Incubus.

"I'm really just a boring sort of a person," laughs Incubus percussionist Jose Pasillas. "I just like to play music, and that's pretty much all I know and do. Rather than talk at length about what I do and how I do it, I just like to let the music speak for itself."

It has been approximately two and half years now since Incubus released any new material. The wait has certainly been worthwhile.: the Californian quintet's new album 'A Crow Left Of The Murder' shows the group re-vamping their original progressive rock sound and although (by his own admission) a man of few words, Pasillas was obviously quite happy to talk about the group's evolution since the release of 'Morning View' back in 2001.

"I think that it this is definitely our best work thus far," Pasillas states. "We've certainly grown musically and I think that it really shows on this album, especially with the diversity of styles we're now incorporating. On this one we just released this rush of music, and everyone was really excited and really wanted to play, so writing and composing tended to come quite easily as well. Because we did have a break for quite a while before putting this album together, it meant that everyone had a fresh mind set toward what we were trying to achieve, and the final recording finished up excellent as a result. All the feedback has been quite positive also. Hopefully that's true," Pasillas laughs. "I mean, from what reviews and postings I have read on the Internet people seem to be really digging it, although we haven't put any touring behind it as of yet so we are not to sure about what reactions are going to be to the material live."

Pasillas and vocalist Brandon Boyd formed the group in 1991 as a simple high school project, little knowing that Incubus would become a globally recognised rock entity. In 1997 the group released their first full length album 'S.C.I.E.N.C.E' which they toured behind, supporting such acts as Korn, Sugar Ray, 311, Limp Bizkit and Ozzy Osbourne. Over their subsequent albums the group experimented with blending different musical styles and genres, sometimes becoming a little abstract, but still commercially accepted due to their catchy and melodic undertones.

"I think the diversity which we have included in our music in general is what has held us up for as long as this," Pasillas suggests. "I think that it's safe to say that whether we are playing fast songs, slow songs or even completely different genres, we seem to be able to make it work quite well. I think that our latest recording is a little more hyper or chaotic record than past releases, but more familiar. There is certainly the mellow and softer tunes, but also we have placed in many of the more energetic and aggressive songs in there as well. This is definitely one thing which we had to do, and I am glad to now be back at our roots again."

Their prolonged absence spawned rumours that the end was nigh due to the group's inability to write any worthwhile material. Although the quality of 'A Crow Left Of The Murder' is ample repudiation, I question Pallias about the ease which the group writes new material together.

"Creating new music is not something which we find terribly hard to do," he explains. "You get really tired of playing the same stuff over the years, and new material just seems to come out. The fact that we get to write new material is motivating enough, but the idea that we get to play this new material in front of crowds, and getting to experiment with the music, are pretty strong motivational tool as well. It's no harder now than it was at the beginning."

Having been in the music industry for over a decade now, Pasillas was more than eager to offer a few words of advice to young hopefuls. "I guess it would be good if more people were more real, and this is something which I suggest that people have to look out for. I have been a first hand witness to a lot of pretentiousness. A lot of people really like to blow smoke up your butt because they feel that they need you, and that's one thing which I have despised, but I guess is something which goes hand in hand when you are involved in the entertainment industry," Pasillas shrugs. "I guess I would really recommend that you remember your roots, and keep writing music because you only get better. If you are passionate about what you are doing, don't let up."

Adam Hood

'A Crow Left Of The Murder' is out now through Sony.