On their first full-length project, Incubus, from Calabasas, California, remind us that science can actually be fun. On “S.C.I.E.N.C.E.,” Incubus fuses funk, thrash-rock, and hip-hop to create twelve undeniable tracks that will keep you coming back for more. Through mass experimentation, Incubus does not limit themselves to one particular style. “If you throw Red Hot Chili Peppers, Primus, Mr. Bungle, and Rage Against the Machine into a blender on puree- you’ll get Incubus,” said Immortal Record’s Mike Finch, a junior majoring in consumer affairs. Incubus is made up of vocalist/percussionist Brandon Boyd, guitarist Mike Einziger, bassist Alex Katunich, drummer Jose Pasillas, and DJ Lyfe on turntables. With influences ranging from Primus and Rage Against the Machine to Ella Fitzgerald and Santana to Iron Maiden and Steve Vai, Incubus has built a wide fan base throughout the San Fernando Valley. “Our album is called S.C.I.E.N.C.E. because we were able to experiment,” Einziger said. “We were able to take our time and get everything to sound the way we wanted it to- weird science and energetic funk.” Singer Boyd, 22, whose father was the Marlboro Man in the 1960’s (he appears on the cover of both the EP and the album), has an intense voice reminiscent of Faith No More’s Mike Patton. The message that he relays, though, is even more intense. On the first track, “Redefine,” Boyd uses the metaphor of humans being like Magic Markers. “For so long, they painted black and white pictures in their life because that’s all they thought they could do,” Boyd said. “But they can paint with a different color and make a very vibrant and beautiful picture if they take control.” In “New Skin,” Boyd attributes society’s present state to a scab. “The way the scab looks in its worst state is gross, chaotic and horrible, but when it breaks away, there’s a brand new piece of skin that’s stronger than before,” he said. “Its like creation out of chaos.” “My Favorite Things” is about my personal beliefs about religion and how it oppresses the things I enjoy the most. Unfortunately, the simplest things-such as thinking for myself, creating my own reality, and being whatever the hell I want to be each day of my life-are a sin,” Boyd said. One particular lyric exemplifies his stance- “…remember all the lessons fed to me? Me the young sponge, so ready to agree.” On “S.C.I.E.N.C.E.,” Incubus changes tempo and style at least two to three times per song. Heavy, stop-and-go guitars characterize standouts like “Glass” and “Nebula,” while thick grooves are layed out on “Summer Romance (Anti-Gravity Love Song)” and “Deep Inside.” One thing I’ll guarantee, is that these young men will bring home their report cards with an “A” in science.