Vesa Ranta – Drums
After Sentenced was laid to rest, I had a year-long period in my life where I had zero interest in playing music. Simply put, my well of inspiration was dry as the desert. I felt as if my mind and body were still burdened by the 16-year journey with Sentenced. In this state of mind I had focused my attention almost solely to photography and visual art instead of music. During this period of time I also established a bar in Oulu together with my friend. This bar, PSK Kaupunni, has now been a dear hobby for me the last three years. But my dry season in music did not only mean I was not creating it. I was also not listening to music. Having always been an active music listener and a fan of many bands, this drought to me was new. Maybe I just did not have the strength to listen to music, or thought as if all songs were heard. But how wrong was I?
I can well remember the day when a long time friend of mine suggested I should acquaint myself with the Swedish band Opeth. Well of course I had heard of the name, having with Sentenced replaced them at the Tuska-Festival of 2004, but had never actually heard the music. I can remember their excuse for the cancellation was their rehearsal schedule. Strange business, I thought to myself, an back then carried on unaware of how great their music was. But after my friend made his warm and convincing recommendation, I bought the Deliverance and Damnation albums the very next day. And what do you know – the same thing happened as many many years earlier happened with Kingston Wall. I was again inspired to play music – and to get deeper and deeper into listening to it! I acquainted myself with, for example, the music of Porcupine Tree, Mars Volta, and Tool. Usually what would happen to me when learning about cool new music, I really learn to know and if possible, buy the entire discography the band I like. And concerning the rebirth of my musical inspiration, I felt more musical inspiration than in a long, long time. The possibility to start making music again revealed itself to me in a brand new light. How cool would it be to play just for the fun of it – with no burdens to carry?
So I started to play again, in the company of my good friend Aaron Rantonen. We were jamming in my basement with no greater goal in the horizon. Just playing, trying out new ideas with a brand new jam-based approach. We recorded everything. There must now be tens of hours of material on the hard-disk of our band house. I am certain this archive of raw material will be paid another visit in the future. After Sentenced, I was also in regular contact with my old band mate and friend Miika Tenkula. We spoke about establishing a new band and tried to make this plan a reality. However, finding a competent singer proved to be an obstacle. I tried of course, but around here good singers, who would also be proficient in English, just don’t stand in every street corner. Based on this idea of a new band together with Miika, we rehearsed only once.
However in this jam session one song draft was born and recorded. That was pretty much the only thing we were able to achieve in the situation where our motivation was undermined by the lack of a singer. Also, in some strange way it felt as if the ghost of Sentenced was too present in our minds and deeds, and therefore we really couldn’t kick it off with Miika. So I carried on jamming with Aaron. We played whenever we would have the time and inspiration at our hands. The most important thing was that we played.
Miika’s life came to a sudden end in February of 2009. I remember the moment I received the call from a relative of Miika. I was far up North, at work. In the middle of a photo shoot and could do nothing. It was impossible to believe the news. I and it still is difficult. Not a day goes by that I wouldn’t think of him and his life.
But life is full of surprises. One surprise and turn took place only days after Miika’s funeral. An acquaintance of mine knew I was in search of a singer and sent me a link. It was a website with music and vocals of Tuomas. As if some strange fate had steered life for a moment – the voice was exactly what Miika and I were in search for – and found immediately after Miika was gone. I approached Tuomas and asked if he would be interested. I had the feeling that the long fermented idea of a new band must be put into practice straight away. Not tomorrow but now.
Thinking about it, this momentum was a part of my own mourning process. I contacted another guitarist friend of mine, Janne Markus, with whom I had also during the years discussed the possibility of musical co-operation. Janne had already some compositions on his desk that would suit Tuomas’ voice perfectly. Only a few weeks down the road and the new band was in it’s full line-up and working. On the timeline, The Man-Eating Tree was formed in March of 2009.
Now, as the end the year 2009 is approaching, so are the recordings the up-and-coming debut album of this band. First ten months of the band are now behind us and the initial spark, the idea of a new band, has really picked up and the fire is burning. The next coming months will keep us busy and show how we measure up.
Past Appearances:
Sentenced – Buried Alive DVD (2006)
Sentenced – Funeral Album (2005)
Sentenced – Cold White Light (2002)
Sentenced – Crimson (2000)
Sentenced – Frozen (1998)
Sentenced – Down (1996)
Sentenced – Amok (1995)
Sentenced – North From Here (1993)
Sentenced – Shadows of the Past (1991)