Mana Mana
| Company type | Rock band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1986 |
| Founder | Jouni Mömmö, Arto "Otra" Romppanen |
| Defunct | 1991 |
| Headquarters | Joensuu , Finland |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
Mana Mana was a Finnish rock ensemble originating from Joensuu in 1986, founded by vocalist-songwriter-guitarist Jouni Mömmö alongside lead guitarist Arto "Otra" Romppanen. Their musical approach fused elements of goth, death rock, punk, and metal with strong influences drawn from stoner rock and grunge genres.
Career
Prior to establishing Mana Mana, Mömmö fronted the group Silmienvaihtajat ("Eye changers"), a name inspired by a poem written by Uuno Kailas. Several lyrics later used by Mana Mana were originally penned during this earlier phase and appear on the compilation Silmienvaihtajat: 1985-1986 (Svart SVR077CD).
A defining characteristic of Mana Mana’s sound was their extensive use of layered, distorted guitar overdubs, often ranging between 8 and 12 tracks per composition. This dense instrumentation was complemented by Mömmö’s eerie vocal delivery in Finnish. He authored all the band’s lyrics, frequently addressing motifs such as religious imagery, apocalyptic visions, mortality, psychedelic experiences, madness, and complex romantic relationships. The lyrical content was generally somber, critical—occasionally targeting Christianity—and conveyed intense emotional depth. The band’s name is believed to allude to the Polynesian concept of mana.
The group’s initial activity period was short-lived; they produced several vinyl singles alongside one full-length album, Totuus palaa (translated as The truth is burning) released in 1990. Their momentum was severely affected by Mömmö’s deteriorating mental condition—diagnosed with schizophrenia, he endured hospitalizations and episodes nearing catatonia that obstructed further songwriting or live appearances. Among their last undertakings was the re-recording of English-language versions of some Totuus palaa songs ("Totuus palaa" as "Truth is Burning," "Ilmestyskirjan peto" as "The Beast," "Kuolla elävänä" as "To Die Alive," and "Ketä sä rakastat?" as "Who Do You Love?"). However, Mömmö’s vocal performance on these tracks was almost inaudible due to his illness; these recordings were eventually released posthumously on the compilation Complete... Kaikki.
Mömmö passed away by suicide through a drug overdose on 26 October 1991 at age 35.
In the aftermath of his death, Mana Mana held tribute concerts featuring vocalists Kimmo "Kaltsu" Kuosmanen and Sami Tiilama. In 1998, Romppanen curated archival demos and rehearsal recordings into a homage album titled Murheen laakso (A Valley of Tears), which came out in 2000 with Tiilama on vocals and Antti Litmanen from Babylon Whores contributing guitar parts. That same year, the band toured with this lineup. A live recording from their final performance at Tavastia Club, Helsinki in 2001 was issued in 2004 under the title Kuolla elävänä (To Die Alive). Following the group’s dissolution, former members continued to honor their legacy through performances under the name Murheen laakso.
Mana Mana’s legacy remains significant within Finnish rock music; artists such as Kotiteollisuus, PMMP, and Viikate have performed their songs both live and in studio covers.
Personnel
- Jouni Mömmö – vocals and guitars
- Arto "Otra" Romppanen – lead guitars
- Tuomas Moilanen – bass
- Timo Puuko – drums
- Janne Suhonen – guitars (joined 1990)
- Antti Litmanen – guitars (2001, featured on Murheen laakso)
Discography
- Maria / Vaarallista (7" single, 1988)
- Totuus palaa (LP, 1990)
- Raptori / Suikki (7" single, 1990) – "Raptori" serves as a satirical reinterpretation of Kraftwerk's "The Robots"; "Suikki" is a cover originally by Finnish band Neljä Ruusua.
- Hän on paha (5" split-single, 1994)
- Complete... Kaikki (CD compilation, 1996) – Contains all studio recordings plus four tracks from Totuus palaa with added English vocals.
Post-Mömmö era
- Murheen laakso (CD, 2000)
- Kuolla elävänä – live recording from 2001 (CD, 2004)
- 2000–2001 (2-CD compilation, 2005) – Combines the albums Murheen laakso and Kuolla elävänä.
External links
- Unofficial website (English)
- Mana Mana performing live at Tavastia, September 1990 (YouTube)
- Tuomas Moilanen's homepage, bassist with an extensive biography (Finnish)
- Fan site offering lyrics and details in Finnish
- Riemu – Finnish independent record label responsible for releasing Murheen laakso and Kuolla elävänä