Incidense: Incarcerated

Another fine new band has found its way into my CD player. Incidense formed in 2003 in Utrecht, The Netherlands when Lucas Kruiswijk (vocals, keyboards) met Francois Koopmans (guitar, bass, vocals) and soon added Rob Van Nieuwenhuijzen (drums, percussion).

The band's debut entitled Incarcerated is a mixture of heavy rock and metal all wrapped in a shroud of progressiveness. Anyone who digs moody, atmospheric metal will want to check out this band.

The band does a nice job mixing crunchy metallic riffs with atmospheric keyboards and synths making for a well-rounded release. A definite strength are the lead vocals of Kruiswijk. He has an excellent voice, well suited to the genre, with a slight accent that is more of an endearing quality rather than a hindrance. His voice drips with emotion, upping the intensity quotient when required. The band is not as technically minded as some of the big players in progressive metal, ala Dream Theater, but the musicianship is first rate and the band have plenty of chops to hold their own in a genre saturated with talent.

There are only six tracks but they are all solid tunes starting with the progressive minded "Ultimate Sin", alternating between heavier riffage and heartfelt acoustical moments. I dig how the band goes from burning lead work to more atmospheric passages. The moody "Silence Must Break" builds slowly with an electronic edge and a catchy chorus that will have you humming along. One of the more heartfelt offerings is the pretty ballad "Remnants Of The Past" with sweet acoustic guitar and highlight reel lead vocals from Kruiswijk who gives his most emotive performance yet. Another highlight is the edgy "Nothing Left" with stellar keyboard/guitar interplay.

Incarerated was a very pleasant surprise and is an excellent debut album from a promising young band that has a bright future indeed. Looking forward to the band's next release.

Track Listing:
1. Ultimate Sin
2. Silence Must Break
3. Tribulations
4. Remnants Of The Past
5. Nothing Left
6. Abeyance

Added: June 20th 2011
Reviewer: Jon Neudorf
Score:
Related Link: Band's Official Site
Hits: 3781
Language: english

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