To date, they have released four studio albums and four EPs.
History
Early Years and The Approach (2002-2004)
I:Scintilla was conceptualized in Champaign, IL in Jim Cookas' bedroom in October 2002. In January 2003, Chad Mines joined the group as bassist followed shortly by Jason Allen on guitar and programming in March. Upon formation, they immediately began writing their debut album, The Approach while still searching for a vocalist. Many singers were auditioned before finding Brittany Bindrim, who they found to be a perfect fit. The album was finished and self-released on July 29, 2004. The album contained early versions of many songs that would appear on later albums.
Alfa-Matrix and Havestar (2005-2006)
After a previously full year of nonstop live performances, I:Scintilla was discovered and signed by Belgian electro label Alfa-Matrix. In March 2005, Jason Allen left the band and Chad Mines moved to guitar. Bethany Whisenhunt was brought on to play bass.The band continued to work on the release of its first EP, Havestar, while providing material for a future full-length album.
The Havestar EP was released by Alfa-Matrix in the summer of 2006. In addition to a few re-mastered songs from The Approach, remixes by Combichrist, Diskonnekted, Neikka RPM, Implant, and Klutae are included.
The Havestar EP also highlights the first collaboration with producer and artist Wade Alin, who is known for music works Christ Analogue, The Atomica Project, and Scanalyzer. This collaborative process adds a consistent working sound quality that carries forward to I:Scintilla's following full-length album Optics.
After its release, Havestar peaked at #13 on the Deutsche Alternative Charts Top 20 Singles list.
Optics and The Immortal Tour (2007-2008)
I:Scintilla released their second full-length album Optics in June 2007. The album consisted of many older, reworked songs as well as multiple new releases. Optics was released in single-CD format as well as a two-disc edition, containing a second disc entirely of remixes by bands such as Combichrist, Clan of Xymox, and Ego Likeness.
While this album was being made, Mines and Whisenhunt departed the band. Instead of replacing the members, Jim Cookas began programming the bass parts and played all of the guitar parts.
Optics peaked at #6 on the Deutsche Alternative Charts Top 10 Albums list, and was featured in multiple alternative magazines. Preceding the album release, I:Scintilla performed at Wave-Gotik-Treffen in May 2007.
I:Scintilla joined with the then-Tallahassee-based darkwave band The Crüxshadows and Canadian electro act Ayria for the U.S. stretch of The Crüxshadows' Immortal Tour in 2008. At this point, the band incorporated two new members, Justin Pogue (keytarist) and Vincent Grech (drums). Up until then, the drums had all been done through a drum machine.
Dying & Falling (2009-2011)
In 2009, keytarist Justin Pogue left the band and moved to Florida, where he was a DJ under the name DJ Halon at the now-closed Club Rayn's popular Industrial music and Alternative Rock night, Blue Monday. In the band he was replaced by Brent Leitner (guitar/programming).
On December 4, 2009, I:Scintilla released an EP titled Prey On You. The EP contained three new songs and five remixes of these songs. Two songs, Prey On You and Ammunition, were later released on I:Scintilla's third full-length album Dying & Falling (formerly called Redshift), which was released on November 26, 2010. Like Optics, this album was released with a single disc version and a limited edition containing a second disc. This second disc contained the third song from the Prey On You, another previously unreleased track, and nine remixes.
Over the next year I:Scintilla toured lightly, with most of their shows being in their hometown of Chicago. Around December 2012, Brandon Chase was brought in to fill the long empty bass position, making the band a quintet. However, he left I:Scintilla the following August to focus on his own bands.
The Marrow EPs (2012-Current)
In 2012, I:Scintilla announced they would be releasing a series of EPs entitled "Marrow". The first of these EPs, Marrow 1, was released on October 15, 2012. This album was a dramatic change in musical styles. Abandoning their signature metal-electronica style, this album had a more acoustic sound to it. With five tracks, Marrow 1 contained one new song, Drag Along, two reworked versions from songs previously on Dying & Falling, as well as two covers.
Shortly after the December 12, 2012 release of Marrow 1, a new single was digitally released containing a new song, Skin Tight, and two remixes of Skin Tight. A month later, I:Scintilla announced a remix contest for Skin Tight as well as a new album, Marrow 2. The winning remix artist would have their song featured on the upcoming album. The band received 64 submissions and allowed their fan base to vote on which song should be included on the album. The votes were cast in a unique fashion counting cash donations as votes. All proceeds from the votes were donated to the Amnesty International charity.
Marrow 2 was released on May 2, 2013 and marked a return to their signature style. The album contains four new studio recordings as well as four remixes.
In January 2013, Brittany Bindrim launched her own company, Black Dove Design Company. The company focuses on graphic design, programming, and fine arts. The Marrow series album covers are all illustrated by Brittany and are part of her illustration portfolio for Black Dove.
