Intronaut - Habitual Levitations (Instilling Words With Tones) (2013)^{Release ID: 6916}

Intronaut quickly emerged as a pioneering band in heavy music in 2008 with their breakthrough opus Prehistoricisms. Their acclaimed 2010 follow-up Valley of Smoke solidified their place as one of metal's most innovative up-and-coming bands. Their primary genre is often described as "atmospheric sludge metal", but they include audible influences from genres as diverse as jazz, progressive rock, doom metal, and Indian, African and Asian rhythms. Their songs often include both heavy metal portions with aggressive guitars as well as softer progressive, jazzy interludes. 

But Intronaut refused to be predictable, adding new elements to their sound, including soft, clean vocals and increased experimentation with post-rock atmospheres. As a fan of Valley of Smoke, I was eager to hear Habitual Levitations for myself. 

The album begins on a high note, with three consecutive great songs. However, the remaining six songs are largely mediocre and contain none of the memorable moments Intronaut are usually so good at producing. All of the musicianship is top-notch, as always, but the music itself was lacking this time around for Intronaut. Habitual Levitation is as good as neither of the two albums that precede it. If you're interested in this band, start with one of the aforementioned albums. Intronaut is an incredibly talented band, but 2013 is not their year. The changes they have made, while respectable, do not suit them (Intronaut vocalist, you are not Maynard Keenan!). The new album comes off as a little too dull and a little too flat and a little too linear, with the shining moments too few and far between to merit listening to it all the way through more than a couple times.

Overall Rating: 3.2/5

Standout Tracks: Killing Birds With Stones, The Welding, Steps, The Way Down and THE BASSIST ON EVERY SINGLE FUCKING TRACK