Album Review: Enterprise Earth – Death: An Anthology (MNRK Heavy)

Enterprise Earth make their triumphant return with their forthcoming new album Death: An Anthology. Stacked with features from some of deathcore’s finest including but not limited to, Matt Heafy (Trivium), Ben Duerr (Shadow of Intent) Darius Tehrani (Spite), and Wes Hauch (Alluvial), the upcoming full-length will be released 2nd February via MNRK Heavy.

One word, just one word can be used to encapsulate what Enterprise Earth are doing here and that word is ‘big’. This is a ‘big’ album, filled with all manner of creative elements and story-telling aspects, while being savagely heavy, wonderfully melodic, and impressively technical. This is Enterprise Earth at their absolute finest, and for around an hour, they captivate.

The immersion sets in almost immediately with the haunting oddity that is Abyss. An intro that features a thin layer of melodic atmosphere and airy, choir-like vocals. Then, out of nowhere, the crash of instruments and an intense roar signals a shift in tone. This leads into the Face of Fear and an unleashing of brutalising fury that is balanced out by a cleaner chorus.

If you thought that was heavy, you’ve not heard anything yet though, as The Reapers Servant makes a mockery of others that are given the ‘intense’ tag. Although that should have been fairly obvious when the likes of Spite’s Darius Tehrani is guesting on it. Yet, it also continues to showcase the evolved state of this band and just how brutal this album can be.

Yet, it isn’t defined by that as Enterprise Earth also layer the album with dark melodies, cold ambience, and sharp technical twists. Something that is evident within the elaborate Spineless and within the erratic, scathing hardness of King of Ruination. The former, a track that features Ben Duerr, known for his work in Shadow of Intent and Hollow Prophet. When at their ‘technical’ best, Enterprise Earth’s sound is reminiscent of the likes of Meshuggah, which is high praise indeed.

With layers galore, the high quality of this album continues with the excellent Casket of Rust. Enterprise Earth adding in egregious elements of the blacker side of metal. Again, it’s exceptionally listenable, but it’s also undeniably harsh. Just check out the drumming in this track alone. Then there is I Divine, a track with some epic heavy flourishes and Malevolent Force, a track that lives up to its title with Enterprise Earth sounding meaner than ever. Where even a thick level of atmosphere and touches of melody can’t bury the unrelenting deathcore power.

Most will still be fully immersed in this album as it reaches its latter stage, and that’s because the variety on show is simply unbelievable. There’s no getting bored when the pressure Enterprise Earth continue to put on is so severe. Accelerated Demise, Blood and Teeth, and Curse of Flesh keeping the quality at an all-time high, especially as the latter features Trivium frontman Matthew K. Heafy and just happens to be the most epic track of all. Although the surprising melody and clean singing that crops up in Blood and Teeth is certainly worth paying attention to as well.

Enterprise Earth have outdone themselves here, crafting a meticulous example of forward-thinking metal that impresses from the first track to the very last. Death: An Anthology is a triumphant release that everyone has to hear.

Enterprise Earth – Death: An Anthology Track Listing:

1. Abyss
2. Face Of Fear
3. The Reapers Servant
4. Spineless
5. King Of Ruination
6. Casket Of Rust
7. I Divine
8. Malevolent Force
9. Accelerated Demise
10. Blood And Teeth
11. Curse Of Flesh

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