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Integrated System of Machines
Genre: Epic/Death Metal
Hometown: Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
Members: (Members not in their last full lineup are in italics. This information may be incomplete, particularly surrounding early lineups and full band member identities. Let us know if you can fill in any blanks!)
"Orb Hearthstone" Bob Helsten (The Creepy Little Coffee People), vocals
Art Dietz (The Creepy Little Coffee People), guitar
Jonathan Bennett, guitar
Chris Leask (Highway 63, Power Slug), bass
"Black Trab" Bart Rennels (Nightmare Grin), drums
Chris Sevens, guitar
"Sven Gilesten" Steve Giles (Theatre of Night), guitar
J. Rizzo, bass
"Grg Gilesten" Greg Giles (End of Existence), drums
Craig "Tubesock" Harrison (Theatre of Night), keyboard
Rachel Mender, backing vocals
Audio/Video: Integrated System of Machines (or I.S.O.M.) released two albums during their runs, including their debut CD "Apocalyptic Vision" in 2008, and a self-titled album to coincide with their one-off reunion in 2015. The former is available to stream online & buy on iTunes, and while the latter is not available at present time, half of it is comprised of "Apocalyptic Vision" re-recordings. A handful of live videos survive online, including this version of their self-titled song from a Stanton concert circa 2008 (sadly, a music video of this song has since been privatized), and most prominently, their whole set from last year's concert, featuring all but two songs from their last CD!
Integrated System of Machines were a welcome dose of extreme epic metal for fans in the E.U.P., and I roughly equated them as Sault Michigan's answer to Gates of Winter during their first run. The band had a catchy, viking-influenced blend of heavy originals, as buoyed nicely by Bob's aggressive growls and Craig's effective keyboard work (it's a shame he wasn't part of the 2015 reunion.) Though last year's reunion also saw the band drop harsh vocals, the improved production and polish helped them stand out on the big stage, and I know I.S.O.M. will pick up right where they left off if they ever come back to try and integrate us once again, but check out End of Existence for similar later work!
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I hope you guys liked this month's Defunct Local Band Profile! Next month in this series, our random selection will take us back to Sault Ontario, where we'll be looking at two bands, as the first didn't have enough surviving information. As a result, we're planning to look at local black metal project Eden Plague (featuring Bear Hunters guitarist Mitch Sirie) and punk/classic rock trio Leaked (featuring The Din guitarist Tammy Hill), so look for them on or around December 10th! That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and updates soon! Thanks everyone!
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