Incursed is an epic folk metal band formed in 2007 in Bilbao, Spain. The band released three full lengths, debuting in 2009 with Morituri and followed by a great title called Fimbulwinter in 2012; then two years later, last december 2014, Incursed released their last and best album up to date, Elderslied.
Incursed style comes from the melodic pagan and folk sounds in its essence, using orchestrated parts all over and developing really intense epic power metal compositions with instrumentally complicated structures,the vocal parts swaps from clean melodic style to growling sections; got influences from bands like ensiferum or Caladmor, guitars deliver the powerful melodies with technical sections brilliantly combined with sophisticated drums.
Song of the ancient takes us to this melodic folk metal journey, as an orchestrated instrumental intro that evolves metalized in Heart of yggdrasil, being a perfect highlight of the band's style, remarkable compositions on the verses and powerful chorus made with clean vocals, following the act with the acoustic notes of Raging wyverns, soon to be epically transformed in a highly intense slow-mid tempo anthem highly accelerated at some parts.
The wild hunt heralds one of the best riffs of the album, with a remarkable job on the vocals, going high pitched growing and clean style on the chorus, amazing also on the double pedal drums and followed by Beer bloodbath, forging another catchy melodic riff of those of headbanging and moshpiting, awesome job at the end with the in-crescendo rhythmical bomb leading to Tidal waves, good riffs and headbanging pace in growling vocals, followed by Jötnar, with ascending composition, adding nice violin background melodies in one of the best created songs of the band, theatrically brilliant.
After the instrumental interlude of A fateful glare, the action literally explodes with Lady Frost, another lesson of the band's sound in full power, fast paced headbanging bomb with breathtaking compositions on the verses and melodic chorus, the guitar performance is remarkable combined with the keyboard solo, followed by The undying flame, forging some classic folk melodies, in an intense slow mid tempo ballad of well performed growling vocals and clean styled chorus.
The classic opera tunes of Sauren Lurraldea are suddenly boosted with symphonic power metal soul, good rhythm changes and beautiful melodies, with good details on the background keyboard as the next track kicks in, One among a million, increscendo patterns with good harmony on the instrumentals, excellent details on the drum performance and really intense vocal sections, following the same good strategies used previously, finalising with an astonishing ending.
Promise of hope gives the final touch to the album in a instrumental melodic anthem, including orchestrated sections and choir backgrounds crafted at perfection, simply epic.
Incursed really worked hard to create an excellent album, Elderslied is sophisticated and perfect instrumentally, combining very well folk and pagan with power metal including symphonic, neoclassical drippings and also death metal shots, really well elaborated album that, without innovating, will be one of the best of the year on their genre.
8,5 / 10
Line up
Juan Sampedro Bass
Narot Santos Vocals, Guitars (rhythm)
Jon Koldo Tera Keyboards, Vocals (backing)
Asier Fernández Guitars (lead)
Asier Amo Drums
Links
(2010), 
(2012) and the recently released Með vættum, last 14th of November 2014 via Napalm Records, and will be available the 1st December in UK (and rest of Europe).
