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.
Ultravioletfly
I:Scintilla Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The rhythm is slowed but deep
Blackened tips of desire
Cannot keep out of my reach
Orchid covered deadwood breeze
Wakes the sickness from the leaves
I laid back and counted stars
Didn't stop my violent seed
Intoxication pollen
Begins to swim around me
The bitter taste of temptation
Evokes a slow sweet ecstasy
The guilt of self-destruction
Beads up and rolls off of me
And sinks into the earth and
Takes with it my purity
From breaking free
Swallowed down resistance growing from the innate drive to rise
Rise like a street steam night spy mixing with the sky
Ultraviolet
Ghost whispers burning my ears
I'm wrapped in words like wire
Appearing to disappear
Like a small dying fire
My hands shake the sting escapes
Heated hearts must expire
And slowly regenerate
The lust for this peace won't tire
I'm breaking free
Descending from thunder
Fixed in your eyes in mine
Now Let go eternal wanting
And I run into your mind
In I:Scintilla's song Ultravioletfly, the lyrics discuss the pull of desire despite its destructive nature. The singer is drawn to temptation, feeling a sense of guilt and impurity as they give into it. The natural world is also present in the lyrics, with references to orchids and leaves being awakened by a breeze. The sense of intoxication is also present, with the singer feeling the pull of temptation and the slow sweet ecstasy it provides, despite the consequences that follow. Despite this, the lyrics also hold a sense of hope for the singer, with the desire to break free from their self-destructive tendencies and find peace. The chorus of "Ultraviolet" seems to represent this drive for liberation, perhaps symbolizing the transformative power of breaking free from these destructive cycles.
Line by Line Meaning
I sense the night bending towards me
I feel the darkness approaching me
The rhythm is slowed but deep
The beat is slow but intense
Blackened tips of desire
The strong yearning that has taken a darker turn
Cannot keep out of my reach
I am unable to resist the desire
Orchid covered deadwood breeze
The scent of flowers mixed with rotting wood
Wakes the sickness from the leaves
The scent brings everything to life
I laid back and counted stars
I looked up at the night sky
Didn't stop my violent seed
I couldn't control my inner demons
Intoxication pollen
The seductive lure of temptation
Begins to swim around me
Surrounding me with temptation
The bitter taste of temptation
The unpleasant yet irresistible desire
Evokes a slow sweet ecstasy
Bringing about a pleasurable but dangerous high
The guilt of self-destruction
Feeling culpable for my own downfall
Beads up and rolls off of me
Not allowing guilt to affect me
And sinks into the earth and
Guilt gets buried within me
Takes with it my purity
Destroying the good within me
From breaking free
The struggle to escape this cycle of destruction
Swallowed down resistance growing from the innate drive to rise
Suppressing the urge to resist temptation and instead rise to it
Rise like a street steam night spy mixing with the sky
Ascending like steam in the night sky
Ultraviolet
A color symbolic of the hidden, dangerous aspects of oneself
Ghost whispers burning my ears
The voices of past regrets torment me
I'm wrapped in words like wire
Unable to escape the thoughts that bind me tightly
Appearing to disappear
Vanishing before my own eyes
Like a small dying fire
Fading away like a flame blowing out
My hands shake the sting escapes
The physical manifestation of the pain I feel
Heated hearts must expire
The intense feelings will eventually die out
And slowly regenerate
New emotions will take their place
The lust for this peace won't tire
The desire for this sense of calmness will never lessen
Descending from thunder
Falling from great heights
Fixed in your eyes in mine
Our gaze locked onto each other
Now Let go eternal wanting
Releasing the constant urge to have more
And I run into your mind
Entering each other's thoughts and feelings
Contributed by Isaiah T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.