EP REVIEW: Foundation of Bones – Enterprise Earth

With last year’s Luciferous, ENTERPRISE EARTH really made their presence in the modern deathcore scene felt. Combining that traditional deathcore sound with the blackened elements that have been captivating the scene and a technical execution, Luciferous proved to be one of the most momentous deathcore releases of 2019. Barely a year on from its release, and the band are back with a brand new, self-produced EP, a little bonus to tide fans over while they work on the next record. But is Foundation of Bones nothing more than a fan-pleaser to keep their name relevant, or is there something special in this release? 

Foundation of Bones is bookended with the only new song on the EP – its title track, and an instrumental version. As a taste for what’s to come from ENTERPRISE EARTH with their next album, Foundation of Bones slaps hard. The black metal elements that were touched on with Luciferous have been largely abandoned, instead making way for an even stronger lean on technicality. Heavy, classic deathcore breakdowns run through the track, accentuated by atonal melodies which give a real dissonant edge to Foundation of Bones, and the solo work is exemplary. The instrumental that closes the EP is a bit of a waste, though – with a vocalist as strong as Dan Watson at the helm, his absence in the instrumental is painfully noticable.

The last of ENTERPRISE EARTH‘s original material on Foundation of Bones comes in the form of an acoustic version of There Is No Tomorrow, from Luciferous. The track works blinding well in acoustic form, creating an ethereal feel with ease, and though there isn’t really a call for the band to further explore their acoustic chops this is a nice little B-Side track for sure. Two covers complete the lineup of Foundation of Bones – the first being Now You’ve Got Something To Die For from LAMB OF GOD‘s seminal 2004 album Ashes of the Wake. It’s a solid cover version, though with the exception of the city-levelling closing breakdown the band play a little too close to the original – it would have been nice to see a bit of of ENTERPRISE EARTH‘s personality show here. The second cover, Fermented Offal Discharge from NECROPHAGIST‘s debut Onset of Putrefaction, does not suffer from this. This cover is something else entirely, the band’s own style bleeding through the tech-death riffing and Watson‘s vocals perfectly capturing the filth of NECROPHAGIST‘s material. Though some of Foundation of Bones feels redundant, with Fermented Offal Discharge ENTERPRISE EARTH have smashed it.

As a little something to keep interest in ENTERPRISE EARTH running, Foundation of Bones works well. The new track is a bruiser for sure, and the covers are interesting, though the instrumental that closes the EP feels redundant. Foundation of Bones is unlikely to win over anyone without an interest in the deathcore up-and-comers, but existing fans of the band will lap this up. A fine appetiser, but the entree of album four is what we’re all really waiting for.

Rating: 7/10

Foundation of Bones is out now via eOne Music. 

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