At any given moment, half of the world's population dwells in darkness, while the other half are bathed in light. Metaphorically speaking, the band Half the World counts themselves among the latter. At the crux of their huge sound, Half the World conjures a magnetic alchemy of vision and promise: crushingly heavy and sublimely melodic.

It's also the framework to support eloquent, cerebral lyrics. "There's a real strong sense of responsibility of writing music with this band, especially from a lyrical standpoint," they confirm. "We shoot for substance. We're not on some kind of crusade, but you won't hear 'Oh baby' or any love songs. We don't need to add to that." Each musician in the band is also a songwriter. "You may hear dark themes, but no promotion of darkness," they promise.

"What we're awake to is the ability to incorporate all of our musical influences to develop something fresh while writing lyrics that touch the core of the listener by addressing the issues that face us today."

Hailing from Holland, lead singer Mary Magill -- with her striking visual presence and commanding voice -- is the band's on-stage focal point. The rhythm section is comprised of Mat Hansen on bass and Pete Weaver on drums and backup vocals (Pete also produces and engineers for the band). Jim McCrostie, Sean Thompson and Brett Pedersen's incandescent, bull-dozing guitars generate the chest pounding power-surge that electrifies this monumental wall of sound.

Still, in the band's hometown of Boise, Idaho, there is no equivalent to the Sunset Strip amidst the pines, so they tend to travel regionally to neighboring cities such as; Portland, Seattle, Tacoma, and Spokane, soon to expand through the southern state of California. To their credit, they've gotten airplay on over 112 college radio stations in the US and Canada, performed 6 shows during Austin's South by Southwest confernce in 2004, with invitations to return in 2005. They have also been known to open locally for nationally-know touring acts, and additionally were on the bill for Third Eye Blind, expanding their affirmative sound into "arena-sized" proportions. They have been regulars in local press and television accompanied by strongly endorsed album reviews. They were also selected to be a featured, female-fronted, band at this years RockRGirl Music festival held annually in Seattle to prove once again that women do have a place in the current metal-rock scene.

While the band takes its next giant steps -- expanding their touring base, and divining a suitable label partner -- they continue to generate a lasting momentum fueled by positivity, imagination and a shared destiny. Half the World are determined to spread their sound over "all" the world.