Review Summary: A thoroughly whelming experience.
Exocrine has all the right elements for a solid technical death metal group, but they just don’t seem to make the most of them. The production is huge, especially with those massive drums that hit like a Bruce Lee kick—though even that might be too gentle. The kick drums are definitely the highlight, bringing a ton of energy and power to the tracks. Unfortunately, everything else about "Legend" feels a bit lackluster.
The vocals are decent but nothing special; they could easily be swapped out for someone else. They lack the standout quality of vocalists like Oli Peters from Archspire. While there’s some range with a few mid fry screams here and there, most of the time it’s just low gutturals, which gets a bit monotonous. The guitar work is similar; the musicians are skilled, but their riffs don’t really leave a lasting impression. They zip by like a bee searching for nectar, but nothing really sticks.
The only thing that sets Exocrine apart from the sea of technical death metal bands is those quirky trumpet bits that pop up in a couple of songs, but they’re so brief that they barely make an impact. It would be great if they could build on that in future releases, as it’s just not enough to make a strong impression right now. Honestly, there’s not much reason to choose "Legend" over a band like Archspire; they feel like they’re playing in the shadows. Here’s hoping their next album brings something more unique to the table.
