Pneuma

Pnuema /Nɛ'umɑː/ is a "Tico

Tico

Tico is a colloquial term for a native of Costa Rica. The plural form is ticos.Costa Ricans are usually referred to as ticos by themselves and persons of other Spanish-speaking countries, instead of using the more-formal costarricense. Some dictionaries show the formal name as costarricenses.There...

" thrash metal

Thrash metal

Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...

 Band from San Jose, Costa Rica

Costa Rica

Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....

, formed in 2003.

Pneuma was founded by four guys with a taste for thrash metal

Thrash metal

Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...

, death metal

Death metal

Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....

 and experimental rock

Experimental rock

Experimental rock or avant-garde rock is a type of music based on rock which experiments with the basic elements of the genre, or which pushes the boundaries of common composition and performance technique....

. The band has had great success in their native Costa Rica receiving various awards and recognitions along the way. The band is composed of Antonio Masis who is the bassist and vocalist for the group. Norman Mena's exceptional drumming instruments give the band the "Thrash" feel while Daniel Vega handles the lead guitar accompanied by Jose Sibaja also on guitar.

Early Years (2002-2004)

In their first couple of years, Pneuma earned a good reputation in the metal and progressive scene, recording in 2004 their first EP A Run Through.

The Awakening Tour (2005-2008)

In 2005, Pneuma went on “The Awakening Tour”, which made a big impact in the Central American metal scene and captured the attention of the local media. In 2006 Pneuma was voted Best Band of the Year by readers of one of the most popular rock websites in the country: La Escapatoria. In that same poll, the band took home Best Local Concert of the Year for their “Awakening Tour” efforts.
The band continued playing in 2007, becoming very well known in the underground metal scene. After one failed record contract in 2008, the band decided to play gigs in order to fund their first professional album.

Anomaly/The Second Awakening Tour (2009-Present)

In 2009 Pneuma recorded their album Anomaly at Audio Arte Studios in Costa Rica; they mixed and mastered the record at Sonic Response Productions in Los Angeles, California.
Anomaly was released in 2010 along with the video for their song “Dethroned”, drawing great reviews from the national and international metal scene. This led to PNEUMA being chosen as opening act for Metallica

Metallica

Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...

 and Mastodon

Mastodon

Mastodons were large tusked mammal species of the extinct genus Mammut which inhabited Asia, Africa, Europe, North America and Central America from the Oligocene through Pleistocene, 33.9 mya to 11,000 years ago. The American mastodon is the most recent and best known species of the group...

, in the Costa Rican leg of their World Magnetic Tour

World Magnetic Tour

World Magnetic Tour was a 2008/2009/2010 concert tour by American heavy metal band Metallica in support of the group's ninth studio album, Death Magnetic, which was released in September 2008....

. In this concert Pneuma had a standing ovation and acceptance from more than 30,000 screaming fans (this has been Costa Rica’s biggest concert to date).
In 2011 Pneuma went again on their second “AWAKENING TOUR” through different cities in Costa Rica (rural and urban) and also played different big festivals in front of hundreds and even thousands of people.
In the same year Pneuma won “Best Metal Composition” at the ACAM awards (National music awards) for “Anomaly” and also took home honors in “Best Sound Engineering” proving that the band is greatly respected locally by the media and music authorities.
Pneuma now has confirmed two International tours in 2011 with the booking agency Rebel Music Productions : Mexico (August) and Europe (September – October).

Wacken Open Air 2011

Pneuma entered the Wacken Metal Masters Competition for a spot in the Wacken Open Air

Wacken Open Air

Wacken Open Air is a summer open air heavy metal music festival. It takes place annually in the small town of Wacken in Schleswig-Holstein, northern Germany...

 2011 festival which is held every year in Germany

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

. After a neck and neck race with God Of Horde from Romania

Romania

Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...

, Pneuma won the 1st place. The competition was based upon which band received the most votes online by Metal

Heavy metal music

Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...

 fans all over the world. and just won 1st place in a Worldwide online voting contest Metal Masters to earn a spot in this year’s Wacken Open Air

Wacken Open Air

Wacken Open Air is a summer open air heavy metal music festival. It takes place annually in the small town of Wacken in Schleswig-Holstein, northern Germany...

2011.

Pneuma released the video of their second single “Crazed Apocaliptic Wave” in October 2011.