Exocrine – Legend (Review)

This is the sixth album from French death metallers Exocrine.

A new Exocrine album is always a thing to be celebrated. 2018’s Molten Giant and 2020’s Maelstrom were both notable records, but then 2022’s The Hybrid Suns saw the band shift up a level once more. Now, hot on the heels of that last release, comes Legend, featuring 45 minutes of music, (40 without the bonus track). So what does Legend have to offer the discerning extreme metal fan in 2024?

A lot, it seems.

Fast, brutal, and precise, Exocrine’s modern technical death metal is on fine form on Legend. One of the things I like about Exocrine’s music is that not only is it technical and aggressive, but it adds in layers of real feeling, something that many tech death bands neglect. This is achieved through a variety of means, not the least of which are the impactful cleans, colourful melodies, and considered riffs. Of the latter, there’s a large bounty of choice riffs on this record, more so than normal.

On Legend Exocrine seem to have refined their songwriting further than The Hybrid Suns did. Adopting even more of a song-based approach, and using their formidable technicality in service of the songs to an even greater extent, this new material is some of the band’s strongest yet. The production is superior too, showcasing the music in its best light.

Yep, Exocrine have stepped up their songcraft. There’s a riotous feast of technical wizardry to be had of course, but it all has meaning and isn’t just for show. Around this, electronic enrichment, synths, jazz breaks, orchestral enhancements, introspective moments, and other instruments such as trumpets all add to Legend’s distinctive flavours. The usual reference points for Exocrine remain valid – Archspire, Gorod, Beyond Creation, Obscura, Psycroptic, etc. – but you can also hear on Legend snippets of bands such as Gojira, Between the Buried and Me, and Devin Townsend. Exocrine are definitely still tech death, but a continuingly evolving form of it.

Legend is another solid records from Exocrine. If you’re a fan of the contemporary style, then this is one for you to check out.