By Adam Baer

I gotta admit, the story of a haunted recording studio caught the attention of my inner music geek. With rock’s long history of mystery and mythology: tales of brave Ulysses, stairway to heaven and sympathy for, of all things, the Devil, what’s another log on the pyre? The studio in question belongs to former Primus drummer, Tim Alexander, and the presence residing therein, is how these boys get their name: Into the Presence. The spook-fest vibe can be felt throughout this debut, but the most chilling moments come when singer/guitarist Luis Maldonado parts his lips.

Within a band comprised of excellent musicians: the aforementioned Alexander, Paz Lenchantin (A Perfect Circle) on bass, and her cellist sister, Ana Lenchantin (who has ties to Trent Reznor), no instrument outshines Maldonado’s stellar vocals.

His vibrant, warm tremolo feels like an instant classic no matter what he’s singing. Think the old cliche “That guy could sing the phone book…”, because it’s appropriate. Nothing the rest of the band does is particularly relevant here. It’s all been done before. That’s not to say it’s bad (because it’s pretty good), it’s just not better than the vocals. I know that sounds unfair, but it’s been going on forever. Routinely stealing the spotlight is a singer’s freakin’ job, and Maldonado is working overtime.

Arena-ready songs like “You and I” and “Dear Father” will get the kids all sweat in the pit without losing the connection that’s so vital for a singer to have. Some of said connection is lost on “My Only Crime”, a ballad sung partly in Spanish. The rest of the album works well as a whole.

Haunted is an easy adjective to throw around when talking about hard rock. What’s not easy to throw around is the resonance in the presence of singing like this.

For more information, visit www.myspace.com/IntoThePresence.