Wisdom is the debut studio album by 16volt, released on May 25, 1993, by Re-Constriction Records. It was produced with the aid of Skinny Puppy composer and musician Dave Ogilvie.
Background 16 Volt sent a demo tape to college radio stations and caught the attention of future label owner and DJ Chase. From the band's demos, Chase petitioned Cargo Music to begin Re-Constriction Records and make Wisdom the label's third release. "Motorskills", which would become the first track on Wisdom, appeared on the compilation The Cyberflesh Conspiracy.
Reception
John Bush of AllMusic says, "Skinny Puppy contributes a remix to Wisdom, which sounds much like the rest of the album." Aiding & Abetting said, "16 Volt combine great beats with a vicious intensity that crawls under your skin and proceeds to eat out your soul." Sonic Boom called Wisdom "nothing short of a spectacular display of craftsmanship and musical inspiration, "saying," the genius of Eric Powell is evident even on this first release in his ability to seamlessly mix guitar and harsh electronics in a way that neither seems to drown the other out." Option compared the album favorably to Nine Inch Nails, saying "the band's appeal lies in their blend of abrasive textures and relentless rhythms" while "the backbone of the songs is the rhythmic structure itself rather than cunningly concealed pop elements."
Track listing
Personnel Adapted from the Wisdom liner notes.
16volt Joel Bornzin – drums, percussion, programming Jon Fell – guitar Eric Powell – lead vocals, sampler, synthesizer, programming, bass guitar, cover art, art direction, production, mixing & recording (8) Jeff Taylor – bass guitar, sampler, art direction
Addition performers A.P. Boone – sampler, programming Chris Thomas – guitar
Production and design Animated Noise – cover art Keith "Fluffy" Auerbach – production, engineering, mixing (1, 3, 5, 7) SL Cohen – design, art direction Ryan Foster – mastering Tony Lash – editing, mastering, mixing & recording (1–4, 6–10) Dave Ogilvie – production, engineering, mixing (1, 2, 4, 6)
Release history Region Date Label Format Catalog United States 1993 Re-Constriction CD REC-004 Germany 1995 Off Beat SPV 084 United States 2012 Metropolis CD, DL MET 772
References
External links
Wisdom at Bandcamp