One interesting bit in the last few years is seeing how some deathcore acts have evolved from simply firing away breakdowns and occasionally obnoxious vocals, into something more mature and more balanced. Bands like Fit for an Autopsy and Whitechapel come to mind quickly amid some others, but seeing some progression in a genre typically poo-pooed on by more veteran fans has been intriguing to watch. Next to squeeze into more evolved and progressive territory is Enterprise Earth. The Chosen abandons cliched territory in favor of more dynamic and song-driven writing to an impressive result.
The Chosen is a diverse listen, as the wisely chosen first single, “Where Dreams are Broken” would lead you to believe. The band wraps together a hodge-podge of deathcore elements, nu-metal, metalcore, djent, progressive leanings, and some ambience into a powerful opening statement. It proves itself to be no fluke either, with each successive track coming in and providing a few interesting turns. There’s the djenty grooves of “I Have to Escape” that merge into a more epic sounding melody at the chorus, along with a frenzied solo. The album’s two longest tracks, “Overpass” and “the title track, justify their extended runtime by focusing on more atmospheric moments that pull you in and then leap into more vicious riffing and blasts, giving them an added boost of brutality. It’s also worth noting that the band still does continue to leverage more of their traditional deathcore elements, but in wrapping them into a more varied offering, it gives them more to work off of, and they are more effective. The djenty “Reanimate-Disintegrate” rolls out grooves, but it also leads into a devastating breakdown later on in the track that feels earned.
While the runtime is a bit much for this particular style, it’s really the only minor gripe that can be leveraged against it. Enterprise Earth has really upped their game with The Chosen, and it makes for a listen that should be enjoyed by fans as well as manage to turn a few heads of those who may have previously stuck their noses up at what the band was doing. Another release that shows that in a more diverse setting, the deathcore elements can really stand out and deliver.