On September 21, 2018, i:Scintilla released Swayed, their first full-length studio album in nine years.
Melt
I:Scintilla Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A red cloud has settled over my skin
A cold carnal being, I breathe in your echoes
You're a man incarnate coloring and rolling
Each deep line of your palm runs and wraps around me
A coiling cover, I know what you need
I'm bound by your rhythm, I breathe in your echoes
Lost in small circles
Felt pulses matched
The thin sheets melt
Unravel in your hands
You lift me like a seed, here I break free of form
With rain's ancient mark I'm the girl caught in the storm
It is not forever, but it is in-between
This is where we find the most of our meaning
We feel it in our veins, but it is in-between
The pleasure, the truth and what remains unseen
The morning's early heat burns and tattoos your back
The ink trickling down erases what we lack
Lost in small circles
Felt pulses matched
The thin sheets melt
Unravel in your hands
Lost in small circles
Felt pulses matched
The thin sheets melt
Unravel in your hands
Lost in small circles
Felt pulses matched
The thin sheets melt
Unravel in your hands
The lyrics of "Melt" by I:Scintilla are open to interpretation and can be read as a seductive exploration of physical intimacy or as a description of a spiritual union. The first verse sets the tone and establishes the imagery that the rest of the song will explore. The singer refers to bending the cards of the four cups unfilled, which could be a reference to a tarot card reading. This suggests that the singer and their partner are seeking guidance or insight into their relationship. The red cloud that has settled over the singer's skin could represent desire or passion. The singer refers to themselves as a "cold carnal being," which could imply that they are detached or disconnected from their emotions but still crave intimacy.
The second verse continues the theme of physical touch and sensual experience. The singer describes the lines of their partner's palm running and wrapping around them, creating a coiling cover. This could represent the way in which the singer and their partner are entwined or the way in which they complement each other. The singer seems to be under their partner's spell, bound by their rhythm and breathing in their echoes. The final two lines of the verse suggest that the singer and their partner are creating something new together, something that defies the coldness of winter.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the idea of being lost in small circles and matching felt pulses. This could be a metaphor for the physical act of lovemaking or the spiritual connection between the two partners. The thin sheets melting and unraveling in their hands could represent the dissolution of their individual identities and the merging of their energies.
The final verse of the song takes on a more philosophical tone. The singer describes their partner lifting them like a seed, allowing them to break free of form. This could represent a spiritual awakening or a realization that they are capable of more than they thought. The rain's ancient mark on the singer represents the passage of time, and the ink trickling down is a metaphor for the release of negative emotions or self-doubt. The final lines of the song suggest that even though the connection between the two partners may not be forever, it is meaningful and transformative.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm bending the cards of the four cups unfilled
I am trying to manipulate a situation that has not yet come to fruition.
A red cloud has settled over my skin
I am feeling a sense of intense emotion that is overwhelming my senses.
A cold carnal being, I breathe in your echoes
I am a detached and primal creature, taking in the essence of another person.
You're a man incarnate coloring and rolling
You are an embodiment of masculinity, full of passion and energy.
Each deep line of your palm runs and wraps around me
Your touch is powerful and all-encompassing, as though your entire essence is reaching out to connect with me.
A coiling cover, I know what you need
I am in tune with your desires, and I am ready to fulfill them.
I'm bound by your rhythm, I breathe in your echoes
I am caught up in the beat of your heart and the sound of your voice.
We melt early winter with the notes we swallow
Together, we are creating a warmth and intensity that defies the cold of the winter season.
You lift me like a seed, here I break free of form
Your touch is transformative, helping me to shed the constraints of my previous existence.
With rain's ancient mark I'm the girl caught in the storm
I am swept up in the turbulence of my emotions, unable to control the intensity of my reactions.
It is not forever, but it is in-between
Our connection is temporary, but it is still meaningful in its own right.
This is where we find the most of our meaning
In this brief and intense moment, we are able to find a sense of purpose and connection.
We feel it in our veins, but it is in-between
We are consumed by our passion, but we both know that it is only a temporary respite from reality.
The pleasure, the truth and what remains unseen
Our physical and emotional connection is revealing deep truths about ourselves that were previously hidden.
The morning's early heat burns and tattoos your back
Our connection has left a lasting impression on you, like a mark that you will always carry with you.
The ink trickling down erases what we lack
In this moment, our imperfections and shortcomings are forgotten, and we are able to embrace each other completely.
Lost in small circles
We are caught in a loop of intense passion, unable to break free from each other's grasp.
Felt pulses matched
Our hearts are beating in time with each other, a physical embodiment of our emotional connection.
The thin sheets melt
Our physical and emotional barriers are melting away, allowing us to truly connect.
Unravel in your hands
We are surrendering ourselves to each other completely, trusting that our connection will guide us forward.
Contributed by London P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.