Will Over Matter

[Manhog_84]

One of the best and most original noise projects. Or should I say power electronics? Both is correct and it doesn't even matter how this should be classified. What I like about WOM, is that it's always in evolving state, while maintaining it's recognizable style. Latest tape, Exceed the Recommended Maximum is again a proof how the project can take new directions while staying within the WOM concept. Themes can vary sovereignly from occult/satanic to UFOs and scientific experimentation and releases are always visually interesting. One tape came with a glow-in-the-dark spaceship! I think best releases are the ones that are least aggressive. Some have more Ride for Revenge style vocals, and I like that, but for example this new tape is just minimalistic, instrumental electronics. There's something really cozy about these sounds. Some other favorites of mine are Toisesta maailmasta (hails for the innovative Pekka Siitoin sample), Aino Kassinen/Ultra, Aviation Hypnosis and from the more aggresive style: Normalcy Restored Through Enemy Castration. That is some great title and I love the ugly layout.

[Balor/SS1535]

This is a project that never really clicked with me---I think the rhythmic aspects on some of the releases might be the reason---but I remember really enjoying his contribution to the Breathing Wounds comp.

[ritualabuser]

Great project, the eerie UFO themes and sounds definitely evoke the same feelings some of the books I remember seeing and reading as a kid during the alien boom of the 90s that really got under my skin. As far as the releases themselves go, I'm most partial to the earlier stuff that veers towards RFR territory such as "9 To The Moon", "Might Of The Planet Eater", and "Seven Impulses". The split with Bizarre Uproar is killer too, great contrasting pairing with one of my favorite BU tracks.

[Manhog_84]

Great project, the eerie UFO themes and sounds definitely evoke the same feelings some of the books I remember seeing and reading as a kid during the alien boom of the 90s that really got under my skin.

Throwbacks to that era are very nostalgic for me. In Finland we had Juhan af Grann and his UFO documentaries. They haven't stood the test of time, but very creepy stuff for a young kid. In that Pekka Siitoin sample I mentioned, he interviews his own daughter regarding a spectral or extra-terrestrial phenomena. He talks very kindly and there's nothing disturbing per se, but I'm not sure how it sounds to non-Finnish speakers. Actually, I'm not even sure is Pekka known outside Finland at all?

[ritualabuser]

Great project, the eerie UFO themes and sounds definitely evoke the same feelings some of the books I remember seeing and reading as a kid during the alien boom of the 90s that really got under my skin.

Throwbacks to that era are very nostalgic for me. In Finland we had Juhan af Grann and his UFO documentaries. They haven't stood the test of time, but very creepy stuff for a young kid. In that Pekka Siitoin sample I mentioned, he interviews his own daughter regarding a spectral or extra-terrestrial phenomena. He talks very kindly and there's nothing disturbing per se, but I'm not sure how it sounds to non-Finnish speakers. Actually, I'm not even sure is Pekka known outside Finland at all?

Well, I'm quite familiar sub/culturally with Finland, as I've traveled there multiple times, but as far as the guy on the street here in the US goes, I've haf a patch of him mistaken for, of all people, Che Guevara. Was nice to get the English translation of "Valonkantajat" and get a little more information on Siitoin, but otherwise, it's been limited to anecdotes passed on by friends and stuff like the classic cruise ship video.

[MT]

Great project, the eerie UFO themes and sounds definitely evoke the same feelings some of the books I remember seeing and reading as a kid during the alien boom of the 90s that really got under my skin.

Throwbacks to that era are very nostalgic for me. In Finland we had Juhan af Grann and his UFO documentaries. They haven't stood the test of time, but very creepy stuff for a young kid. In that Pekka Siitoin sample I mentioned, he interviews his own daughter regarding a spectral or extra-terrestrial phenomena. He talks very kindly and there's nothing disturbing per se, but I'm not sure how it sounds to non-Finnish speakers. Actually, I'm not even sure is Pekka known outside Finland at all?

This part of WOM resonates hard for me as well. Searching local libraries for UFO books that we at the same time irresistable and horrifying. Especially that WOM tape captures the feeling of old finnish UFO cases, brings the memories of library books smell and the eerie feeling the books gave me. Aside from that, WOM is definately a special project, there's nothing like it. Wasn't a big fan of the early albums, especially the mammoth "Might of the Planet Eater", it was just a bit too much for me. But in shorter format, like the tapes, WOM really shines. Last release of WOM was probably the best one so far. Always interested to hear what's next!

