Source: Album artwork
In the now complex and ferocious world of rock music, there are so many people out there who just live to be triggered. Triggered by the opinion-riddled minefields that are YouTube or social media comment sections, the most testing of intellectual battlegrounds.
Usually, these petty squabbles are centered around what makes a band heavy, or the now blurred lines between the numerous rock oriented genres out there. So, a review of the record from Famous Last Words. We’re sure to piss off some of the most frightening keyboard goliaths with this one. Let’s go.
So on the surface, the monochrome album art for The Incubus creates an aesthetic identity for your typical noughties jet-black emo unit. Ironic isn’t it when the band name is in fact a My Chemical Romance song title… However, when delving a little deeper you begin to realize that the face this record wears while sitting on the shelves doesn’t resonate 100% with what has been burnt into it’s polycarbonate plastic core.
Musically what we have here is like a love child between Pierce The Veil and Falling In Reverse. Vocalist JT Tollas seems to capture the essence of both bands and pull it off without being a clone. Sure you can hear the similarities, but the songs work and they’re catchy as hell. ‘Trophy Wife’ has one of the catchiest choruses we’ve heard in a long time; a chorus that makes even the most metal of rock writers tap the old stepper. Then on the other hand, we’ve got some very Radke esc screams in the mix too, which is never a bad thing, love you Ronnie.
Although we’re not on say Parkway Drive or even A Day To Remember level of heavy with this release, there’s still enough power and breakdowns to make all us greebos feel at home, just take a listen to ‘Debiliated’ and ‘Your Escape’. When you bring it all together then, The Incubus as a whole is an incredibly full bodied release complete with a varied track list packed full of melodic and heavy elements alike. All in all then a worthy follow up to the bands 2013 debut.
