Editing S.C.I.E.N.C.E. (section)

==Background==
===Production===
After recording their independent debut album ''[[Fungus Amongus]]'' (1995), Incubus signed a seven-record deal with [[Epic Records|Epic]]/[[Sony Music|Sony]]-affiliated [[Immortal Records]] in 1996.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-apr-11-fi-incubus11-story.html|title=Sony and Incubus Reach New Agreement|date=April 11, 2003|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]}}</ref> An EP titled ''[[Enjoy Incubus]]'' was released by Epic/Immortal at the beginning of 1997, and Incubus would go on a European tour with labelmates [[Korn]] and [[The Urge]] for the next few months.<ref name="ug04"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news-bulletin.com/incubus-draws-inspiration-from-wide-range-of-musical-sources/|title=Incubus draws inspiration from wide range of musical sources|first=Jennifer|last=Harmon|date=April 17, 2002}}</ref><ref name="gaun">{{Cite web|url=https://www.thegauntlet.com/bio/216/Incubus.html%7Ctitle=The|title=The Gauntlet - Incubus bio|website=www.thegauntlet.com}}</ref> With ''Enjoy Incubus'', the label's strategy was to build the band's fanbase through touring rather than radio airplay.<ref name="idi"/> One of the first things the band had done after getting signed was buying new instruments, which would be used on future recordings. Drummer José Pasillas said that the band's old instruments were "falling apart".<ref name="lessons">{{Cite web|url=https://mydrumlessons.co.uk/2017/07/jose-pasillas-looks-back-on-his-career/|title=José Pasillas looks back on his career highlights &#124; My Drum Lessons|date=July 8, 2017}}</ref> Guitarist [[Mike Einziger]] had previously been using an [[Ibanez]] RG570, and spent his money from the record company to purchase a [[PRS Guitars|Paul Reed Smith guitar]]. The four founding band members were in their early 20s at this point, and dropped out of school once getting signed, with Pasillas recalling "before then, each one of us were enrolled in schools because there was part of us that wanted to appease our parents. Getting signed was our okay to drop out of school."<ref name="lessons"/> DJ Lyfe was older than the other four members and originally joined Incubus in late 1995, following the release of ''Fungus Amongus''.<ref name="gaun"/> Lyfe had first met Incubus at a live show in [[Hollywood, California|Hollywood]], where he approached them about incorporating his music into the band, claiming that it might add an interesting dimension to their sound.<ref name="gaun"/><ref name="rec2000">{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3NBIAAAAIBAJ&dq=%22incubus%22+%22s.c.i.e.n.c.e.%22&pg=PA19&article_id=3967,2411997|title=Record-Journal|publisher=Record-Journal|via=Google Books}}</ref>

Incubus's full-length major label debut ''S.C.I.E.N.C.E.'' would be recorded between May 1997 and June 1997. Singer [[Brandon Boyd]] said "''S.C.I.E.N.C.E.'' was done in six weeks at 4th Street Recording, a very small, charming studio in [[Santa Monica, California|Santa Monica]]. Very different experience, but very important on this band's existence."<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.incubusonline.com/iframe/bio/studio-science.htm |title=Incubus Online IncubusView |access-date=December 14, 2015 |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304140413/http://www.incubusonline.com/iframe/bio/studio-science.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> While the single "[[New Skin (song)|New Skin]]" originated a few years prior, Pasillas claimed in 2002 that for other songs they had two months to write the music. He added, "it was cool for us, because we had a lot of ideas and it was a pretty compressed amount of time. The circumstances weren't ideal — we were working in a dingy little rehearsal room — but at that time we didn't care. We were playing music for a living."<ref name="drummer">''Modern Drummer: MD.'' (2002). United States: Modern Drummer Publications.</ref> According to Pasillas, they wrote 14 songs for ''S.C.I.E.N.C.E.'' in total.<ref name="drummer"/>

