BIO | Jaani | Anu | Matti | Riku-Niilo | Ose
Iconcrash will release their second album ”Enochian Devices” on the 26th of May. The album will combine dark feelings, innovative sounds, and a substantial emphasis on issues of the spiritual world. Jaani Peuhu, the leader of the band, tells us that Iconcrash wanted to make a record that was deeper than the conventional rock album. The name of the album associates with Enochian magick, which is a magic system from the 16th century. Peuhu describes that most of the lyrics are conversations between people and spirits. Even though angels, demons, and magic are all apart of the record, Peuhu doesn’t want to sell people religion or offer answers, but encourage people to ponder their own beliefs.
The singles “Strange, Strange Dark Star” and “Everlasting” have been played on the biggest Finnish rock radios YLEX and Radio Rock. Both songs have been at the top of YLEX´s "most wanted" list and the Everlasting-video has been on heavy rotation on Voice TV. The music of Iconcrash can be heard on the domestic movie “Blackout” and the legendary Clive Barker’s “The Midnight Meat Train” soundtrack, where Justin Lassen (Madonna, Nine Inch Nails, David Bowie, Lenny Kravitz, and Linkin Park) remixes the band.
The band
has toured in Finland, The United States, England, Central Europe, Russia, and
the Baltic States. Dates for the Enochian Devices will be announced
later.
jaani
Jaani Peuhu
Vox, programming, guitar, synth, percussion
Leo
Helsinki
Random stuff I like:
Coffeine, Moog
Voyager, UFC, truffle pasta, religious art, water, Roland : Jazz Chorus 160, my
grandmom's sauna, smiling, London, spirits, Shure SM7, Thoth tarot, vegetarian
pizza in Juttutupa, New York, Ruovesi, English diet coke, Rock Of Love, black,
red, silver, Thermionic Culture : The Rooster, cats and dogs, Barcelona, holy
trinity of Myspace, Facebook and YouTube, Sudoku, White Russians, Zvex : Fuzz
Factory, graveyards, airports, BattleStar Galactica, Wgxf, Marinkylä, cabs,
angels, my MacBook, Vesivehmaa, black and white pictures, mornings (20 min after
I have woken up), Juno-60, Highlander 1 and 2
Something about my bandmates:
Anu: The brain. She knows
where we are going and when we are going and even why we are going.
Matti:
Walking lunch box. The friendliest man on earth. Oskari: Hell on wheels. The
total opposite of Anu
Riku-Niilo: This fishy guy just kills you with sub
frequencies.
Top-35 albums:
1. Depeche Mode: Songs Of Love And
Devotion
2. The Cure: Disintegration
3. Radiohead: Ok Computer
4.
Björk: Homogenic
5. The Smashing Pumpkins: Machina
6. Alice In Chains:
Dirt
7. Nine Inch Nails: Fragile
8: Jeff Buckley: Grace
9. Sneaker
Pimps: Bloodsport
10. Tool: Lateralus
11. Kent: Isola
12. Suede: Dog
Man Star
13. Jesus Jones: Perverse
14. Massive Attack: Mezzanine
15.
Entombed: Left Hand Path
16. New Order: Get Ready
17. The Cult: The Cult
18. Killing Joke: Night Time
19. King Diamond: Them
20. The Knife:
Silent Shout
21. PJ Harvey: Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea
22. Stina Nordenstam: This Is Stina
23: Mansun: Attack Of The Grey
Lantern
24. Ladytron: Witching Hour
25: Jane's Addiction: Nothing's
Shocking
26: The Gathering: Mandylion
27: The Church: Starfish
28:
Ben Christophers: My Beautiful Demon
29: The Afghan Whigs: 1965
30: A-ha:
Hunting High And Low
31. Sentenced: Amok
32. Venus Outback: Spiron Johd
33. IAMX: Kiss And Swallow
34. The Cardigans: Long Gone Before Daylight
35. Morbid Angel: Blessed Are The Sick
Anu
Instrument: Keyboards, backing vocals
Musical backround:
I started playing classical piano at
the age of 6 (because my big sister played the piano so of course I wanted it
too). After 13 years of piano lessons and Sibelius high school I started
studying musicology at the University of Helsinki. During that time I also got
more interested in synths and started playing in a band, and a few years ago I
joined the wonderful group of Iconcrash.
Idols/Musical influences:
I've always admired the strong
female artists such as Tori Amos, Björk, Kate Bush and PJ Harvey who create
their own kind of music with their own terms. In general, melancholic music and
music that affects emotions strongly (good and bad) and good electronic sounds
seem to captivate me the most.
