In the days of cut & paste and auto-tuning comes a band that relies on creating an album in pure analog bliss. Into The Presence is a brand new band that combines the best elements of progressive & classic rock, indie with a hint of glam rock (70’s).
Their self titled debut caught me completely by surprise. It came to me unsolicited and I thought nothing of it at first. The moment I started to listen to the album, I was instantly hooked from the first breath of the vocals.
Several listens later, I can best describe the music to be equal parts Queen, The Mars Volta, Muse, yet having it‘s own identity. After the album is done, it leaves you with a feeling of an instant classic and timeless vibe. Plus it’s under 40 minutes, which is a perfect length, so the band doesn’t overstay it’s welcome.
The band consists of Luis Maldonado (vocals, guitars) and Tim Alexander (studio-drums). Joining them are Ana Lenchantin (cello) and Paz Lenchantin (studio - bass). For the live setting, the band expands it’s line-up to include Tim Hogan (bass) and Jordon Plosky (drums).
I have to say this is one of those albums that captures you and takes you on a journey. The overall vibe has a haunting yet beautiful element to it. According to Luis, the place they recorded the album at was an abandoned school and each of the members felt a “presence”.
Into The Presence is not a typical retro band. In my opinion, they take the spirit of the 70’s and combine it with modern sensibilities with an amazing result. While not overly complex, the music comes off feeling fresh, especially in this digital age. Without any doubt I must recommend this album to fans of honest rock music. I look forward to hearing what they’ll come up with for a follow-up.
Reviewed by Ron Fuchs on January 17th, 2010