Unlike with later Incubus albums, the songs were recorded to tape,<ref name="sbl"/> and the band wanted to avoid creating music that they wouldn't be able to perform live.<ref name="sbl"/> During the recording, the band utilized older analogue gear that they described as having "phat sounds and spider webs."<ref name="ly"/> Incubus chose Jim Wirt to produce the album, since he had worked with them on earlier recordings.<ref name="ly"/> Einziger believed that Wirt helped encourage their creativity during the recording of ''S.C.I.E.N.C.E.'', saying in 1997, "he helps us come up with strange stuff and he likes it when we do. He doesn't try to change what we do, he tries to enhance it."<ref name="ly"/> Einziger added in the same interview, "when we signed our record deal and started working on this album, we were worried that someone would come along and tell us to hold back, and try and make our songs a little more palatable. But that never happened. They kinda just said, 'do whatever you want'. With that kind of support, we just let everything kind of run wild."<ref>{{cite web |title=Incubus back for more |url=https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/03/06/08/incubus-back-more |website=[[ABS-CBN Corporation]] |date=March 7, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221118225844/https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/03/06/08/incubus-back-more |archive-date=November 18, 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref> Pasillas similarly noted the lack of outside influence in 2017, saying "we didn’t have label people coming in hovering above us making sure we weren't wasting money. We were left to our own devices and we worked well that way."<ref name="lessons"/> In a 2018 interview with Australian magazine ''HEAVY'', Boyd remembered "when we wrote ''S.C.I.E.N.C.E.'' we didn't know about any songwriting rules. It was like a chopped salad, schizophrenic album put together and we did it because we just didn’t know any better. We were just having a good time."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://heavymag.com.au/incubus/|title=Brandon Boyd on Incubus &#124; HEAVY Magazine|first=Kris|last=Peters|date=January 31, 2018}}</ref> He also believes that Incubus still hadn't found a distinct voice of their own yet, saying in 2022 that they sounded like the offspring from a "crazy [[orgy]]" between [[Faith No More]], [[Mr. Bungle]], [[Red Hot Chili Peppers]], [[Björk]] and other artists.<ref name="chron"/> Einziger told ''[[Guitar World]]'' in 2011 that the band developed more of their own sound on later albums since they had experienced more of the world through touring by then, and that on ''S.C.I.E.N.C.E.'' "[we sounded] like what we had been listening to."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.guitarworld.com/features/interview-incubus-guitarist-mike-einziger-talks-if-not-now-when|title=Interview: Incubus Guitarist Mike Einziger Talks 'If Not Now, When?|author1=Josh Hart|date=July 13, 2011|website=guitarworld}}</ref>

For the liner notes, every member except DJ Lyfe and bassist [[Alex Katunich]] used a pseudonym made specifically for the album, with Boyd's being "Cornelius", Einziger's being "Jawa" and Pasillas's being "Badmammajamma".<ref>Liner notes for ''S.C.I.E.N.C.E.'' (Epic/Immortal, 1997)</ref> The concept of using pseudonyms was carried over from ''Fungus Amongus'' and ''Enjoy Incubus'', where the members had been using several different ones created specifically for those releases, including the pseudonyms "Happy Knappy" and "Brandon of the Jungle" (used by Boyd), and the pseudonyms "Fabio" and "Dynamike" (used by Einziger).<ref>Liner notes for ''Fungus Amongus'' (Chillum, 1995)</ref><ref name="enjoy">Liner notes for ''Enjoy Incubus'' (Epic/Immortal, 1997).</ref> Katunich used the pseudonym "Dirk Lance" for all three of these releases, while DJ Lyfe used the pseudonym "Kid Lyfe" for ''Enjoy Incubus'', before deciding to use his regular stage name for ''S.C.I.E.N.C.E.''.<ref name="enjoy"/>

