The heavy metal band Manigance was formed in France in 1995, with François Merle, Daniel Pouylau, and Didier Delsaux. Their first production was a six-track mini-album called Signe de vie, released by Brennus Music in 1997. This was followed by a studio album titled Ange ou démon, released by NTS in 2002. Manigance was awarded the honorary title of "Best French group 2003" by Hard Rock Magazine. The band continued to release new albums in 2004, 2006, 2011, 2014 and 2018. In March 2018 the band went on an extended European tour with the band Myrath. The current (2020) members of the band are Carine Pinto, François Merle, Lionel Vizerie, Stéphane Lacoude, and Patrick Soria.
BIOGRAPHY
The beginnings (1995–2002) The band was formed in 1995 by guitarist François Merle (ex-Killers) and drummer Daniel Pouylau, joined by Didier Delsaux on vocals. Manigance is launched as a cover band that includes groups like Van Halen, Pretty Maids, Toto and Judas Priest. The musicians compose a few songs to make it their first demo (recorded with the means at hand in the basement of a friend's pavilion). They then contacted Alain Ricard, director of Brennus Music, and offered to release a six-track mini-album. In 1997, Signe de vie was released in a limited edition of 500 copies.
Ange ou démon (2003–2004) Encouraged by the good echoes, the group embarked on the writing of a first studio album. Not knowing a producer, they set about building their own studio. François Merle decides to learn the main rudiments of production by immersing himself in specialized magazines. The new compositions of the group seduce Olivier Garnier who directs NTS. The label signs the band (first French group in its catalog). Their first studio album, Ange ou démon, was released on April 16, 2002. The specialist press was full of praise, and the album obtained very good marks, notably from the German magazine Rock Hard. There followed dates on the roads of France in April and May 2002 with Royal Hunt, U.D.O. and Freedom Call. Success in France was hoped for, but it is in Japan that sales are even better (5,000 copies). Despite this, the NTS label will not want to invest in a too expensive tour.
In 2003, NTS chose to remaster the mini-album Signe de vie by completing it with two covers of the Canadian group Triumph All the King's Horses and Carry On a Flame, as well as the only English-speaking track composed for the occasion Believer, and of a video recorded live on April 28, 2002 on which Manigance takes over Messager of Sortilège in the company of Christian "Zouille" Augustin, former singer of the band. The album is dedicated to Vincent Mouyen, ex-guitarist of the group who died in 2001. Manigance won the honorary title of "Best French group 2003" at the Hard Rock Magazine trophies. During the trophy ceremony at La Locomotive (Paris), the group has the great pleasure to take on Future World on stage with the musicians of Pretty Maids. The video will appear as a bonus to the studio album then being written.
D'un autre sang (2004-2005) After a fairly progressive metal Ange ou démon influenced by bands like Dream Theater or Vanden Plas, the style of his successor D'un autre sang is more heavier, and the sound less "licked". The band no longer has all its time to compose and record because the label gives a timing to respect. Everyone puts their own to it and the result is there, even if we can regret a more aggressive song even though still melodic. Bruno Ramos takes care of most of the guitar solos because François Merle is very busy with the production. Note a solo signed Cédric Dupont (Freedom Call) on Maudit. The cover as for it, is entrusted to Jean-Pascal Fournier, having already worked for Edguy or Nightmare for example. When it was released in early 2004, D'un autre sang was very well received. The group therefore goes on tour on the roads of France with Adagio in February, but also with Stratovarius in May, and European dates (Belgium and Netherlands).
L'ombre et la lumière (2005–2009)
Even if Manigance only has two studio albums to its credit, the group gave birth to a live performance in 2005. It was recorded at the Élysée Montmartre Hall (Paris) on February 17, 2004 with the exception of the title Dernier hommage captured the next day at La Laiterie Hall in Strasbourg. No title from Signe de vie is included on Mémoires ... live. The NTS label having filed for bankruptcy, Replica Records (still with Olivier Garnier) distributes the album. The group is working on its next opus but gets some stages as opener of Scorpions at the Olympia (Paris) on July 4, 2005, and its participation in the Raismesfest festival on September 10 of the same year.