Manferno Protocol is becoming a band, and Andreas Schiffmann is the first player to join — on bass. Here's a proper introduction, in his own words.

"I was born in Germany and have lived here for most of my life. I was around 15 when I picked up the bass and discovered metal. Everybody else was playing guitar, so it made sense — but I quickly fell in love with the instrument as such."

"I related to metal because the intensity fascinated me, but also because it was outsider music — and I had a hard time fitting in anywhere."— Andreas Schiffmann

"I played in short-lived local bands and stood in as a live bass player for several extreme metal acts. I also recorded one full album with German doom metal band Spirit Descent, and did some remote recording for other artists."

"Jani's music found me in my role as a music journalist, and it ticks most boxes for me when it comes to traditional heavy metal: melodies that stick without sounding arbitrary, dramatic vocals that don't come across as contrived and, of course, a healthy degree of heaviness. It also helps that Jani is an approachable, no-nonsense guy with a realistic perspective on things."

"There's no defined set of influences I could link my playing to. Instead of listing the usual suspects — who did have an impact on me, of course — let's say I have a weak spot for woodwind players and the more eclectic sort of (solo) bass player who's mostly incompatible with common band settings. What that says about me as a team player, I don't know. :)"

"I play five-string basses by German luthiers Marleaux and Lefay. My amps and cabinets are MarkBass and SWR."

"I hope to enhance Manferno's music by fulfilling the role of the bass in this stylistic setting — while still adding dashes of colour where it makes sense."— Andreas Schiffmann