Mastering work was done at Larrabee West Studios in Hollywood, California. When ''S.C.I.E.N.C.E.'' was in the process of being recorded and mastered, the band went on some local mini-tours, in addition to appearing on the soundtrack for the movie ''[[Spawn (1997 film)|Spawn]]''.<ref name="idi"/> The soundtrack was released on July 29, 1997, by Epic/Immortal, and featured a collaboration with [[DJ Greyboy]] called "Familiar".<ref name="lark">{{cite book |chapter=Incubus |title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |title-link=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |publisher=[[Omnibus Press]] |edition=5th concise |year=2011 |last=Larkin |first=Colin |author-link=Colin Larkin |isbn=978-0-7432-0169-8}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/spawn-the-album-original-soundtrack--mw0000030260|title=Original Soundtrack Spawn: The Album [Original Soundtrack] Album Reviews, Songs & More &#124; AllMusic|website=[[AllMusic]]}}</ref> This song also briefly appeared in the movie itself, which was released to theaters on August 1, 1997. It samples the 1960 song "Theme for Doris", by jazz musician [[Tina Brooks]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.whosampled.com/sample/720303/Incubus-DJ-Greyboy-Familiar-Tina-Brooks-Theme-for-Doris/|title=Incubus and DJ Greyboy's 'Familiar' sample of Tina Brooks's 'Theme for Doris' &#124; WhoSampled|website=[[WhoSampled]] }}</ref> Boyd claimed in a 1997 ''[[Kerrang!]]'' interview that he had seen the ''Spawn'' movie, and described it as "a really shitty movie" with  "a great soundtrack".<ref name="oct97"/> That year, the song "Glass" was also featured on a 7 inch vinyl single with the song "Water & Solutions", by Epic/Immortal labelmates [[Far (band)|Far]]. "Water & Solutions" was taken from the [[Water & Solutions|album of the same name]], which was recorded around the same time as ''S.C.I.E.N.C.E.'', but not released until March 1998.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rootsvinylguide.com/ebay_items/incubus-glass-vinyl-and-water-solutions-split-7-1997-immortal-records-rare|title=Roots Vinyl Guide|website=www.rootsvinylguide.com}}</ref> Incubus later toured with Far, and on promotional photos for 2001's ''[[Morning View]]'', Einziger can be seen wearing a hoodie with the cover of their 1997 EP ''Soon''.<ref name="conarc"/>

