REVIEW: Enterprise Earth – Descent into Madness [EP/2025]
Artist: Enterprise Earth
Album: Descent into Madness – EP
Enterprise Earth have a sizable legacy—especially considering their relatively humble beginnings. What started as essentially a side-project for Dan Watson’s vocal acrobatics (or at least that’s what it felt like) has, over time, morphed into a uniquely mature and diverse band that spans elements of various metal and -core subgenres into an immense and easily accessible soundscape—and Descent into Madness highlights this journey marvelously. Newly independent, Descent into Madness has the resounding impact and fervor of a band creating for themselves, setting out to make a record designed to be heavy and relentless by no one’s standards other than their own. Taking many of the core elements of their 2024 full length Death: An Anthology and slashing the superfluous frills, Enterprise Earth’s latest EP is unapologetic in its approach unabashed heaviness, weaving an intricate web of flesh-rending blast beats, booming and snappy bass and immolating screams to create what feels like, on one hand, a descent into madness—but on the other, an ascent to the band’s final form.
Descent into Madness is a six track record that sees Enterprise Earth determined to instate themselves as one of the scene’s primary vendors of unique and uncompromising aggression. Where previous releases saw the band attempting to span genres and combine influences, Descent into Madness is more simple and focused in its scope. “I. The Descent” is a stunning overview, wherein a cacophony of pulverizing percussion underscores guitars that oscillate from razor-sharp riffs to bludgeoning breakdowns. “III. Shadows Below” is another song that stops at nothing to bring remorseless aggression, whaling on the listener with blissful abandon throughout its four-and-a-half minute runtime. Other songs—like the anthemic closing cut “VI. Shapeshifter” sees the band’s instrumentalists embrace groove and dynamism above brutalizing aggression, with ethereal elements and atmosphere that works excellently along groove-heavy fretwork and bouncy, energetic bass work. Enterprise Earth manage to evoke diversity and allow each track to feel unique and immersive without attempting to cater to gimmicks, especially where elements of Death: An Anthology felt forced in a direction geared to include elements for the sake of inclusion. Between the jarring, primal fervor of “III. Shadows Below” and the surreal elements of peace found sprinkled throughout “VI. Shapeshifter,” Enterprise Earth are able to span various degrees of intensity while remaining honed to a razor’s edge intent on creating a contemporary deathcore record that can best be defined as “heavy.”
Where the instrumental approach Enterprise Earth takes underwent some refinement and renewed focus, their vocal element didn’t—and it didn’t really need to. Still home to a host of barbaric bellows, screams, shouts and roars, Descent into Madness features a robust vocal approach that is every bit as ravenous and unrelenting as the records title—and its instrumentation—would have the listener think. Once again, attention is turned to “III. Shadows Below,” which is home to what is likely the best display of Enterprise Earth’s vocal dynamism in some time, if not ever. “VI. Shapeshifter” is another example; here, soaring singing hammers home a haunting refrain between bouts of frenzied roars. The band’s vocals are uncompromising, doubling down on the mission to deliver pure heaviness without frills or pointless forays into superfluous and extraneous moments.
Descent into Madness is an outstanding release—not surprising from a band yet to release a bad record in their practically decade-long tenure. Keeping only the most essential elements of Death: An Anthology and rebuilding a cohesive, fluid and robust dynamic centered around intensity and energy, Enterprise Earth have outdone themselves in creating a release that rejects the notion of fitting into any given number of boxes, and instead focuses only on the creation of creative, inventive and eviscerating heavy music.
9/10
For Fans Of: Crown Magnetar, Ingested, Whitechapel
By: Connor Welsh
