Every day millions of people all around the world get up, get in their cars, drive to work, return home to watch TV-and do nothing. They have the vague sense that things aren't going well, that the forces of repression are taking over, but they tell themselves that there's nothing they can do. Once in a long while, someone comes along to break the mold. That moment has arrived: two West Coast MCs, Defiant and Threat-who together form the group Northern Alliance-have sworn to reject complacency, and to stand up and be counted. Their debut album, which drops early 2005 is about to shatter the status quo.

The forthcoming album is like nothing you've ever heard. Its sound-which they describe as "heavy-hop"-merges heavy metal, punk rock, and hip-hop influences to create a unique aesthetic. The beats are dark, edgy, and abrasive; the lyrics are intense, political, and in-your-face.