===Musical style and influences===
Musically, ''S.C.I.E.N.C.E.'' has been described as [[alternative metal]],<ref name="uglist">{{Cite web|url=https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/articles/features/10_classic_albums_that_defined_the_90s_alternative_metal_scene-166485|title=10 Classic Albums That Defined the '90s Alternative Metal Scene|website=www.ultimate-guitar.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/make-yourself-mw0000542004 |title=''Make Yourself'' – Incubus |website=[[AllMusic]] |access-date=October 1, 2015 |last=Huey |first=Steve}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.kerrang.com/the-50-best-albums-from-1999/|title=The 50 best albums from 1999|website=[[Kerrang!]]|date=10 July 2020 }}</ref> [[nu metal]],<ref name="vh1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.vh1.com/news/gy3zmn/underrated-nu-metal-albums|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220604163153/https://www.vh1.com/news/gy3zmn/underrated-nu-metal-albums|url-status=live|archive-date=June 4, 2022|title=The 12 Most Underrated Nu Metal Albums|website=VH1 News}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://chicagoreader.com/music/incubus-hated-nu-metal-before-hating-nu-metal-was-cool/ | title=Incubus hated nu-metal before hating nu-metal was cool | date=September 11, 2018 }}</ref><ref name="rev"/> [[funk metal]],<ref name="sin"/><ref name="Kemp"/><ref name="oral">{{cite web |last1=Bland |first1=Simon |title="Instead Of Falling Into Some Subgenre Of Rock, We Created Our Own": An Oral History Of Incubus' ''Make Yourself'' |url=https://www.kerrang.com/features/instead-of-falling-into-some-subgenre-of-rock-we-created-our-own-an-oral-history-of-incubus-make-yourself/ |website=[[Kerrang!]] |access-date=November 8, 2020 |date=October 26, 2020 |quote=After multiple world tours in support of 1997's funk metal record S.C.I.E.N.C.E, Incubus finally land back in LA to begin work on a new album}}</ref> and [[rap metal]].<ref name="Kemp"/> The album incorporates elements of multiple genres, including [[jazz]],<ref name="chron"/><ref name="Sullivan"/><ref name="loud"/><ref name="Pitchfork"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yv8vAAAAIBAJ&dq=%22incubus%22+%22s.c.i.e.n.c.e.%22&pg=PA9&article_id=4147,10142873|title=Rome News-Tribune|publisher=Rome News-Tribune|via=Google Books}}</ref> [[Heavy metal music|heavy metal]],<ref name="pull"/><ref name="Friedlander">{{cite book |last1=Friedlander |first1=Paul |title=Rock & Roll: A Social History |year=2006 |publisher=Basic Books |isbn=0-8133-4306-2 |page=305 |chapter=We Should Be Together}}</ref><ref name="Sullivan">{{cite journal |title=The Accidental Sex Symbol |journal=[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]] |volume=17 |issue=11 |date=November 2001 |page=78 |last=Sullivan |first=Kate}}</ref> [[funk]],<ref name="chron"/><ref name="Friedlander"/><ref name="Sullivan"/> [[hip hop music|hip hop]],<ref name="Friedlander"/><ref name="loud"/> [[techno]],<ref name="Friedlander"/><ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.rockcellarmagazine.com/incubus-make-yourself-greek-theatre-concert-review-recap-20-years/|title=Incubus Celebrates 20 Years of 'Make Yourself' at the Greek in L.A.(Recap)|website=www.rockcellarmagazine.com|date=28 October 2019 }}</ref> and [[Electro (music)|electro]].<ref name="chron">{{Cite web|url=https://chroniclet.com/news/311667/incubus-frontman-hopes-audiences-will-come-out-and-sing-along-at-bands-blossom-music-center-show/|title=Incubus frontman hopes audiences will 'come out and sing along' at band's Blossom Music Center show|website=chroniclet.com}}</ref><ref name="Pitchfork"/> It was labelled as "schizo funk/jazz/metal" by ''[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]'' in 2001.<ref name="01spin"/> In September 1997, ''[[Hits (magazine)|Hits]]'' magazine called the album's lighter songs "[[lounge music|loungey]]" and "almost reminiscent of [[Jamiroquai]]".<ref>https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Hits/90s/1997/Hits-1997-09-05.pdf</ref> "Magic Medicine", described as a [[trip hop]] track, samples a recorded reading of a children's book.<ref name="Kerr">{{cite journal |url=http://dropd.com/issue/92/CD/Incubus/ |title=Review of ''S.C.I.E.N.C.E.'' |journal=Drop-D Magazine |date=April 11, 1998 |access-date=November 20, 2010 |last=Kerr |first=Darren}}</ref> Paul Elliot of ''Kerrang!'' wrote in May 1998 that "at their lightest — on 'Summer Romance (Anti-Gravity Love Song)' for example — Incubus are deliciously, irresistibly funky. And at their heaviest — notably on the frantic 'Favorite Things' — they're reminiscent of Faith No More at their wildest."<ref name="may98ker">''Kerrang!'' (699). May 16, 1998.</ref> Elliot added that people who were upset about the split of Faith No More "[should go along] to an Incubus gig."<ref name="may98ker"/> ''[[The Daily Nebraskan]]'' referred to them as a "funk-heavy foursome" in 1998, while ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' labelled them a [[funk rock]] band in December 1997.<ref name="dec97bill"/> According to ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' writer Rob Kemp, ''S.C.I.E.N.C.E.'' "links funk metal to the rap-metal".<ref name="Kemp"/> Though sometimes retrospectively associated with it, the term nu metal was not yet in usage when ''S.C.I.E.N.C.E.'' was released, but rather terms such as alternative metal, funk metal and rap metal.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.news-journalonline.com/story/entertainment/music/2023/05/11/welcome-to-rockville-the-5-best-records-released-by-bands-at-rockville/70200266007/|title=Welcome to Rockville: What are the 5 best albums released by 2023's headliners?|first=Ryan|last=Pritt|website=Daytona Beach News-Journal Online}}</ref> In 1997, Boyd said "people are real quick to put labels on music, so I'm sure they're going to do that with us. But we think we're doing something cool, and judging from the responses that we've gotten from all over the world, others do too."<ref name="ly"/> Einziger has since stated that Incubus were not part of the same Southern Californian scene as bands like Korn and [[System of a Down]] during their independent years, despite having similar influences.<ref name="pod">{{Cite web|url=https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tuna-on-toast-with-incubus-michael-einziger/id1584690660?i=1000554039781|title=Tuna on Toast with Stryker: Tuna on Toast with Incubus Michael Einziger on Apple Podcasts|website=Apple Podcasts}}</ref> In interviews from the late 2010s and 2020s, Boyd has said that he dislikes the nu metal label and doesn't consider the band's early work to be part of the movement.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2017/apr/25/incubus-on-nu-metal-skrillex-interview|title=Incubus on nu-metal: 'It always made me cringe'|date=April 25, 2017|access-date=October 25, 2023|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.revolvermag.com/music/incubus-brandon-boyd-says-late-90s-heavy-music-was-dominated-mindlessness|last=Enis|first=Eli|title=Incubus' Brandon Boyd Says Late 90s Heavy Music Was "Dominated by Mindlessness"|date=October 27, 2022|access-date=October 25, 2023|website=[[Revolver (magazine)|Revolver]]}}</ref> In a 2022 ''[[Metal Hammer]]'' interview, he remarked, "we weren’t trying to fit into a particular niche at a particular time. We were just kids being influenced by a small handful of bands that we grew up with."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/general_music_news/incubus_frontman_says_being_labeled_nu_metal_hurt_his_feelings_reveals_what_touring_with_korn_was_like.html|title=Incubus Frontman Says Being Labeled Nu Metal 'Hurt His Feelings', Reveals What Touring With Korn Was Like|website=[[Ultimate Guitar]]}}</ref>