Favorite artists and bands:
Tori Amos, Björk, The Cure,
Sigur Rós, Sneaker Pimps, IAMX, Cranes, Kate Bush, PJ Harvey, Placebo, The
Smiths, Stina Nordenstam, Black Box Recorder, Pet Shop Boys, Boys of
Scandinavia, Nuria, Ladytron, Tricky, Massive Attack, Cocteau Twins, Air,
Mogwai, Múm, My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive, This Empty Flow, Jeff Buckley,
Interpol, Kent, Mansun, Radiohead, Mew, Smashing Pumpkins, My Brightest Diamond,
Lamb, Bloc Party, Depeche Mode, Lali Puna
Favorite books:
Ender's Game, The Sandman series, The
Lord of the Rings
Favorite movies and directors:
Lumikuningatar, Whale
Rider, Ghost Dog, Girlfight, the Fifth Element, the Neverending Story, Spirited
Away, Totoro, Avalon, the movies of Luc Besson, Tim Burton, Quentin Tarantino,
Wong Kar-wai, Hayao Miyazaki
Favorites on TV:
Gilmore girls, Battlestar Galactica (the
new version), Twin Peaks (it's still scary!), Babylon 5, Skins, Studio
Julmahuvi, Muodollisesti pätevä
Things I like:
music, movies, videogames, autumn, movie
festivals, concerts, cafés, good books and comics, manga, pretty little things,
hair colours, people who make me laugh, good conversations, kindness, sweet
drinks, travelling, London, Japanese popular culture, art exhibitions, fairies,
caramel cappuccino, learning new things
Things I hate:
people who lie or exploit other people for
their own benefit, people who bully or abuse weaker ones, the ideals of
appearance and beauty and behaviour in which the western commercial popular
culture and media have brainwashed us to believe, superficial people,
back-minded people, people who talk on the cell phone in the movies,
selfishness, blue cheese and olives
Describe shortly the other members of the band:
Jaani is
fully dedicated and devoted to his music, a gifted musician and a bit crazy, Oze
is an amazing drummer, kind, and also a bit crazy, Matti always brings good mood
and energy with him (it is impossible to get mad at him) and he is crazy too,
Riku is a good bass player, goodhearted and..hmm.. yes - he is a bit crazy.
Thus, a great group altogether!
Links:
Love and
Anarchy Film Festival
Blippo
Candybird
Katja
Tukiainen
Uglydolls
Tilt.tv
Zelda Universe
Video Game Music Archive
Amnesty International
matti
I was born on september 24. I started my musical career with banging potts at my Grandma's at the age of five (the usual story). Later on, guitar was my true love. I also fell in love with guitar FX. I love the sound of the guitar when it's far enough from its original sound. I try to express myself in many ways. Art has no limits for me. I recommend culture in general for everyone
My favourite books "filth" and "glue" are written by Irvine Welsh
I'm into popmelodies.
Movies to mention: Mr In-Between, Kontroll, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Requiem for A Dream, and the best comedy actor ever is Leslie Nielsen. I also like Trey Parker's creations. Morgan Freeman ranks high on my list.
I love the Sun. I have it tattooed on my arm. Sometimes I drink orange juice in the morning, because it makes me feel like I am on vacation. Elliott Smith's version of the Beatles classic "because" is beautiful. There is no better feeling than hearing a good song, it makes me smile and happy. I drink coffee. One of my fav inventions of man is cable tie.
Albums that changed my life are The Posies/Amazing Disgrace, Sneaker Pimps/Splinter, Foo Fighters/The Colour and the Shape, Marilyn Manson/Mechanical Animals
My all-time favourite guitar model is Gibson Les Paul. George Harrison is my fav Beatle.
Some words about my fellow bandmates: Oze is the most talented drummer I've ever played with, but the best part is that he is a supercool dude to be with. Riku is nice and always in a good mood. He doesn't take life too seriously. Anu is fun to be with, she is intelligent and has a good talent to handle things calmly. Jaani is all-considering, hardworking and he has crazy ideas. He has got a good heart. This fab four has a mission and works very hard to make it happen, and has a very weird sense of humor.
personal links
http://www.orimattila.fi/ http://www.espguitars.com/
riku-niilo
Riku-Niilo “Fish” MattilaHoroscope: Pisces
Musical background: I come from the deepest Finland, where there is a very long-standing tradition of playing the blues. I have been playing music ever since I can remember in different bands and line-ups, doing gigs and playing in the studio. I must say that I finally found the right guys and band.
How do you kill time on tour: I’m really going to buy a good camera, so I can take nice pictures.
Place you would like to visit, but haven't: Iceland.
Devices: GSB1 bass-guitar, Epiphone Jack Casady bass-guitar, Ampeg
SVT810E, Ampeg V4BH, Sansamp Bass Driver DI, and enough effect pedals to satisfy
Jaani…not.
Musical influences: Blues, bands in England since the 60´s, Seattle-bands, Desert-Rock, Alternative-music and any good shit wherever and whenever . I am always trying to find new bands, because there is so much good music from which you can get inspiration and influence to your own playing.
Top list right now: Sneaker Pimps – Bloodsport, Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream, Stina Nordenstam - This is Stina Nordenstam, Massive Attack, Radiohead, Biosphere, My Bloody Valentine – Loveless, The Cult, The Cardigans, Keane, Air, Beck, NIN, Sigur Ros, Tool – 10,000 Days, The Gutter Twins, Aphex Twin, Godspeed You Black Emperor!, Jeff Buckley – Grace, Led Zeppelin, John Coltrane, Depeche Mode.
What kind of role do you play in the band?
I´m like a smoking
engine together with our drummer Oze.
