About Visemenn
From deep in the heart of the Norwegian wilderness, viseMènn are a brooding, atmospheric, “philosopher rock” band that specialize in an intense, ambient form of alternative music. They are comprised of guitarist Lars Olav Mangelrød, Sølve Eggebø on keyboards, drummer Mangar Lofthus, and Helge Corneliussen up front on bass and vocals. The four members of viseMènn have decades of musical experience between them, dabbling in just about every genre under the sun. They formed in the mid 2000s as an extension of Corneliussen’s improvisational project “a Crack in Time and the Break of Dawn”, where they played jam based instrumental music with a rotating cast of other musicians. It was clear that the quartet had a special chemistry and a shared ethos and aesthetic, so they agreed to form their own band.
“viseMènn” can be translated to “wise men” in the group’s native tongue, an appropriate name, as their artistic endeavors are guided by a deeply introspective thirst for knowledge and connection to the universe. As far as their sound, they think less in terms of “genre” and more in terms of “mood.” This has always been one of their guiding principles, since they recorded their first songs. In 2010 they debuted with the track “The Bright and Shiny.” Progressively, over the next few years, the band would roll out additional singles, in the form of “Don’t Let It Break”, “Come on Over”, and “Wake Up and Be Healed”. But it was their plaintive guitar based rocker “Begging You Please” that would turn heads and put them on the map.
In 2015, they traveled to Toronto to shoot a video for the track with the esteemed filmmaker Richard D. Leko, that would earn them high marks and heaps of praise. They were a fixture at Indieweek in Toronto for three consecutive years, as well as International Pop Overthrow in Liverpool in 2014, 2015, and 2017, where they graced venues like the legendary Cavern Club.
Over the last several years they have worked tirelessly, building up a professional quality, state of the art recording facility in their homebase in the woods of Vigeland, Norway. After years of perfecting and experimenting, viseMènn are ready to deliver their long awaited full length debut album “You Are”, a set of ten songs rooted in melancholic sonic soundscapes that reflect their rustic surroundings. While the album was produced by the members of viseMènn themselves, it was mixed by the highly regarded Cenzo Townsend, who’s production can be heard on albums from everyone to The Maccabees, to a-ha, to The Kaiser Chiefs.
The future is bright for the members of viseMènn, who hope to embark on more international touring and to continue to expose their music to a wider audience. In the meantime, they will never stop searching for the answers to life’s deeper questions and thank you for joining them on this journey.
