Incursus - Eternal Funeral Trance

I've been wanting to write this review for over three years. In July of 2006 Incursus took the pulpit at the Gathering of Shadows deep within the woods of the Colorado mountains. I took to the hillside under a pine tree and I lay down peering toward the stage lit by the full moon, burning torches and two cauldrons of burning roadkill on either side of them whirling throughout the enigmatic night sky. What was conjured at this time will never be paralleled again. The true potential power that black metal art holds was risen and it fully harnessed my mind during this time. To take part in a ritual with as much power as this is a highlight of my life. Having said that, I awaited for three long years to see if Incursus could release an album that captured that demonic energy and make it as effective as their live ritual was.

Yesterday I received "Eternal Funeral Trance" in the mail. This album is a hellish maelstrom of evil. Nothing can top seeing Incursus live but this album is the next best thing. The riffing and the production remind me of the faster moments of Inquisitors era Deathspell Omega as well as the Manifestations 2002 album. No bullshit fast paced tremolo picked chords are abundant here. At times this fits in nicely with some faster bands like Handful of Hate and Black Death Ritual but its hard to categorize it for that because the M.O. here isn't speed, its to conjure the most diabolical music known to man. I can verily say with great heartiness that this record accomplishes just that with fervor and accomplishment. The drumming is competent and fairly one dimensional, which is what this sort of thing calls for: high hat blasting til the heavens collapse. I found the vocals rather unique here. They are somewhat of a rasp and half whisper. At times there are extra vocal overdubs that drive the powerful atmosphere further. I can tell that I will be playing this album quite a bit in the coming months. I strongly urge you to pick it up if this sounds like anything up your alley. Hails to Tomas and Forever Plagued for finally getting this album out.

10/10!