Review Summary: Something stinks.
Beneath the Canopy of Compost is not an EP looking for innovation. I would argue that this short-lived slime and sludge ridden riff behemoth is actually quite comfortable borrowing from early death metal classics to create a putrid slurry of tried-and-true guttural fury. That does not diminish the wonders of individuality and creativity, as it is those forces that propel music into sounds once thought inconceivable. For every counter culture there is, however, an intrepid hero diving into the known miasma that spawns forth the giants that are already known;Cryptopsy, Dismember, Vital Remains, etc.
At least these are bands that come to my now desiccate temporal lobe (desiccated undoubtedly from the necrotic fumes that this
monster emits). To start, the vocals. Deep, guttural, bellowing, and, in moments, bordering the nonsensical monstrous babbling that the aforementioned Cryptopsy emits. This is complemented by crunchy buzzsaw riffs that are surprisingly resplendent with melodic hooks (in the vein of
Like An Everflowing Stream), as well as drum patterns that will shear your face from your skull and compel you to windmill faster than a freshly coked-out George Corpsegrinder. This primal and wonderfully meatheaded energy is what makes
Beneath the Canopy of Compost such a goddamn blast. Originality is not a staple here, nor should it be. There are beacons of light to draw influence from, and with bands like Reeking Aura, the torch is passed down to carry the progenitors mantra of the greatest contribution of mankind-the riff.
