Stromkern

Fusing hip-hop vocals and rhythms with classical compositions and post-industrial rock, Stromkern have been carving out a unique sound for over a decade. Founded by J. Ned Kirby in the early 1990s, initial releases (such as the 1997 debut EP Flicker Like A Candle) were heavily influenced by the danceable sounds of the European electro scene, but already the influences of Ned's classical training and love of hip-hop and noise were readily apparent, especially on tracks like the international hit "Heretic". The follow-up album, 1999's Dämmerung im Traum, was a more experimental affair, blending orchestral arrangements with minimal techno elements.
The band took to the road in 2000 for the first time on an extensive European club and festival tour. In 2001, with Ned joined in the studio by Kelly Shaffer, Stromkern release the album Armageddon, their first in the States. The album spawns three singles, all of which spend the maximum alloted time in the DACs (German Alternative Charts), and the album version of "Night Riders" becomes an instant classic. Joined by Rob Wentz of Monstrum Sepsis on keys and Matt Berger on drums, Stromkern begin to perform live with increasing frequency, quickly developing a reputation as a powerful live act due largely to a commitment to live performance as opposed to simple playback, the status quo for so many heavily electronic acts.
Now, almost four years after the release of Armageddon comes Stromkern's 4th studio album, Light It Up. The years of touring have left an audible mark on the entire record, but most clearly on tracks like "Forgiven" or "Delete", with pummeling acoustic drums and guitars weaving in and out of Stromkern's signature electronic core. The new album also marks the band's first forays into outside vocal collaborations, with Frank Spinath of Seabound guesting on the technoid "Sentinel" and Victoria Lloyd of Claire Voyant on the haunting ballad "Hindsight". Packed with dense sequences and Ned's rapid-fire vocal, Light It Up spent over a month in pole position on the DACs (German Alternative Charts). Lyrically, Light It Up marked a change in focus from previous recordings; this time, the lyrics present Ned's reflections on the last several years spent living in the United States: war, terrorism, globalization, corruption and greed are the topics of the day.
With a live lineup bolstered variously at times by Tyler Newman (Battery Cage), Dan Clark (Null Device), Chuck Spencer (Stochastic Theory) and Vince Grech (Sister Machine Gun, Thanatos, 13mg), the band have recently completed two U.S. tours in support of the latest album, a 2005 headlining jaunt and a second tour in support of Front Line Assembly. This summer the boys heading back to Europe for the first time in 6 years. The fun just never ends...