It is so easy to label; be it political or religious ideologies or guitar sounds and lyrics - it is our natural inclination to label things in order to limit their scope and in turn allow us to grasp them better. Bay Area quartet Machine Head have set the trends and influenced the sounds of the American metal movement for the past decade, and they have done so through a steadfast conviction to avoid being labeled, and therefore limited. Five studio albums and over 1.7 million in world-wide sales later, Machine Head return to their rightful place atop the hard music kingdom they helped build with the release of Through the Ashes of Empires. [more]

Jesu is another musical project spearheaded by Birmingham-based musician and producer Justin Broadrick -- a fixture of England's extreme music scene since integrating the earliest recording lineup of Napalm Death in the mid-'80s. Also a sometimes-member of several other bands (Head of David, Techno Animal, etc.), he is probably best known for his decade-plus leadership of pioneering industrial ensemble Godflesh. Having finally, officially laid that hallowed institution to rest following a reported nervous breakdown in 2002, Broadrick turned his attention to a new entity, Jesu, which he named after the last song on Godflesh's swan song, Hymns. [more]

Los Angeles' BLEED THE DREAM have only been together for four years and have already amassed a resume-and cultish following-that dwarfs bands twice their age. The band's original line-up released their Warcon Records debut Built By Blood in 2005, after already releasing two earlier EPs on their self-run Maphia Records. KILLER INSIDE is the band's follow-up full length for Warcon Records. Of the album, guitarist Dave Aguilera simply states: "Our goal for this record was to make a disc that we would enjoy and hopefully other people would enjoy too. I hope we can continue to have fans who are 50 years old and like watching football and 15-year-old kids who love going to the mall," referring to the band's remarkably diverse fan base. "It's such a trip." [more]

Since 2002 Addnerim has been making a name for themselves. Known for their unique sound and energetic stage show, Addnerim tends to push the envelope right off the table. Influenced by everything from Prog Rock: (Rush, Tool and King Crimson), to Punk: (Misfits, Ramones, and Dead Kennedy’s), to Metal: (Iron Maiden, Meshuggah, and early Metallica), you could say this band is very diverse. Unlike some other experimental bands, Addnerim knows the importance of being melodic enough to not steer listeners away with an over-indulgent wank fests. Lead guitarist and vocalist Tyrel Choat best describes Addnerim as being Progressive Rock/Metal "hold the cheese", meaning although they dabble in poly-rhythms, odd time signatures and solo's, the message and the song itself always comes first.
Long story short, you do not have to be a virtuoso musician to appreciate Addnerim's music, but for those of you who are, you will be amazed with the skill level and over-all musicianship brought to the table by this Texas trio.

The members of AS I LAY DYING are the kind of musicians that refuse to be measured solely by their most recent accomplishments. The new album, An Ocean Between Us, is evidence of this fact, proving once again that these guys are not afraid to push the limits of their sound and always keep things moving. The music grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go until the album’s finish. Building upon the foundation that AILD has laid over the past several years, growing from a small San Diego outfit slowly and deliberately into a priority national act, the band has become Metal Blade Records’ biggest sellers with an extremely devoted following. AS I LAY DYING has the goods to take it all the way and stake their claim as the metal band “ you need to know about” in 2007 and beyond.

In three quick years, Chicago's I:SCINTILLA jumped from recording demo songs in a bedroom to collaborating with some of modern music's best artists and releasing albums on an international level. Fronted by Brittany Bindrim (vocals/words) and backed by Jim Cookas (guitar/programming), Vince Grech (drums), and Chad Mines (guitar/bass), the group seamlessly fuses electronic and rock elements while pushing the boundaries of pop music. Bindrim's intensely seductive voice and insightful words paint a dark picture of loss, redemption, and introspection and are delivered via insatiably catchy hooks. The music drapes the mood with intricately layered synthesizers, grinding guitar riffs, and a mix of live and programmed drums. The quartet's unique sound has drawn comparisons to GARBAGE, THEATRE OF TRAGEDY, and THE BIRTHDAY MASSACRE. [more]

With high praise from the metal press, local and national newspapers, and highbrow publications alike, Chicago’s YAKUZA has succeeded in garnering attention of all kinds, all the while not compromising the band’s free-flowing and spontaneous musical integrity. Regardless, YAKUZA remains independent, maintaining an almost indescribable sound that picks and plucks from a wealth of influences and inspirations.

Staying deeply rooted in a genre all its own, YAKUZA’s existence lies on a metal base with progressive flair, while somehow also incorporating elements of jazz, world beat, and post-rock ambiance. Picture (if you can) a mixture of King Crimson, all periods of John Coltrane’s career, Tortoise, and Napalm Death. The end result is captivating, a sound that Rolling Stone, Revolver, Alternative Press, the Chicago Sun Times, the Chicago Tribune, All That Jazz and countless others all agree is refreshingly original, technically proficient, all the while still staying very metal. [ more ]

The Stream of Consciousness staff would like to extend our deepest sympathies to the friends and families of Decapitated.

Nuclear Blast Records: 23 year old drummer Witold "Vitek" Kieltyka of the Polish extreme metal band DECAPITATED passed away in a Russian hospital from serious injuries sustained in a recent road collision.

(Witold "Vitek" Kieltyka and Adrian "Covan" Kowanek were severely injured in an accident sometime between October 28/29, 2007 involving DECAPITATED's tour bus and a truck carrying wood on the Russia/Belarus border. Both musicians sustained serious head injuries in the collision. Covan's recovery is still progressing.)