Is it my idea or this band's name suited best in a huge SUV? Excalion is the classic case of a band that has all what it takes to make a name except the key ingredient: inspiration. There's no other way to explain why while everything is in place in Primal Exhale the album as a package tastes like yesterday news.
I guess I could sum this review up by mentioning that Excalion is a band from Finland playing Europower metal. You get pretty much the picture right? Let's see: bombastic production, pumping rhythms, well placed keyboards and nicely crafted guitars. What else... ah a very good vocalist (bringing in mind another vocalist who's name starts with a Timo and ends with a Kotipelto).
So what's wrong with this picture? Truth is that if Excalion released their debut about 15 years ago they would definitely made an impact in the world metal map. Unfortunately they are a bit late. Everything in here has been done a gazillion times in the past by other bands. This more melodic version of power metal Stratovarius introduced to the world has been overpopulated in the last years and even the natural leaders of the genre are trying to detach from it (check out the latest Stratovarius album for a good example).
Truth is that Excalion have nothing new to offer in a scene that produces albums like this one in a quite rapid pace. The outcome: I found it extremely hard to listen the album more than a couple of times. However there is one shining exception to all the above mentioned: the second song titled A Moment In The Spotlight is indeed a hit with an amazing refrain. Definitely the most inspired song in the album and one of the songs I will use from now on in my parties.
Excalion are relatively young as a band, I give them this credit. I think they have what it takes to deliver something far superior than this one in the future. But until then...