Intronaut might not play as ferociously as they did when they started out seven years ago, but they still sound incredibly strong and engaging. Fans who disapproved the shift in direction towards a more progressive and less aggressive sound evidenced on “Valley of Smoke”, most likely will not appreciate this new record either as it is considerably less punishing and much more ethereal. “Habitual Levitations” continues along the same path explored on previous effort, but with a bit more polish and saccharine. They don't seek to pummel listeners with crushing riffs or fierce vocals anymore; instead they now fully embrace their progressive and jazzy influences, delivering a rapturous record full of moments of striking beauty. Songs like “Killing Birds with Stones” and “Milk Leg” are incredibly captivating, enhanced by the charming vocal melodies of Sacha Dunable that along with smooth proggy nuances transport listeners to an ethereal, dreamlike atmosphere.
Unlike some of their peers who often get lost in overly technical details, Intronaut have always possessed a strong sense of restraint and a good understanding of songcraft, and in this particular field “Habitual Levitations” truly excels. These songs are all brilliantly constructed pieces of proggy-metal with jazzy nuances and all performances are in perfect sync.
“Habitual Levitations” shows a group in ascendancy mode, pushing boundaries and evolving their sound. Essentially a pleasant surprise that gets better with each listen. 

Band info: www.intronautofficial.com 
Label info: www.centurymedia.com

 
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Los Angeles, California four-piece Intronaut are fast becoming one of the most vital and interesting bands in modern metal music. Two years on from their excellent and critically acclaimed “Prehistoricisms” album, the band returned last year with an incredible new record that tops everything they’ve done in the past and boasts an unlimited progression. With an increased amount of melody present in the song-writing and a wider exploration of new sounds and nuances, “Valley of Smoke” was unanimously elected as one of the greatest albums of 2010 for various musical publications. Scratch the Surface traded e-mails with vocalist and guitarist Sacha Dunable to find out more about their third full-length record.



“Valley of Smoke” marks a new direction for Intronaut and the first thing that’s audibly different is your vocals. There are a lot more vocal harmonies on the record in detriment of the usual growls and screams. Did anything in particular motivated that decision or it was just a desire to try out something new?

“Yeah basically it was about doing something new. The thing is, we're not really as young and "angsty" as we were 5-10 years ago, so it was starting to feel a little forced, getting up in front of people and just growling at them. Plus, when the music is so intricate and melodic, it’s almost a disservice to just barf your lungs out all over it, rather than using voice as a couple extra musical instruments to have at your disposal.”

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