Some music I’ve recorded in my home on Pro Logic and Scarlett 18i20 on Mac and some older stuff on a Tascam digital 8 track. 

Newer stuff drums are recorded with 8 mics
Most guitar and bass tracks are using virtual amps 
Vocals on Rodes condenser and Apex Condensers
Drum overheads rodes pencil condensers panning hard l & r
Shure on kick at the opening
Sm57 on upper and lower snare
Rodes condenser room mic about 8 ft out
Apex Tom mics
Guitars mainly used G$L tele, Les paul, SG, Strat, jazz bass and short scale stingray

In 2008 a group of friends came together to finally form the band they had been talking about since secondary school. Having bought a drummer on ‘Marktplaats’ and after a couple of personnel changes on keys, the current foursome came to be. It has one EP  and two LP's under its belt. The band has performed live quite a number of times, including a couple of gigs in 'Willemeen' in Arnhem. Mandrake makes an unusual brand of experimental rock, with influences of folk, jazzy chords and an occasional metal outburst. Their music is varied and influenced by many sources including: The Gathering, the melodic side of Opeth, Tool, but also folk, quality pop music and the 70s prog bands. Mandrake's music isn't in your face, but rather tries to engage the audience to truly listen.

From the first year of secondary school onwards guitar player Ko, singer and current keyboard player Marianne, bass player Sven and first keyboard player Ester were in the same class. When they all chose Music as an exam course it became clear that they wanted to form a band. Because they couldn't find a suitable drummer among their friends, it took until 2008, when drummer Jorick reacted to an ad on a Dutch advertising site and was subsequently bought for a single cent, that Mandrake finally saw the light. In the autumn of 2008 the band found a rehearsal space and after half a year of writing and practicing had its first performance in the cultural centre of Ede. Unfortunately, after a year of service, keyboard player Ester had to leave the band to study in England. She was replaced by Reginald, who for two years not only played the keyboard, but also took on him the noble task of banging the oil drum and stroking the washboard.

After an array of performances in Nijmegen, Arnhem and Ede, in pubs and open air festivals, the band had enough material to record their first EP. The disc was recorded in the Red Shoes Studio in Oosterbeek, where Cult Ellifex among others had previously recorded their debut EP. After half a year of playing, recording, mixing and designing the artwork, the record, baptised 'Live Life' was released in January 2011 and was very well received. More live performances followed, including one in Willemeen in Arnhem.

In the spring of 2012 the band went on somewhat of a hiatus, caused by study pressure and a Swiss internship by guitarist Ko. The other three went on, finishing old and writing new songs for a second album. When Ko came back the band again went into the Red Shoes studio, to record a full-fledged LP this time. The album was made with some help from friends, who played oboe and cello and provided a glockenspiel and a piano. The new record, 'A Minstrel's Complex' appeared in 2013, two years after the EP. It still has the typical Mandrake style, but with a more developed sound.

Several years passed before releasing our third and last album 'Dancing About Architecture'. This album was recorded by Jorick, our drummer, in our own studio where we normally practice our songs. After a long recording process due to busy schedules we were very pleased to be able to announce our newest album which we launched with a release show on Friday the 13th of May 2016.

Do to the choice of our guitarist Ko to leave the band after our release show in 2016 and the unsuccessful attempts to find a replacement guitarist after. In combination with some changes in work/study and relocations. We made the hard choice to stop Mandrake in March of 2017. We are no longer active but if you are interested in our music and you want a CD or something, just contact us.

Mandrake is not your run-off-the-mill band. The multitude of influences ranging from rock and metal to prog, jazz and pop, makes their music hard to pinpoint. Reactions from the audience, that linked the music to Yes, Anneke van Giersbergen, Opeth, Irish folk music or even to Nina Simone reflect this. A unique mixture, which might make you wonder at first, but keeps you coming back for more listens.

Mandrake is following