Best place on earth: Stage
& studio, gloomy woods & by the foggy morning river.
Describe
shortly the other members:
Jaani: Determined, Anu: Sharp, Oze:
Explosive, Matti: Has overflowing lunch-box.
First album ever bought: The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Live At Winterland and Lynyrd Skynyrd - Retrospective
Place of residence: Helsinki.
http://games.asobrain.com/
www.scarletyouth.com
http://www.radiohelsinki.fi
www.pajularecords.com
ose
Name: Oskari VilmunenStar sign: Aquarius
Residence: Helsinki-Hämeenlinna
Instrument: Drums, Percussion
Previous (worthy of mention) bands:
Lumiére jazz-project (1994-1996 Bruxelles Belgium), Come Inside (1997-2001 Helsinki Finland), live musician in KMA (2000-2002 Hki Fin), Heaven´n´Hell (2002-2006 Hki Fin), Under Her Black Wings (2004 Hki-Hardcore), Fugitive Mind ( 2005-?) Martian Mud (2006-09) and joined Iconcrash in 2007 to record Enochian Devices Demo-sessions.
Character in the band: It was obvious that Jaani (being a drummer himself) was searching for a powerful beatmachine for his band, and i signed up hoping for a job that would take my breathe away. I fell in love with those songs he played to me the first time we met and after a month or so, he asked me: "come and try" to play the drums to the demo-recordings of Enochian Devices. Ever since i have had a role in doing what i do best, which is beating skins with the power i have in these skinny hands, i have also had an opportunity to make some arrangements into our new songs. But most of the time i am focused on what i play, a.k.a. paint.
Character in civil: Ruff´n´tuff, but loving, warmhearted and loyal for the close-ones, sometimes twisted, sometimes clear as day, but always eccentric.
Describe the other members of the band: Jaani is an easy going man, equipped with a vision of determination, perfectionism and the baddest-hardest drumbeats (so far for me) which i need to learn, and which i respect a lot. Anu: our silent but straight leader a.k.a big boss (sweet one), and a skillful musician. Matti is the man with the lunchbox, and also one of the nicest personalities i´ve ever met, a great musician as well. Riku: our sharp pulse of the angels, he is a man who is easy to work with, easy to get along with, packed with talent and with the moral of a hardworking man.
Musical influences: I´m kinda everything into everything, which sounds
good into my own ears, but here are a few that i adore:
Manu
Catché(studio musician): His beat leaves me speechless, so I prefer
listening to him while i´m not in company of anyone.
Vinnie
Colaiuta(Sting): Those soft and sensitive pandabear-like hands he has, make
just miracles to my ears, and get my mind positive.
Steward Copeland
(The Police): The hi-hat maestro of all times, but also my longtime favorite
cause of his aggressive fast FF>>-style.
Nicholas Barker
(ex-Dimmu Borgir): Also my longtime favorite, with that size (130kg), that
power, that speed and accuracy, it´s always war. ATTACK!!!!
Brann
Dailor of Mastodon: This guy is something new for me and like his sort of
weird punk´ish style. Adrian Erlandsson: unlike to his brothers, I got
hooked to his groove at the time of At The Gates and Haunted.
Jimmy
Chamberlain (Smashing Pumpkins)+
Danny Carey(Tool): Every drummer
knows why these last two guys are on my list..
First album ever bought: I was more into vinyls because of my parents, but I believe it was Iron Maiden's Somewhere in Time (vinyl), and on cd, it was Rage Against The Machine's first album.
Albums top-ten:
Refused: The Shape Of Punk To Come.
Police: I
believe it would be the Greatest Hits.
Tool: Lateralus.
Deftones: White
Pony. Nine.
N.I.N: All.
Smashing Pumpkins: Siamese Dream and
Adore
The Haunted: The Haunted(1998), The Haunted Made Me Do It, One Kill
Wonder, rEVOLVEr.
Down My Throat: Real Heroes Die.
Hatebreed: All.
Cradle of Filth: Dusk And Her Embrace.
Dimmu Borgir: Death Cult
Armageddon.
RottenSound: Murdeworks, Exit.
Miles Davis: The best of all.
4 Hero: Two Pages.
Air: Talkie Walkie, Moon Safari.
Children Of The
Bong: Sirius Sounds.
Massive attack: Protection.
Sisters Of Mercy: From
The Beginning Till The End.
Veto: Crushing Digits.
That would be mainly over the top-ten which lies beside my cd-player nowadays...
Killing time: I´m definitely into girls, social scenes, books, drawing/painting and movies. Killing time on tour: It depends on the company i´m in.. I am sort of a person that goes easily with the flow, but i like to get into the culture and art of the country, as well as into the religions and folklore. Photographing underground visions during day light, meeting the natives at night when the inhibitions are vanished.
Favorite drug: Crushed ice, vodka, mint-leaves and sugar; anytime after six o´clock, Absinth, at night
Best place on earth: Might be home.
Best place that you haven´t visited: Cuba during the domination of Fidel Castro. But I wouldn´t mind Hokkaido island in Japan, or Southern-Baltic-Europe totally.
Favorite gadget: Human hands and the mind of a true master..