[Manhog_84]

Great project, the eerie UFO themes and sounds definitely evoke the same feelings some of the books I remember seeing and reading as a kid during the alien boom of the 90s that really got under my skin.

Throwbacks to that era are very nostalgic for me. In Finland we had Juhan af Grann and his UFO documentaries. They haven't stood the test of time, but very creepy stuff for a young kid. In that Pekka Siitoin sample I mentioned, he interviews his own daughter regarding a spectral or extra-terrestrial phenomena. He talks very kindly and there's nothing disturbing per se, but I'm not sure how it sounds to non-Finnish speakers. Actually, I'm not even sure is Pekka known outside Finland at all?

Well, I'm quite familiar sub/culturally with Finland, as I've traveled there multiple times, but as far as the guy on the street here in the US goes, I've haf a patch of him mistaken for, of all people, Che Guevara. Was nice to get the English translation of "Valonkantajat" and get a little more information on Siitoin, but otherwise, it's been limited to anecdotes passed on by friends and stuff like the classic cruise ship video.

Ah, I forgot Valonkantajat was translated to english!

This is a project that never really clicked with me---I think the rhythmic aspects on some of the releases might be the reason---but I remember really enjoying his contribution to the Breathing Wounds comp.

I can see why the rhythmic aspects might be off-putting, as it was the element that didn't draw me in at first. For example, Seven Impulses tape has some super annoying parts, but as a counterbalance, there's moments of pure genius and fine use Leo Meller spokenword sample with the last track "7". I just received Spell of Vengeance tape from mail. I probably wouldn't have liked it when it came out in 2009, but can appreciate it now. All tracks here are based on some sort of rhythms/beats. I'm still missing Wasteland cdr, but otherwise my WOM collection is looking good.

One project involving Harald Mentor, that is hardly mentioned but worth of praise, is Videotrage. It's a collaboration with Mika Ihanamäki whose work I'm not familiar with, but thematically and musically there are similarities to WOM. Like seismology, weird random samples and Harald's contribution seems strong. Videotrage is more ambient and cosmic though. One 3" cdr and one tape on ObscureX. The name comes from old Finnish VHS distributor. I found the first 3" from local flea market some years ago. It has quite funny vocal performance. Signaltures is longer. Snippets of different transmissions, melancholic analogue synths and space music feeling to it. My favorite track is "Lecture: Thermal Weapons". Bubbling sounds and Harald Mentor reading the effects and compositions of napalm, phosphore etc. with his unique voice. Signaltures might even be the best thing ObscureX put out.

[Balor/SS1535]

Great project, the eerie UFO themes and sounds definitely evoke the same feelings some of the books I remember seeing and reading as a kid during the alien boom of the 90s that really got under my skin.

Throwbacks to that era are very nostalgic for me. In Finland we had Juhan af Grann and his UFO documentaries. They haven't stood the test of time, but very creepy stuff for a young kid. In that Pekka Siitoin sample I mentioned, he interviews his own daughter regarding a spectral or extra-terrestrial phenomena. He talks very kindly and there's nothing disturbing per se, but I'm not sure how it sounds to non-Finnish speakers. Actually, I'm not even sure is Pekka known outside Finland at all?

Well, I'm quite familiar sub/culturally with Finland, as I've traveled there multiple times, but as far as the guy on the street here in the US goes, I've haf a patch of him mistaken for, of all people, Che Guevara. Was nice to get the English translation of "Valonkantajat" and get a little more information on Siitoin, but otherwise, it's been limited to anecdotes passed on by friends and stuff like the classic cruise ship video.

Ah, I forgot Valonkantajat was translated to english!

This is a project that never really clicked with me---I think the rhythmic aspects on some of the releases might be the reason---but I remember really enjoying his contribution to the Breathing Wounds comp.

I can see why the rhythmic aspects might be off-putting, as it was the element that didn't draw me in at first. For example, Seven Impulses tape has some super annoying parts, but as a counterbalance, there's moments of pure genius and fine use Leo Meller spokenword sample with the last track "7". I just received Spell of Vengeance tape from mail. I probably wouldn't have liked it when it came out in 2009, but can appreciate it now. All tracks here are based on some sort of rhythms/beats. I'm still missing Wasteland cdr, but otherwise my WOM collection is looking good.