''[[Revolver (magazine)|Revolver]]'' describe Brandon Boyd as vocally "drawing on the eccentric funk-rap" of Faith No More, Primus and Red Hot Chili Peppers.<ref name="auto2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.revolvermag.com/music/10-best-nu-metal-vocalists-all-time|title=10 Best Nu-Metal Vocalists of All Time|date=July 26, 2021|website=[[Revolver (magazine)|Revolver]]}}</ref> They consider him to have a "goofy yet also badass presence" on ''S.C.I.E.N.C.E.''<ref name="auto2"/> Boyd has cited Faith No More's vocalist [[Mike Patton]] as being an influence from since he was an early teenager, as well as Patton's side project Mr. Bungle, who were similarly known for mixing a wide array of genres.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.music-news.com/news/UK/144473/Brandon-Boyd-of-Incubus-Jeff-Buckley-to-me-was-my-first-experience-of-a-Western-male-singer|title=Brandon Boyd of Incubus: 'Jeff Buckley to me was my first experience of a Western male singer'|website=Music-News.com}}</ref> Through Mr. Bungle, Boyd also went on to become a fan of [[avant-garde]] musician [[John Zorn]], who produced their [[Mr. Bungle (album)|1991 debut album]].<ref>[https://groups.google.com/g/alt.music.mr-bungle/c/0j44ai3NEWI/m/CYC8atWgg5AJ 2000 Brandon Boyd interview, via]</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://loudwire.com/incubus-singer-brandon-boyd-talks-influences-at-musicians-institute/|title=Incubus Singer Brandon Boyd Talks Influences at Musicians Institute|first=Tree|last=Riddle|date=March 7, 2012|website=Loudwire}}</ref> In a 2003 interview with the ''[[Philippine Daily Inquirer]]'', Boyd said that around this period, both he and Einziger gravitated towards more experimental artists that "you'll never hear on the radio".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VFU1AAAAIBAJ&dq=%22incubus%22+%22phish%22+%22mr+bungle%22&pg=PA47&article_id=512,19208917|title=Philippine Daily Inquirer|publisher=Philippine Daily Inquirer|via=Google Books}}</ref> Alex Katunich uses a [[Slapping (music)|slap bass]] playing style on the album, and has said he was influenced by funk music since he was a young child, and got an album of [[Disney]] songs done in [[disco]] style.<ref name="sbl"/> When he became a teenager, he said Faith No More's 1989 album ''[[The Real Thing (Faith No More album)|The Real Thing]]'' began influencing him, in addition to becoming influenced by Mr. Bungle and other funk metal bands, such as [[Infectious Grooves]], Primus and Red Hot Chili Peppers.<ref name="sbl">Katunich, Alex (2024). ''The SBL Podcast''.</ref> In a 1998 interview, Boyd was asked about whether Incubus was influenced by Faith No More, who had broken up in April of that year, and he commented, "there's a definite influence from Faith No More. All of us have been listening to that band since when we were really young. We were like 14 or something when that album [''The Real Thing''] came out. They were an awesome band, they did some really groundbreaking things in their time, and it's kind of a bummer to hear that they broke up."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6df7tvc3A0|title=Incubus &#124; Green Room Tales|date=25 July 2017 |via=www.youtube.com}}</ref> Boyd also noted in October 1997 that they were frequently compared to both Faith No More and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, saying "when people do try and compare us, it's usually with those two bands."<ref name="oct97">{{Cite web|url=http://incubus-france.chez-alice.fr/kerrang1.htm|title=Interview Incubus - Kerrang octobre 1997|website=incubus-france.chez-alice.fr}}</ref>

