Incubus

When Incubus first emerged as a cultural force in the late-'90s, they were lumped together with other alt-metal acts like Korn and Trapt, which made sense since, well, they were one of those acts. But the band never fell victim to the blind rage of some of nu-metal's worst offenders, and as they progressed, growing an audience with turn-of-the-century singles like “Drive” and “Wish You Were Here,” their sound grew softer and more thoughtful. As a result, their records have aged better than those of their Ozzfest peers. Released after a half-decade hiatus, the group's 2011 album <i>If Not Now, When?</i> is their most “mature” album by some distance, trading hard guitars for light acoustic ones and gentle synthesizer accents. It's the work of a band that's welcoming middle age with open arms.