The Pitch: French technical, progressive death metal band Exocrine are back with their incredible sophomore effort, this time with the support of Unique Leader Records. FFO: Necrophagist, Within Destruction, Cynic
What I Like: Old Dirty Dan and I LOVED Exocrine's Great Dane debut. It was an unprecedented album from a band clearly wise beyond its years. Fast forward just a few months, and dammit, they've done it again. No sophomore slump here. Aided greatly by their new label and intensely focused songwriting, Molten Giant is just as good if not better than its predecessor. And speaking of focus, Exocrine make the wise decision of prioritizing quality over quantity. At just 8 songs clocking in at about 35 minutes (5 less than the debut), this album is as lean and consistent as they come.
There is not a moment of dead time. Exocrine keep to what they do best and leave anything superfluous on the cutting room floor. Compositions are incredibly complex and brimming with impressive technical performances, and never at the sacrifice of engagement and flow. Furthermore, each song has its own aesthetic and personality thanks to a highly varied approach to riffs. Bright, proggy instrumentals frequently pierce through the darkness to break up the brutal tech death elements without these styles ever clashing. This is especially true of "Hayato," the the blissful interlude on "Backdraft" (dat basswork!) and lengthier closing opus "Shape of New World." Magnifique.
Critiques: Near perfection. It's only short of a 10 on the basis that I've heard other albums that are similar.
The Verdict: This album is amazing, and once again I will be going the extra mile for a physical copy. Molten Giant blows away the competition, easily edging out recent outings from the likes of Alkaloid and The Faceless. It is sure to be among, if not THE, best progressive death metal albums of the year. Exocrine deserve to be a household name. Get sharing.
Flight's Fav's: Pick one. It's impossible to choose.
- Review by FlightOfIcarus
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