In addition to these influences, the band became interested in emerging [[electronic music|electronic]] genres like [[drum and bass]] around the making of ''S.C.I.E.N.C.E.'', with their previous full-length album ''Fungus Amongus'' having no influence from electronic genres. While playing at European festivals with Korn and The Urge during early 1997, they recall being exposed to foreign electronic acts such as [[The Chemical Brothers]].<ref name="pod"/> During the subsequent ''S.C.I.E.N.C.E.'' tour, the band sometimes created improvisational pieces of drum and bass music in between their songs, and this was how the song "Nowhere Fast" originated, with it being recorded for their next album ''[[Make Yourself]]'' (1999).<ref name="bio99"/> ''S.C.I.E.N.C.E.'' was also the band's first release to be written with turntables, since several of the songs on ''Enjoy Incubus'' were re-recordings of tracks from ''Fungus Amongus''. In a 2000 interview, Boyd remembered that when Incubus first met DJ Lyfe and he suggested adding his instrument, they were intrigued by this idea. They decided to incorporate the instrument after only a single rehearsal with Lyfe, with Boyd recalling that "it just began to present itself as probably a very cool new instrument that could offer lots and lots of opportunities sonically."<ref name="rec2000"/> [[AllMusic]] describe the use of turntables as being the main hip hop element on the album, which primarily features melodic, sung vocals rather than rapping or other vocal styles such as screaming.<ref name="Thomas"/> The album utilizes other instruments also not traditionally associated with rock music, including the [[saxophone]] and the [[digeridoo]] and [[djembe]] (which originate from Australia and West Africa).<ref name="spin98"/> Boyd can be heard playing the digeridoo at the beginning of the opening track "Redefine", and he would bring one with him on the tour for ''S.C.I.E.N.C.E.''.<ref name="bio99">Incubus.com biography by Brandon Boyd (1999)</ref>

{{Listen
|filename= Incubus Calgone sample.ogg
|title="Calgone" (1997)
|description=30 second sample of the ''S.C.I.E.N.C.E.'' track "Calgone".
}}

===Songs===
About the opening track "Redefine", Boyd said in 1997:
{{cquote|"Redefine" is about the creation of your own reality and your own world. The metaphor I used was humans being like Magic Markers. For so long, they painted black and white pictures in their life because that's all they thought they could do. But they can paint with a different color and make a very vibrant and beautiful picture if they take control.|4=Brandon Boyd (1997)|5=<ref name=ly />}}

On the single "New Skin", he further elaborated:
{{cquote|In "New Skin", I attribute a scab to the present state of society. The way the scab looks in its worst state is gross and chaotic and horrible, that's now, but when it breaks away, there's a brand new piece of skin that's stronger than before. It's like creation out of chaos.|4=Brandon Boyd (1997)|5=<ref name=ly />}}

