Manfredas

Manfredas is a Vilnius-based artist associated with downtempo, house, electro and industrial music. The name is linked to the Lithuanian act Nesakyk Mamai! (“Don’t Tell Ya Mom”), which forms in 2005 after three music enthusiasts meet at the underground club Stereo45 and begin playing together. The early setup is a DJ-and-decks project rather than a conventional live band, with the group described as making rough, dance-focused “riot music” built for the floor.

Early activity and Nesakyk Mamai!

The project develops from an improvised night behind the decks into a working act after a chaotic first session, when the DJ steps away and the trio continues spinning records without proper mixing. After paying for damaged equipment, the group is named DJs of the Year in Lithuania by the youth guide Ore, and the same recognition follows the next year. Their early reputation is built through warm-up sets for Carl Craig, Felix Da Housecat, Zombie Nation and Andrew Weatherall.

The group’s first original track, “No Front Teeth,” is completed and described by the act as “Bruce Lee On Acid” and “Bukowski’s Life Pressed Up In 8 Minutes.” It gains attention and leads to a name change, as the original title is considered difficult for Western audiences. The new name, Metal On Metal, is drawn from Kraftwerk’s “Metal on Metal.”

Metal On Metal

As Metal On Metal, the act signs to Skint. Support for the project comes from Norman Cook, Annie Mac, Kissy Sell Out, Groove Armada and Pete Tong, and Radio 1 plays the material several times. The act also remixes Datarock’s “I Used To Dance With My Daddy,” which is released later. It makes a debut live appearance at Eurocultured in Manchester, then presents a visually enhanced live version for later touring after a joint concert with Gus Gus.

Further remix work follows for Tim Deluxe, New Young Pony Club, Kissy Sell Out and Blood Red Shoes, along with a remix of Bloc Party’s “Flux.” That version appears on the cover-mounted free CD of NME in November 2007. A video for the project premieres on MTV Baltic in December 2007, and a “Less Metal Edit” of “No Front Teeth” goes on air in radio play. The act also remixes Wax Stag’s “Short Road.”

Style and later work

The music is presented as club-driven and abrasive, with the act using humour and heavy imagery around its identity and live presentation. At one point the group is in the studio assembling new material under the working title Slaughterhouse.