Nowadays, after 45 years of great expansions in many directions, there are a large group of bands who are not trying to create something new, of their own. It's clear that creates something really new is something rare into Metal scene, but to be a clone is a great mistake. You don't have to breed something really new, but must breed something with your own personality, that's all. And in the group of those who are breathing life in an eroded style is Spanish quintet INCURSED, a Viking/Pagan Metal band used to hard trials, and after two years since their excellent album "Fimbulwinter", they dare to destroy barriers and conceptions with "Elderslied", their new masterpiece.

Their abrasive and thunderous way of playing Viking/Pagan Metal has got some melodic influences, which brought refinement and elegance to their work. And that mix of clean and harsh vocals, excellent guitar riffs and solos (and some duets as well), thunderous and technical rhythmic kitchen and precious keyboards is better than before, with presence of female vocals in one song (Leire Tejada as special guest on vocals on "One Among a Million", violins incursions (courtesy of Andrés Ferrando on "Heart of Yggdrasil", "The Wild Hunt" and "One Among a Million") more voices (Jones on vocals on "Lady Frost" and "One Among a Million", and Borja Santamaria on choirs and narrative on "One Among a Million"), and a special guest (Hugo Markaida) on guitar solo on "The Undying Flame (Homeland part II)" turns "Elderslied" even more better than we can say.

The sound quality is as best as we could expect, even being an independent work. Thanks to Pedro J. Monge (Who recorded, mixed and mastered the album), the quality is great, clean and heavy as they really deserve. And the tunes they have chosen are pretty good, indeed.

The arragements, songs, all is their due places, and the álbum hás great moments on "Heart of Yggdrail" (great and perfect vocal duties, with the contrast between clean ones with harsh voices is wonderful), the excellent "Raging Wyverns", the accessible and melodic "Beer Bloodbath" (great guitar work!), "The Undying Flame (Homeland part II)" (and it's more Folk/Viking insight, with great keyboards and rhythmic basis works), and the long and epic "One Among a Million" (a climatic and well worked song, a diamond done with vocals with very good tunes, violins and keyboards). But hear the last song "Promise of Hope" and have a great and nice surprise.

INCURSED has come to conquer all, so hear "Elderslied" and have blood in your eyes!