The album was certified gold by the RIAA, and is the second and final release to feature Gavin Koppel (known as DJ Lyfe), who first appeared on the 1997 Enjoy Incubus EP.

[8] Guitarist Mike Einziger had previously been using an Ibanez RG570, and spent his money from the record company to purchase a Paul Reed Smith guitar.

[6] Lyfe had first met Incubus at a live show in Hollywood, where he approached them about incorporating his music into the band, claiming that it might add an interesting dimension to their sound.

[11] Unlike with later Incubus albums, the songs were recorded to tape,[12] and the band wanted to avoid creating music that they wouldn't be able to perform live.

"[13] 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.

"[14] 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.

"[15] 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.

"[17] 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".

[35] The album incorporates elements of multiple genres, including heavy metal,[37][38][39] funk,[16][38][39] hip hop,[38][40] techno,[38][41] jazz,[16][39][40][42][43] and electro.

"[13] 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.

[50] 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.

"[53] Revolver describe Brandon Boyd as vocally "drawing on the eccentric funk-rap" of Faith No More, Primus and Red Hot Chili Peppers.

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.

[61] 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).

[69] 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.

[75] 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.

[77] 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).

Shortly before the release of S.C.I.E.N.C.E., Incubus played a handful of shows with rap rock bands Phunk Junkeez and Shootyz Groove.

[48][7] At that time, Sugar Ray were experiencing huge success with their single "Fly", which had been released in mid-1997, and while the tour was happening their album Floored was certified platinum for sales of over a million copies.

[89] Boyd found out that his girlfriend who he had been dating since 1991 was having an affair while he was away on tour for S.C.I.E.N.C.E..[24][90] This event inspired the lyrical themes for Incubus's next album Make Yourself, which was noted for having a more accessible sound.

"[42] AllMusic reviewer David Thomas wrote that the band "manages to make their songs upbeat and danceable as well as tunes to headbang to.

[46] Kerr also noted similarities between Faith No More, who would announce their breakup just nine days later, writing "I would not dispute that Brandon of the Jungle's evil-lounge-singer-morphing-into-teeth-gnashing-maniac vocal style is emulative of Mike Patton.

"[46] CMJ New Music Report wrote in their September 1997 review that, "you've heard this kind of hip hop/metal fusion from bands like Faith No More, Living Colour, Rage Against the Machine and Biohazard, but Incubus has got a bit more funk in its trunk than any of those artists.

"[104] He further wrote, "Incubus changes tempo and style at least two to three times per song" and "one thing I'll guarantee, is that these young men will bring home their report cards with an 'A' in science.

"[104] In an October 1997 article focusing on an Incubus concert with 311 and Sugar Ray, Dan Nailen of the Moscow-Pullman Daily News had a positive view of the band's music.

"[105] In November 2001, Amy Sciarretto of sister publication CMJ New Music Report further wrote, "Incubus was poised to be hard rock's bastard child of Faith No More and Primus thanks to its resident hottie Brandon Boyd's easy-on-the-ears emulation of Mike Patton and Dirk Lance's bass thwapping.

"[106] Rolling Stone commented in 2002 that "they broke through to the Ozzfest crowd with 1997's eclectic funk-metal album, S.C.I.E.N.C.E.."[33] The 2003 book The Rough Guide to Rock claimed that it was "better and far more accomplished" than their previous releases Enjoy Incubus and Fungus Amongus.

Splashes of funk were offset with driving riffage and spiky turntable shrapnel, while Boyd's lyrics began to encompass a more intellectual world-view than your average rock star.

"[40] On the album's 20th anniversary in 2017, Spin wrote that it mixes "cartoonish slap bass with bongwater-soaked guitar distortion [and] dubby drum-n-bass with samples from children’s audiobooks."

"[111] Geddy Lee of Canadian rock band Rush was a fan of the album, and at one point expressed interest in collaborating with Incubus.