psychedelic feeling in the vein of Pink Floyd and The Cure meets King Crimson ! Relaxed basses and drums, some screaming guitars, nice keyboard layers and some very functional vocals although most of the CD is instrumental. The CD booklet looks very nice and is made in the style of the Sh'mantra music: outside very colourful and inside very dark. Great computer animations ! Like I said before; this is a great album ! Especially when you are an admirer of Pink Floyd/King Crimson music ! Cranium Music has released a wonderful CD, I hope it will be released in Europe also otherwise contact them through their website ! Conclusion: 8 out of 10. Dirk van den Hout -http://www.dprp.vuurwerk.nl/reviews/9902.htm Dutch Progressive rock page (DPRP) April '99 CO-ALBUM OF THE MONTH SH'MANTRA: Cornucopia An all-time classic of psychedelic-progressive jamming style compositionsfrom a new Australasian band whose music will have you coming back for more,time and time again. I've played this at least 6 times for pleasure before Ieven got down to thinking about the review - it really is that good.Musically there are twin lead electric guitars, keyboards, used more as atextural role, bass and drums, with a very occasional vocal. It goes throughterritories that glimpse echoes of classic early '70's Pink Floyd, 'SpunkRock' oriented Man, riffing and flying King Crimson guitars and structures,and no doubt more that you will spot as you go along for the ride. Theguitars ring, chime, riff and power their way through a remarkable,accessible, melodic, powerful and dynamic set of compositions with a hugesound but operating at areas from reflective to a full-on guitars-driven cauldron of adrenaline-racing excitement that will have you leaping aroundthe room at the sheer overwhelming enjoyment of this music, which is at itsbest turned way up loud and watch the walls shake. The bass work throughoutis so muscular while the drums underpin and drive the tracks along. When theband really let loose, this is one of the finest sounds in the musicaluniverse. Yet another new band creating a debut album that is justremarkable without a poor second on the album and one that you simply can'tafford to miss.

Location Sydney, NSW - Australia

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