Hey guys!
You see, 2013 is promising to be a great year! We keep introducing you to the upcoming projects on these pages… And not a day goes by without us coming across exciting new albums!
Case in point, my senior editor lonestar sent this band my way a little while ago… Man!! Was I hooked instantly! He will review the album for you guys, in the very near future but I couldn’t resist the desire to write about this amazing bunch! So here is a quick overview.
Well, let me begin with the big news. This Vancouver-based band is releasing their self-titled full-length debut album in North America on 26th February, 2013.
Although they are of another breed onto themselves, if I had to label their genre, I would say prog-metal rock opera! Compelling definition isn’t it? Well because their sound is!
OK… If you want to have a taste before moving on, click away for their lyric video for the track, “I’m Here Waiting” from their forthcoming album here. Sean Sirianni was asked to “make something really creepy with old horror footage” and he definitely pulled that one off! I like the creepy!!!
I said prog-metal rock opera but I should say it is more complicated than that. The album embodies an interesting and wide array of musical influences incorporating elements of classic rock, progressive metal, punk rock and post-hardcore.
This album stole my attention with its high art form. It’s the second album I got the Vaudevillian musical vibe from, in recent years. The mighty Queen influence can be felt throughout the record. Kyle Gruninger, who has his roots in professional theater, reinforced my opinion by saying that they wrote the album for people who love art and creativity. If you consider yourself one of those, YOU -SHOULD – CHECK – THEM – OUT!
These guys are definitely channeling the spirit of other art forms into musical brilliance. Such an ear-candy with its complexity, high quality and infectiousness! What greatly impressed me, besides their solid song-writing and soaring operatic vocals of Kyle Gruninger, are the instrumentation, the complexity of the arrangements and mastery in musicianship. Each musician is finding his own niche in the overall sound, while complementing each other in a nicely realised whole.
The album is coherent in sound and quality. There is no weak song if you ask me with every track having at least a few moments of brilliance. Flow and pacing is nothing short of awesome. Mind you, coherence shall not be mixed with sameness; it’s coherent yet so varied. It’s sometimes uplifting, groovy and quirky, often melancholic, occasionally jaw-dropping and always utterly beautiful. Some of the finest song-writing! Absolute perfection!
Jim McLaren, who is carrying out the key work on the album, says “I like anything that has to do with Prog. My musical training consisted of tons of YES, King Crimson, Genesis, ELP and Dream Theater to name a few.” It’s clear that he is throwing that part of himself into the sound of Incura.
All the other musicians, Jono Olson (bass), Royce Whittaker (guitar) and Phil Gardner (drums) are very good at their respective instruments. I’ll leave it to lonestar to introduce the talented musicians and their great work on the album as this is quickly becoming a full album review 🙂
One last word. Incura already toured with some big names such as Stone Temple Pilots, Shinedown and Apocalyptica. I think we will be seeing them a lot in the global prog-scene in the coming years. Or at least I do hope so!!! Speaking of which, all the promoters in Europe, hear me out, bring these guys to us, I have to see them live! ASAP!!!
Enjoy!
P.S. If you want to find out more about the band, you can visit their official site here.
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