The song "Favorite Things", according to Boyd, related to the topic of religion:
{{cquote|"My Favorite Things" is my personal beliefs about religion and how it oppresses the things I enjoy the most. Unfortunately, the simplest things, such as thinking for myself, creating my own reality and being whatever the hell I want to be each day of my life, are a sin. To be a good Christian basically means to give up the reigns of your life and let some unseen force do it for you.|4=Brandon Boyd (1997)|5=<ref name=ly />}}

"Favorite Things" also includes a sample of the 1959 track "Flamenco Fantasy", by [[easy listening]] group the [[101 Strings|101 Strings Orchestra]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.whosampled.com/sample/121289/Incubus-Favorite-Things-101-Strings-Flamenco-Fantasy/|title=Incubus's 'Favorite Things' sample of 101 Strings's 'Flamenco Fantasy' &#124; WhoSampled|website=[[WhoSampled]] }}</ref> The song has a similar title to "[[My Favorite Things (song)|My Favorite Things]]", from the ''[[Mary Poppins (film)|Mary Poppins]]'' musical and film, with both songs repeatedly mentioning their titles in the lyrics. However, it does not musically reference "My Favorite Things". The single "A Certain Shade of Green" has been described as being a song about [[procrastination]].<ref name="songfacts">{{Cite web|url=https://www.songfacts.com/lyrics/incubus/a-certain-shade-of-green|title=Lyrics for A Certain Shade Of Green by Incubus - Songfacts}}</ref> The line "Are you gonna stand around till 2012 A.D.?" is a reference to [[2012 phenomenon|an interpretation]] of the [[Maya calendar|Mayan calendar]] which dictated that the world would end on December 21, 2012. Boyd did not believe this to be true, but it was on his mind as his mother was researching it for a book called ''Maya Memory: The Glory That Was Palenque''.<ref name="songfacts"/>

While recording "Nebula", Boyd said in 1997, "we found out what it's like to actually plug a phaser pedal into the wall while it's on. It sounds like a laser gun, and that's the first sound you hear in 'Nebula'."<ref name="ly"/> He added that for the song, "we used these walkie-talkies for children that have this Slinky-like coil between them. When you talk through them and hit the coil, it makes this natural reverb, like talking in another dimension."<ref name="ly"/>

"Summer Romance (Anti-Gravity Love Song)" was the first love ballad the band wrote, but was written in a less serious manner than later songs touching on similar subjects, such as "[[Stellar (song)|Stellar]]". It featured saxophonist Jeremy Wasser of [[Hoobastank]], a band which grew up in the same neighborhood of Southern California. The members of Hoobastank had known Incubus since 1993, and through them were introduced to Jim Wirt in 1996, with Wirt going on to produce several Hoobastank recordings.<ref>https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Hits/00s/2002/Hits-2002-02-15.pdf</ref> At that time, Hoobastank were unsigned and also playing a funk metal-style of music inspired by bands like Faith No More and Mr. Bungle. By the time Hoobastank signed to [[Island Records]] in 2000, they got rid of Wasser and had changed their sound to a more straightforward rock style.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mtv.com/news/rjpmiv/hoobastank-crawling-out-of-incubus-shadow|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221204105348/https://www.mtv.com/news/rjpmiv/hoobastank-crawling-out-of-incubus-shadow|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 4, 2022|title=Hoobastank 'Crawling' Out Of Incubus' Shadow|website=MTV}}</ref> The penultimate track "Deep Inside" is another of the lighter songs on the album, drawing heavily from funk music. However, it also has a short heavy metal section beginning roughly 3 minutes into the song. The lyrics reference being high on drugs at 3 A.M. in the morning, and as the song goes on the time progresses to 4 A.M. and eventually 5 A.M.<ref>"Deep Inside" lyrics, Incubus. (Epic/Immortal Records, 1997)</ref> "Deep Inside" stopped being performed live when Alex Katunich left Incubus at the beginning of April 2003, with the last known performance coming during December 2001.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.setlist.fm/stats/incubus-1bd68944.html|title=Incubus Tour Statistics &#124; setlist.fm|website=www.setlist.fm}}</ref>

