Fusing hip-hop vocals and rhythms with with majesty of 19th century classical compositions and the furor of 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 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 that touched down in 4 different countries. In 2001, with Ned joined in the studio by Kelly Shaffer, Stromkern released the Armageddon album, their first Stateside and third worldwide release. The album spawned three singles, all of which spent the maximum alloted time in the DACs (German Alternative Charts). A marked improvement over the 2000 single, the album version of "Night Riders" became an instant classic. Joined by Rob Wentz of Monstrum Sepsis on keys and Matt Berger on drums, Stromkern began 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, 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 ballad "Hindsight". The first single "Stand Up", a classic Stromkern track packed with dense sequences and Ned's rapid-fire vocal, peaked at #4 in the DAC Singles Charts and remains in regular rotation at clubs throughout the world, while the album charted at #1 in the DAC Album Charts for four straight weeks. Lyrically, Light It Up presents 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 by Tyler Newman (Battery Cage), Dan Clark (Null Device/The Dark Clan), Chuck Spencer (Stochastic Theory), and Vince Grech (Sister Machine Gun, Thanatos, 13mg), the 2005 US promotional tour showcased the most dynamic and powerful live incarnation of the band to date. 2006 saw the release of the single "Reminders" and a two-month tour supporting Front Line Assembly that touched down in 12 countries throughout Europe and North America. A third single, Hindsight, was released at the end of the year.

With broken hands, broken hearts and ruined vans behind them, Dan, Matt, and Ned join forces with Andrew Sega (Iris, The Alpha Conspiracy) for the 2007 festival season and furious recording sesions. Stay tuned...