Mercy Form & Aether Device: A Creative Reunion
Longtime collaborators Noé Piña and Juan Martinez have officially reunited their creative partnership, launching two distinct musical projects that bridge their shared history in the 90s LA underground scene with a contemporary electronic aesthetic. This multi-faceted return is a testament to a decades-long collaboration rooted in the "Rock Angelino" movement.
Mercy Form (Micere Forma)
Mercy Form is the duo's venture into the driving, machine-like world of EBM and Industrial music.
Focus: Characterized by visceral, high-energy rhythms and a dark, post-industrial soundscape.
Themes: Lyrical content, primarily in Spanish, delves into the spiritual, the mythological, and the tension between order and collapse, mirroring the themes in Piña's visual art installations.
Juan Martinez
Expanded Musical Projects & Affiliations
State of the Union: As a core member of this Los Angeles-based EBM and synth-pop band, Martinez helped define a sound that garnered a global following. The band’s releases on prominent labels like Metropolis Records and Infacted Recordings remain staples of the genre.
Cenobita: Martinez was a key contributor to this legendary Mexican electro-industrial group. His work with Cenobita is celebrated for its aggressive "aggrotech" influence and its significant role in the Latin American dark electronic underground.
They recently performed for the Tijuana Dark Festival 2025 at Evolution Club in May 2025
Original members and founders of Ite Missa Est. Noé Piña, Octavio Arias, Moises Gomez, Juan Martinez, 1992. Logo and font designed by Noé Piña
Juan Martinez on lead vocals for Coito after Noé left the band to pursue a Visual Arts Degree at The University Guadalajara, Mexico
Aether Device
Aether Device offers a contrasting, yet complementary, sonic experience, leaning into the evocative genres of Goth, Darkwave, Synthwave, and Synthpop.
Focus: A more melodic and atmospheric sound, utilizing lush synths and rich sonic textures.
Upcoming Album: The project is preparing its debut album, titled Obelisk, a work that promises to be both nostalgic and forward-looking.
Both projects maintain the authentic, independent spirit that Piña and Martinez first established in the early 1990s with bands like Ite Missa Est, State of the Union, and Coito, bringing a rich legacy to their new electronic ventures.
The name Aether Device serves as a bridge between the ancient world and the digital future, representing the intersection of spiritual mystery and modern technology. It is a title that reflects the atmospheric, melodic, and "otherworldly" nature of the project’s Goth, Darkwave, and Synthpop sound.
The Aether: The Fifth Element
In classical science and philosophy, the Aether (or Æther) was believed to be the "fifth element"—the pure, celestial substance that fills the universe beyond the terrestrial sphere. It was the medium through which light and spirit traveled. By invoking the Aether, the project signals a focus on the ethereal and the atmospheric,
Noé Piña on lead vocals for Coito during one of the band's formative early performances in Downtown Los Angeles, 1994 Logo designed by Noé Piña
In the creation of current songs for Mercy Form, Juan Martinez is working as the primary sonic architect, building digital, computer-based tracks by utilizing a long-standing archive of his own recorded music. This process involves a unique method of "re-treating" and manipulating this extensive collection of digital and archived audio, which he and Noé Piña then curate.
Embracing Roots
They emerged from the darker, more experimental fringes of the broader Rock en Español Scene, specifically in the Los Angeles area, playing at Venues like The Hong Kong Cafe. Their previous bands, Ite Missa Est and Coito, were integral to the local "Rock Angelino" and post-punk movements, creating a foundation for their current sound.
Their use of Spanish in their work connects them to their cultural identity and the legacy of rock en español, but their musical style remains distinct from the mainstream. They represent the evolution of the scene, showing how rock en español has influenced and branched into more specialized, niche genres.
Noe Pina on Vocals at Mercy Form Music Studio
Juan Martinez Performing with Cenobita, 2010. Juan has continued to be a guest performer with Cenobita, most recently playing in Tijuana Mexico in 2025
Drawing deeply from his roots, Noé Piña finds profound creative inspiration in his Catholic upbringing. For the past several years, this spiritual journey has led him back to the Traditional Latin Mass—often referred to as the Tridentine Mass or the Mass of the Ages. This return to the ancient liturgy informs both the aesthetic depth and the timeless resonance of his work, bridging the gap between sacred tradition and contemporary artistic expression.
Mercy Form's other inspirations, while not tied to specific mythologies, reflect universal themes found throughout ancient cultures.
The balance between order and chaos: Noé Piña's artwork explores the "delicate equilibrium of the systems we inhabit," featuring installations where elegant objects are held in precarious balance. This parallels the struggle in many mythologies between forces of order and chaos, and humanity's attempt to navigate that instability.
The cycle of collapse and rebirth: Many ancient mythologies, from those of the Aztecs to the Norse, deal with the destructive and restorative powers of time. Mercy Form's focus on "collapse" and "spiritual renewal" draws on this universal theme, using it as a basis for its darkwave aesthetic.
The sacred and the profane: Religious and spiritual symbols often appear in the band's orbit, including a reference to "defeating death" that mirrors ancient mysteries and sacred texts. This exploration of spirituality is a thread that runs through many ancient belief systems.
Fractured structures: Song structures may not follow a conventional verse-chorus format but instead feature abrupt shifts, digital artifacts, and moments where the sound seems to disintegrate before rebuilding. This mimics the chaotic and non-linear nature of a collapse.
The Latin name, Micere Forma, is the formal, classical complement to the English name. While micere can be a Latin variant related to the root for misericordia (mercy), the specific choice of micere over misericordia (the classical form) is a stylistic preference or a creative re-treatment. The Latin pairing with Forma (form or shape) reflects the project's core theme of finding a new, compassionate architecture in the aftermath of a collapse.
Mercy Form is thrilled to announce that they have been invited to perform in Germany in 2026. Look for more details about our European appearance soon, alongside new music that explores the balance between chaos and catharsis.
Major Announcement: Mercy Form Heads to Germany in the near future
We are excited to announce a significant milestone for the music project Mercy Form. In the near future, we will be bringing our darkwave/industrial goth sound to Europe for the first time, with an invitation to play at a festival in Germany. This is a thrilling opportunity to share our work with an international audience. Further details, including the festival name and date, TBD.
Sample of their Lyrics Song Title: 4837, The Sign Outside My Window
(Lyrics by Noé Piña)
Verse 1
sitting still, somewhat numb,
Glass reflects what I’ve become,
On the wall, the numbers glow,
4837 something I should know.
It cuts through night, through concrete air,
Feels like a message hanging there,
It’s more than code, it’s more than time,
It’s pulse, it’s force, it’s design.
In this song, the number 4837 serves as a powerful symbol for the band's artistic concept by merging these contrasting interpretations. It represents the dual paths one can take when faced with collapse:
A path of compromise and decay, symbolized by the desecrated stone pavement (martsepheth).
A path of compassionate renewal and mutual strength, symbolized by the Greek call to mutual encouragement (sumparakaleó). (Lyrics by Noé Piña)