The closing track "Calgone" lyrically revolves around an alien abduction.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://chorus.fm/reviews/incubus-s-c-i-e-n-c-e/|title=Incubus – S.C.I.E.N.C.E.|date=September 8, 2022|website=chorus.fm}}</ref> It ends with a sound clip of the band arguing with DJ Lyfe (who is referred to by his real name of Gavin), for supposedly deleting a track they had been working on in the studio.<ref>"Calgone" lyrics, Incubus. (Epic/Immortal Records, 1997)</ref> On physical versions of the album, "Calgone" is followed by a hidden track called "Segue 1", which plays after 30 seconds of silence. The hidden track is also known as "Jose Loves [[Kate Moss]], Part 1", and has been treated as a separate track on streaming sites such as [[Spotify]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://open.spotify.com/album/0XC5hMpEFLDSuRxc5bVtIZ|title=S.C.I.E.N.C.E.|date=September 9, 1997|via=open.spotify.com}}</ref> It begins with a sound recording at a morgue, and the pathologist is describing injuries a patient had sustained during a car crash on May 12, 1997.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://hiddensongs.com/incubus-science|title=Incubus: "Segue 1" from S.C.I.E.N.C.E.}}</ref> The hidden track goes on to feature several different sound samples and funk/electronic musical pieces. It samples sounds from the 1985 [[Sorcerer (pinball)|Sorcerer pinball machine]] and the song "Show Me Your Titz", from Hoobastank's 1997 demo ''Muffins''.<ref name="samp"/> It also has an electronic piece in the style of [[Mozart]]'s [[Toy Symphony]], a sound sample of an unknown woman saying "is this the shit, or what?", and a short skit parodying ''[[The Karate Kid]]''.<ref name="samp">{{Cite web |url=https://www.whosampled.com/Incubus/Segue-1/|title=Segue 1 by Incubus - Samples, Covers and Remixes |website=WhoSampled}}</ref><ref>"Calgone" lyrics, Incubus (1997).</ref>

===Title and artwork===
In 1997, Einziger claimed that the title reflected the experimental nature of the album, and the creative freedom the band were given. He was quoted as saying, "our album is called ''S.C.I.E.N.C.E.'' because we were able to experiment. We were able to take our time and get everything to sound the way we wanted it to — weird science and energetic funk."<ref name="ly">{{Cite web|url=https://manduhinc.tripod.com/incyabusandyermom/id41.html|title=Incu- Bio|website=manduhinc.tripod.com}}</ref><ref name="ug04">{{Cite web|url=https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/articles/features/incubus_brandon_boyd_the_artist-42325|title=Incubus' Brandon Boyd: The Artist|website=www.ultimate-guitar.com}}</ref> It has also been mentioned by various band members that the acronym ''S.C.I.E.N.C.E.'' stands for ''Sailing Catamarans Is Every Nautical Captain's Ecstasy''. "Sometimes, we just sit around and come up with these for laughs.  In other words, there's not just one meaning, it's just food for thought," said Boyd in 1998.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.obiwan.com/ozzfest/interview_incubus.html|title=Ozzfest 98 - Interviews - Incubus|website=www.obiwan.com}}</ref> In other early interviews, band members claimed that the title stood for ''Stupid Cops Invade Everyone's Natural Chaotic Energy'', ''Sounds Cool in Eyes Near Communistic Entities'' and ''Surreal Cats in Economics Never Communicate Estacticly''.<ref name="faq">{{Cite web|url=http://incubus_idiot421.tripod.com/incubusidiots/id4.html|title=F.A.Q.|website=incubus_idiot421.tripod.com}}</ref>

The cover art features a photo of the head of Boyd's father, who had earlier appeared on the cover of ''Enjoy Incubus''. The source of the photos were unknown at the time, and the man on the cover of these releases came to be known as 'Chuck'.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.kerrang.com/a-deep-dive-into-incubus-pardon-me-video|title=A deep dive into Incubus' Pardon Me video|date=October 19, 2019|website=Kerrang!}}</ref> The cover is also the first to include the band's current logo, which has been used on every subsequent studio album (with the exception of ''[[A Crow Left of the Murder...]]'' and ''[[Light Grenades]]'').