So these dudes from Calabasas formed back in 1991 while still in high school and by ’97 they were putting out what might just be their most unhinged and experimental release to date. Incubus was already getting lumped into that nu-metal pile with the rest of the late 90s crowd, but honestly they were always way more interesting than that whole scene. These guys had this weird knack for blending funk metal with alternative rock and throwing in some DJ scratches for good measure, making them sound like they were from another planet entirely.
S.C.I.E.N.C.E. is basically Incubus at their most raw and energetic, it’s got this boisterous youthful energy that just doesn’t quit. The album kicks off strong and maintains this frantic, experimental vibe throughout most of its runtime. You’ve got tracks like “A Certain Shade of Green” which was practically destined to be a single with its super-charged guitar riff, and Brandon Boyd’s vocals were already showing he was operating on a different level than most of his contemporaries. Then there’s “Summer Romance (Anti-Gravity Love Song)” which is this bizarre lounge-type track that somehow still feels like Incubus, it’s like they were already plotting their escape from the nu-metal trap before anyone even knew they were in it. The whole thing gets pretty wild toward the end with tracks like “Nebula,” which remains one of their strangest songs ever, and the alien abduction-themed closer “Calgone”.
This album is pure creative fire, it’s Incubus before they got too polished or worried about radio play. Sure, some of the experimental bits don’t always land perfectly, but that’s kind of the point. It’s messy and loud and aggressive, but it’s also got these moments of genuine musical sophistication that hint at what they’d become. If you want to hear a band that was basically America’s answer to Radiohead before anyone realized it, this is where you start.