Been a minute since I got to sink my teeth into some Technical Death Metal, so getting the new EXOCRINE album Molten Giant (out now, Unique Leader Records) made me very happy. I’ve never listened to these guys before; how they slipped past me boggles my mind. But, they have my full attention now. Right away I was reminded of BEYOND CREATION, OBSCURA, DECEPTIONIST, and HIDEOUS DIVINITY at various times throughout the disc, which is a very good thing. The band finds a way to get technical, while still keeping things heavy, and never do they wade into that boring “Hey, look what I can do!” territory that too many bands do.
Clocking in at the 33-minute mark, this disc gets in, gets out, fucks shit up, then leaves. And isn’t that what we want from our Death Metal? But it’s not mundane, boring, or one-note by any means. There are some interesting twists and turns, most notably at 2:58 in “Lavaburst”, which is hands down one of the album’s best tracks. Opener “Scorched Human Society” comes on with a flourish, dual harmonized guitar leads over a crushing riff and some seriously nutso drum work. “Hayato” was another instant favorite; there’s so much going on my head was spinning.
More sweeping guitar runs dominate “Backdraft” and the vocal effects are a nice touch. Even without them, the gutturals are still pretty fierce. The rhythm section definitely anchors this track, though. However, the end guitar work makes a very good case for being the hero. The drum intro to “Molten Giant” sets the tone for what’s coming in the next 4:30 which is a pummeling, while “Flamewalkers” goes straight for the jugular and watches you bleed out, albeit in a rather melodic fashion. I really enjoyed this one, especially at work.
Closing the disc is the eight-minute and change epic “Shape of New World.” It starts out as a basher and stays that way for a while before mixing it up a bit, then taking a slow, deliberate, stalkerish pace all the way home. Overall my first EXOCRINE experience was an enjoyable one. These guys know to play without overdoing it, and the plot twists make it so you don’t always see what’s coming. Molten Giant is an album I can safely recommend to all fans of Death Metal. You won’t be disappointed, so pick up your copy today.
STANDOUT TRACKS: “Lavaburst”, “Hayato”, “Flamewalkers”, “Backdraft”
RATING: 8.6/10
