EXOCRINE have been turning heads with their philosophical bent on technical-death metal for more than a decade. But on their new album, the daring and deadly French architects spin razor-sharp riffs and precision blast beats into a truly legendary tale.
Legend comes out Friday, January 26. But you can listen to the whole album a day earlier by visiting Season of Mist's YouTube channel.
Listen to the full album stream: https://youtu.be/FGNCzHdlST4
Pre-save: https://orcd.co/exocrinelegendpresave
Exocrine are locked and loaded on Legend. "Eidolon" fires off laser-guided riffs and a bass that grooves with all the flattening force of a tank. "I will rise and your ashes hollow!" the band shout in unison on "Life", as if charging into battle behind a hail of blast beats.
But for all its metallic might, Legend flexes just as much brain power. Heck, the title track breaks down into a slithering trumpet interlude. "We wanted to create a more intimate atmosphere with this album", says lead guitarist Sylvain Octor Perez. "The production is more organic and the tempos are calmer at times".
The band took their time with this album, writing for well over the course of a year while sequestered at a house in the Bordeaux countryside. What they came up with reads more like a blockbuster film. Legend combines the most fantastical elements of Warhammer, Mad Max and Kaiju. The story follows the intersecting paths of three characters: a knight, a godlike destroyer and an immortal man. What unfolds between them is a Dante-like confrontation that tests just how much they're willing to sacrifice in order to secure their place in the universe.
"This is our most personal album", Exocrine says. "We decided to go back to something more organic, with more relief, and tried different things in order to bring a stronger atmosphere and connect the music with the story. Legend has a good balance between technicality and lyrics, with each aspect serving the other".
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