One project involving Harald Mentor, that is hardly mentioned but worth of praise, is Videotrage. It's a collaboration with Mika Ihanamäki whose work I'm not familiar with, but thematically and musically there are similarities to WOM. Like seismology, weird random samples and Harald's contribution seems strong. Videotrage is more ambient and cosmic though. One 3" cdr and one tape on ObscureX. The name comes from old Finnish VHS distributor. I found the first 3" from local flea market some years ago. It has quite funny vocal performance. Signaltures is longer. Snippets of different transmissions, melancholic analogue synths and space music feeling to it. My favorite track is "Lecture: Thermal Weapons". Bubbling sounds and Harald Mentor reading the effects and compositions of napalm, phosphore etc. with his unique voice. Signaltures might even be the best thing ObscureX put out.

Rhythmic industrial just tends to be less of an interest for me---a taste thing in the end---but all the praise I see from you and others here clearly indicates to me that there is an objective value in what WOM is doing!

[Andrew McIntosh]

Fucking great project in general. I appreciate how it stands out stylistically and sound-wise from the general herd. The hard, clear and clean sound, the non-usual choice of electronic noises, the diversity in overall tracks ranging from PE/Noisescapes like "Bound by the Darkest Glory", to song format like "Read the Signs" or "Blades Sharpened Again" (bit of a personal favourite) to something like the ultra repetitive minimalism of something like "First not Forth" (another personal favourite). Some of the song like material seems to harken a bit to other projects of Mentor's, like Ride For Revenge (which also stretches the boundaries of its genre a bit). Seems to me enough room in the audio concept to take it in many different directions if desire be. Make Industrial Interesting Again!

[BlackCavendish]

Been a fan of WOM for a while but I must admit it was an acquired taste, I was intrigued by the aesthetic and the weird sounds but the listening process was a bit difficult at first.
Massiivisen Koston Doktriini has beeen my first exposure to his works, but i also have a soft spot for the weird sounds in 9 to the moon.

Ironically the same happened with RfR... first time I heard them I was not impressed, almost bored. But I kept getting back on those records until I had an epiphany, and suddenly everything sounded gret to my hears.

Also thanks to ritualabuser for mentioning the Valonkantajat book, which is now on my buy list. Always been intrigued by Siitoin but never find anything in english... I see there's also a recent book "Long Shadow of Finland's Fuehrer" by Iiro Nordling. Don't know the content but at least it seems something has been published on the subject

[Cranial Blast]

Been a fan of WOM for a while but I must admit it was an acquired taste, I was intrigued by the aesthetic and the weird sounds but the listening process was a bit difficult at first.
Massiivisen Koston Doktriini has beeen my first exposure to his works, but i also have a soft spot for the weird sounds in 9 to the moon.

Ironically the same happened with RfR... first time I heard them I was not impressed, almost bored. But I kept getting back on those records until I had an epiphany, and suddenly everything sounded gret to my hears.

Also thanks to ritualabuser for mentioning the Valonkantajat book, which is now on my buy list. Always been intrigued by Siitoin but never find anything in english... I see there's also a recent book "Long Shadow of Finland's Fuehrer" by Iiro Nordling. Don't know the content but at least it seems something has been published on the subject

I can agree. WOM is definitely a project that requires a specific type of attention and patience in order to find some enjoyment from it.

RFR came to me almost immediately and was a huge game changer in a "new" approach to black metal for me...however. I can understand why some might be off put by RFR depending where they started with their first listening experiences with RFR. Mine started with a Wisdom Of A Few, which for me was great and I think it's a great starting point for anybody who's curious about RFR, because it's noisy, bassy and holds the black metal aesthetics and principles together nicely. Perfect balance of true occult metal and or electronics. If you can appreciate RFR enough to go past more then a couple releases you'll see they can do A LOT of different things and sometimes totally surprise you, for instance the split with RXAXPXE was total noise, no metal anything! The split with Below sounded very slow and doomed at like some Electric Wizard levels, so you never know what you'll get, but what you'll "always" get is this true unfiltered occult/satanic proclamation done very, very well throughout all of the releases!

[Manhog_84]

Old Possessed Amplifiers

I haven't heard the new tape yet, but gotta love these titles.

[Cranial Blast]

Old Possessed Amplifiers

I haven't heard the new tape yet, but gotta love these titles.

I haven't heard it either, but I was thinking the exact same thing about the title. Definitely great!