Voices of Wonder
Encyclopedia
Voices of Wonder aka Voice of Wonder Records was one of the most important rock
record label
s in Oslo
, Norway
in the early 1990s. The label was fronted by a small and intimate record store on Olaf Ryes plass, which in addition to the labels own artists specialized in the English Earache Records
and the American Sub Pop
labels.
In the second half of the 1990s the store changed focus, from metal
and grindcore
to dance
and electronic music
. This alienated many of the old customers, and the label and store never managed to gain entry on the new scene. Thus, today the store is no more and the label is less active than before.
Voices of Wonder also distributed for Euronymous
of Mayhem
's Deathlike Silence Productions
.
Voice of Wonder Records AS changed name to Voices Music & Entertainment
in 2001, and now operates as VME's sublabel.
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
s in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
in the early 1990s. The label was fronted by a small and intimate record store on Olaf Ryes plass, which in addition to the labels own artists specialized in the English Earache Records
Earache Records
Earache Records is a heavy metal-oriented record label based in Nottingham, UK and New York, USA. It helped to pioneer extreme metal by releasing many of the earliest grindcore and death metal records in the period 1988-1994.-History:...
and the American Sub Pop
Sub Pop
Sub Pop is a record label founded in 1986 by Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman in Seattle, Washington. Sub Pop achieved fame in the late 1980s for first signing Nirvana, Soundgarden, Mudhoney and many other bands from the Seattle music scene...
labels.
In the second half of the 1990s the store changed focus, from 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...
and grindcore
Grindcore
Grindcore is an extreme genre of music that started in the early- to mid-1980s. It draws inspiration from some of the most abrasive music genres – including death metal, industrial music, noise and the more extreme varieties of hardcore punk....
to dance
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
and electronic music
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
. This alienated many of the old customers, and the label and store never managed to gain entry on the new scene. Thus, today the store is no more and the label is less active than before.
Voices of Wonder also distributed for Euronymous
Euronymous
Øystein Aarseth , who went by the pseudonym Euronymous, was a Norwegian guitarist and co-founder of the Norwegian black metal band Mayhem...
of Mayhem
Mayhem (band)
Mayhem is a Norwegian black metal band formed in 1984 in Oslo, Norway and regarded as one of the pioneers of the influential Norwegian black metal scene...
's Deathlike Silence Productions
Deathlike Silence Productions
Deathlike Silence Productions was an Oslo, Norway based independent record label founded in the late 1980s that focused primarily on black metal. It was the first independent label to do so. The label was founded by Øystein Aarseth, also known as Euronymous, who operated the label until his murder...
.
Voice of Wonder Records AS changed name to Voices Music & Entertainment
Voices Music & Entertainment
Voices Music & Entertainment is a record label based in Oslo, Norway established in 1988 by Ketil Sveen and Dag Krogsvold. In the first years the company was a label focusing on signing and developing Norwegian rock acts...
in 2001, and now operates as VME's sublabel.
Artists on Voices of Wonder Records
- Anal Babes
- Carpe TenebrumCarpe TenebrumCarpe Tenebrum is a black metal solo project of the former Dimmu Borgir and Covenant guitarist Jamie Stinson, better known as Astennu...
- EnslavedEnslaved (band)Enslaved is a progressive black metal band formed in June 1991 in Sveio, Norway, and currently based out of Bergen, Norway.-History:Enslaved was formed in June 1991 by Ivar Bjørnson and Grutle Kjellson when they were 13 and 17 years old, respectively. The band name was inspired by an Immortal demo...
- GradyGrady (band)Grady is a cowboy metal band based in Austin, Texas.-History:Grady originally consisted of Canadian vocalist and guitarist Gordie Johnson , Canadian bass guitarist "Big" Ben Richardson, and Chris Layton on drums...
- MayhemMayhem (band)Mayhem is a Norwegian black metal band formed in 1984 in Oslo, Norway and regarded as one of the pioneers of the influential Norwegian black metal scene...
- MotorpsychoMotorpsychoMotorpsycho is a band from Trondheim, Norway. Their music can generally be defined as psychedelic rock, but they also mix in elements from metal, jazz, rock, pop and many other musical styles. The members of the band are Bent Sæther , Hans Magnus "Snah" Ryan and Kenneth Kapstad...
- Origami Teknika
- Red HarvestRed Harvest (band)Red Harvest was a Norwegian industrial metal band from Oslo. Their 2002 album Sick Transit Gloria Mundi was nominated for a Norwegian Grammy and an alternative Grammy in the "Best Metal Album" category...
- The 3rd and the MortalThe 3rd and the MortalThe 3rd and the Mortal were a Norwegian experimental metal-band, founded in the city of Trondheim, Norway, in 1992 by Rune Hoemsnes, Finn Olav Holthe, Geir Nilssen, Trond Engum and singer Kari Rueslåtten...
- Dog AgeDog AgeDog Age is a Norwegian rock band established in 1987. They are currently signed to the Norwegian record company VME, after a short, intermittent spell with Rainbow Quartz Records....
- Sister Rain
- The DisciplinesThe DisciplinesThe Disciplines is a garage rock band from Oslo, Norway, led by singer Ken Stringfellow .- Albums :*VIRGINS OF MENACE, CD 2011, Rock's My Ass Records www.rocksmyassrecords.com , SPARK & SHiNE ,Tin Robot , Naked Man VOW , Other Tongues *SMOKiNG...
- The TablesThe TablesThe Tables was an underground/DIY pop group formed in Oslo, Norway, in 1987, by Bartleby The Tables was an underground/DIY pop group formed in Oslo, Norway, in 1987, by Bartleby The Tables was an underground/DIY pop group formed in Oslo, Norway, in 1987, by Bartleby (vocals, real name Tore...