Blinding Force

Incursion are one of many U.S. bands from the '80s who released a single demo before calling it quits only to reform decades later. Their previous EP got some good press, but I never got around to it, so their full-length debut, Blinding Force, is my first impression of them. As you'd expect, they sound like they came straight out of the '80s scene as they play catchy, direct old-school Metal that's on the same spectrum of classic acts like Jag Panzer, Judas Priest, and Saxon. They got a solid ear for riffs and hooks, the vocals are vintage and infectious, the production could have easily been from a mid-budget studio in the mid-80s, and there is no sign of any intent or ambition greater than playing some badass music, which is what it's all about at the end of the day. I find that I prefer when they speed up and rock out with songs like the single "Running Out" and "Master of Evil", as the longer, more mid-paced and epically minded songs like "The Sentinel" and "Strike Down" start to wear out their welcome despite some strong riffs. Despite that, the album is pretty consistent in quality, and every song is a workout in Golden Age worship that reminds us of why we call it that in the first place, even if none of them quite reach the highs of the era. A worthy debut.