Although not as critically acclaimed or commercially successful as their likeminded countrymen Ulver, Manes have traced a similarly intriguing career path, starting out as token members of Norway"s black metal diaspora of the early "90s before branching out into an almost baffling array of divergent musical styles, including but not limited to electronica, drum"n"bass, and jazz. Originally conceived in 1993 by guitarist/keyboardist/programmer Tor-Helge Skei (aka Cernunus) and vocalist Thomas Berglie (known primarily as Sargatanas) in the town of Trondheim, Manes didn"t record their first album, Under Ein Blodraud Maane, until 1998, but their reputation had already grown quite formidable by then, thanks to a string of incredible demos (1993"s "Maanens Natt," 1994"s "Ned I Stillheten," and 1995"s "Til Kongens Grav de Dode Vandrer")