A band reigning since 1991, Incubus have long been a group who aren’t afraid to push their comfort zones to deliver some great music. Their newest record 8 not only emphasises this but introduces a selection of new dynamics to these legends that are rarely seen.

The introduction of 'No Fun' offers an incredibly strong start to the record in the form of an immediate blast of heavy riff that simply demands the listener’s attention. As Brandon Boyd's vocal work kicks in, the track really begins to take shape and his American tones really mould the track into what feels like a complete package. The song does pull similarities to other rock icons such as Biffy Clyro's newer material but still holds Incubus’ unmistakable tones. 'No Fun' definitely sets the bar for the rest of the record and I can't wait to hear the direction the rest of the album will head in.

It soon becomes clear that there is a wealth of variation in the record; whilst Brandon is able to blast a multitude of powerful notes in tracks such as 'Love In A Time Of Surveillance', slower tracks such as 'State Of The Art' demonstrate a new, untouched feel to his vocals, using them to carry entire songs. Likewise, the instrumental work demonstrates a vast range of talents, which only add various brilliant levels of colour to the record. The sublime combination of strong guitar solos and pounding drums are met equally well by occasional subtle, delicate string work and soothing melodies in songs such as 'Undefeated'.

There certainly are some incredibly strong tracks on this record and, individually, many are able to easily stand alone as strong singles. However, when listened to from start to finish, there are times where the album starts to get a bit rough. Whilst all are incredibly high quality tracks, there are just one or two times where each number makes the next track feel like a slightly repackaged version of the last. Perhaps the strangest part of the record is 'When I Became A Man’, a sporadic sample which adds little and simply breaks up the entire rhythm of the album. In all honesty, it feels as though the track was only added to increase the song count to over ten.

All this being said, there are plenty of strong tracks on the record such as 'Loneliest', which introduced entirely new aspects to Incubus' sound which are incredibly exciting. The somber, almost electronic song offers a completely different aspect to the album that is unparalleled. Similarly, for me at least, ’Familiar Faces' takes the top spot of the record. Not only does the track feature yet another unseen aspect to the band, but delivers some incredibly bubbly guitar work and strong basslines all whilst Brandon's vocal work give an enormous push to the song, making it one that seriously stands out.

Closing with a beautifully tranquil instrumental number 'Make No Sound In The Digital Forest' before erupting into possibly the heaviest guitar work on the entire album in 'Throw Out The Map', the twilight stages of this album really do resonate well and leave a brilliant feeling of satisfaction about the record. Overall, Incubus have certainly released an incredibly strong record with 8, the album not only captivates everything that has made Incubus such an established band, but on the whole does feel like a more polished version of their previous music. Over 25 years since starting, it must be impossibly hard to continue to develop your sound in such a unique way that always feels fresh and, whilst 8 is by no means a revolutionary album, I can see many people falling in love with this record for their own personal reasons. Incubus have proved once again that they are by no means all washed up and have produced yet another incredibly strong record that will add yet another founding pillar to their ever growing discography.
Ben Walker

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