Manmade God
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2001 in Oakland, California, United States |
| Headquarters | Oakland , United States |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
| Website | www |
Manmade God was a hard rock group originating from Oakland, California, United States. They rose to recognition in 2003 by supporting well-known artists on tour and launching a self-titled album. The ensemble dissolved in 2004 after their lead singer left and they parted ways with their record company, American Recordings.
Formation and initial phase (2001–2002)
Manmade God was established in 2001 during the hiatus of Forbidden, featuring guitarist Craig Locicero and drummer Steve Jacobs. Bassist James Walker became part of the lineup, and vocalist Pann Reed joined after Locicero discovered his advertisement in a newspaper. According to Locicero, Reed contributed both focus and emotional depth to the group.
Within a fortnight, they held their first performance at the Boomerang Club and proceeded to play venues throughout the San Francisco Bay region. The band connected with Eric Kretz, drummer of Stone Temple Pilots, who produced an initial three-track demo. Recognizing the need for further refinement before engaging major labels, they continued developing their material. Subsequently, producer Brian Joseph Dobbs recorded another demo at The Plant Studios located in Sausalito, California.
Locicero remarked, "Every management firm was eager to represent us; major labels were competing intensely for our attention." Their demos garnered interest from American Recordings, resulting in a private showcase for label executive Rick Rubin. In October 2002, Manmade God secured a contract with American Recordings and commenced production on their debut album with Dobbs as producer and Rubin as executive producer.
Manmade God album era (2003–2004)
Throughout 2003, the band embarked on extensive tours across the United States, sharing stages with groups such as doubleDrive, Adema, Powerman 5000, Ra, Spineshank, Taproot, and Type O Negative.
Initially planned for release on July 29, Manmade God was postponed until August 26, 2003. Locicero later attributed this delay to management transitions at both Columbia and Island Records during the recording process.
Critical reception ranged from moderate to favorable: AllMusic awarded it a 3 out of 5 rating, emphasizing its powerful sound, whereas IGN rated it 5 out of 10, citing a lack of originality but commending the musicianship. Reviews from Melodic.net and MetalSucks.net were more positive, with MetalSucks likening Pann’s vocal style to "a soulful, gritty version of Filter's Richard Patrick."
Musically, Manmade God drew parallels to legendary rock acts like The Doors, Led Zeppelin, and Black Sabbath, alongside grunge influences from bands such as Soundgarden and Stone Temple Pilots. The album featured a single titled "Safe Passage," which attained position No. 36 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.
In December, Manmade God headlined the Homegrown concert organized by KSJO in Palo Alto. During part of this event, Eric Kretz filled in for an injured Steve Jacobs on drums. Vocalist Pann voiced dissatisfaction over their limited exposure despite performing nearly all tracks from their debut plus a new song called "Awakening," which was intended for future release.
Touring persisted into 2004 but encountered setbacks due to complications with their record label. While opening for SOiL in March, Manmade God's tour support was suddenly withdrawn, exacerbating internal strain within the band.
Dissolution and inception of Spiralarms
Following the withdrawal of touring support, Reed departed from Manmade God just one week later. In a 2011 interview, Locicero characterized Manmade God as "a casualty of unfortunate timing," attributing delays in their album release to complications with their record label.
Locicero mentioned that his exit opened opportunities to engage in other ventures that would have otherwise been restricted by his commitment to Manmade God.
In April 2004, shortly after Manmade God dissolved, the California-based band Systematic also broke up. Tim Narducci, Systematic’s lead vocalist, soon collaborated with former Manmade God members to establish a new ensemble. Longtime friends united by a passion for heavy metal, Narducci and Locicero named their project Spiralarms. The band’s inaugural live performance took place on June 5, 2004, in San Francisco. Narducci described their musical direction as politically charged and markedly different from their previous endeavors, having composed sixteen tracks with the group. Spiralarms released their first album, Highest Society, in 2010 and scheduled a follow-up titled Freedom for early 2013.
In early 2005, Jacobs exited Spiralarms due to a shoulder injury. By 2007, Locicero remained the sole former Manmade God member within Spiralarms, which also featured drummer Chris Kontos (formerly of Machine Head and Testament), bassist Chris Lombardom, and keyboardist Brad Barth.
Manmade God reunion (2012)
On July 21, 2012, the founding members of Manmade God reunited for a performance in Oakland, California, with intentions to compose fresh material and resume performances on local, national, and international stages.
In July 2014, Reed and Walker initiated the band Orion alongside guitarist Andy Weller and drummer Jeff Gomes. Reed took on dual responsibilities as vocalist and guitarist. Their independently crafted debut album Live the Song contained seven tracks, with an additional ten compositions prepared for a subsequent release. Both Reed and Walker conveyed heightened enthusiasm for this endeavor compared to their experience with Manmade God. Orion embarked on a tour beginning in August 2015 but disbanded within a year.
Band members
- Pann Reed – vocals
- Craig Locicero – guitars
- James Walker – bass
- Steve Jacobs – drums
Discography
- Manmade God (2003)
Chart performance
| Single | Mainstream Rock Tracks | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "Safe Passage" | 36 | Manmade God |
External links
- Manmade God on Facebook
- [ Manmade God] on AllMusic