Exocrine – The Hybrid Suns – Album Review

Artist: Exocrine

Album Title: The Hybrid Suns

Label: Unique Leader Records

Date of Release: 17 June 2022

I come at this review as a newbie, unfamiliar with the work of Exocrine, but within a couple of spins through, I found myself wishing that this wasn’t the case. However, it isn’t the greatest surprise in the world because it is only in the last twelve-eighteen months that I have truly embraced the genre of technical death metal to the extent that I have. And when I listen to an album of this calibre, I find myself considering whether this could now be one of all-time favourite genres. ‘The Hybrid Sons’, the fifth album of Exocrine’s career is an absolute belter that plants a giant smile on my face whilst making me scratch my head, wondering how it’s even possible to play music that’s this fast and this intense at times. Much like the latest Archspire album, Exocrine simply blow my mind.

The greatest attribute of Exocrine and ‘The Hybrid Suns’, is the way that it immediately throws a punch to your face and then continues the aggressive attack with barely any let-up over the course of an intense and ferocious ensuing 36 or so minutes. All four musicians within Exocrine bring an amazing array of talent, from drummer Théo Gendron to bassist/vocalist Jordy Besse. However, it must be said that the twin guitar attack of Sylvain Octor-Perez and Nicolas La Rosa is the facet of the band that elevates ‘Hybrid Suns’ to the next level of brilliance in my opinion. Be it lightning-fast solos, flamboyant lead lines and embellishments, or just the sheer variety and quality of the riffs, every single song bursts out of the speakers with something that catches my ear, or gets my head nodding vehemently, often accompanied by a wicked grin on my ever more weather-worn face.

For such a heavy and intense affair, the amount of memorable material that features has to be commended too. ‘Hybrid Suns’ is undoubtedly a progressive/technical death metal album, but Exocrine prove that you can be technically adept and savage, whilst also offering music that is melodic, occasionally very catchy, but altogether a great deal of enjoyable fun. I therefore doff my cap in their direction.

The fun starts from the first second of opener, ‘The Hybrid Suns’, courtesy of some wonderfully bright and breezy lead guitar lines to accompany some of the fastest drumming I’ve heard this year. The sweep-picking is accented by some rich orchestration too, creating a grandiose and captivating beginning to the record. The voice of Jordy Besse is suitably caustic and nasty, delivering what I’d call a dry, higher-pitched rasp for the most part, but indulging in a deeper, more guttural tone when required. To further increase the melody though, the song introduces a chorus of sorts that reprises the orchestration and choral-like embellishments which I find incredibly effective and powerful.

But the opener is just the beginning of the ride though, with a steady stream of excellent, bruising material forming an orderly cue behind it. Coming hard on the tail of the opener, is ‘Dying Light’, another blazing track that sees drummer Théo Gendron almost lose his limbs such is the speed at which he attacks this song. There’s a little more space at times for the bass rumble cut through too, before a deceptively catchy chorus intervenes, complete with amazing lead guitar lines and a female voice to accent the growls of Besse. There’s definitely a more pronounced progressive feel to the track, but it’s no less hard-hitting of memorable as a result. If anything, it’s the equal or better than its predecessor.

To underline the wonderfully heavy and uncompromising tone of the guitars, look no further than the opening moments of ‘Horns’, a song that’s incendiary for the most part with a hint of Nile at their most extreme, especially in the twisted lead breaks. But it also allows a moment of refined quiet that’s deliciously placed.

If I had any kind of gripe with ‘The Hybrid Suns’, it’d be that a couple of tracks like ‘Watchtower’, for example, veer a little too close to deathcore for my liking. In the case of the former, this is manifested in the chosen riffs, the overall tone of the song, and moments that sound like Exocrine are dabbling with breakdowns, or chugging riffs, albeit fleetingly. But this is a minor criticism in the overall scheme of things, and not something that threatens to derail my enjoyment in any real manner to be honest.

You’ve just got to nod appreciatively at the warm jazz influences that come through within ‘Vortex Of Shadow’, or the epic nature of ‘End Of Time’, particularly in the bombastic, heavily orchestrated segments that are laced with beautifully inventive and sublime instrumentation as if you’d forgotten just how proficient these four musicians are. The ultra-melodic sequence towards the end of the song is an utter, unbridled joy to listen to as well.

If that wasn’t enough, ‘Burning Sand’ opens with a gorgeous acoustic guitar melody that’s unceremoniously smashed into a million pieces under the weight of the tech death onslaught that ensues. If my ears don’t deceive me though, a couple of the riffs borrow from the thrash arena, just to add a little something different yet again.

Add to the package some seriously cool cover artwork, and a production that is crystal clear without detracting from the sheer power and technicality of the music, and you’re staring at one hell of an album. I love the way that bands like Exocrine have managed to open my mind fully to the magnificence of technical and progressive extreme metal, because it is a genuine thrill ride when you get to listen to music that’s this intense, this intricate, and this memorable. I’ve been criticised by some for the increase in reviews of albums at the heavier, more extreme end of the metal spectrum. All I can say is that if albums of this quality are presented to me, don’t expect a reduction in these reviews any time soon. And I’m not remotely sorry either. ‘The Hybrid Suns’ by Exocrine is seriously impressive, and fully deserves its time in the spotlight. I urge you to check this out ASAP.

Exocrine – The Hybrid Suns – Album Review

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