The title of Earthworms and Doug Surreal’s new album, Garden in the Ruins, is more than just a metaphor. It might as well be a motto.

After all, it took tragedy to bring the group — once stalwarts of a booming St. Louis hip-hop scene — back together. That same STL scene came together in 2018 to pay tribute to a fellow MC who had passed away, and three Earthworms were on the bill individually: Mathias, Black Patrick and DJ Mahf. 

They didn’t stay individual for long. Soon enough, they were back on stage together, finding that the songs still sounded fresh and the crew still felt right. One show led to another, and another. Performing old songs gave way to writing new ones.

Out of darkness came light and creativity. And once they paired with producer Doug Surreal, who also has STL roots, the ideas for Garden in the Ruins started to take shape. This is no nostalgic throwback project. Listeners who dug No Arms, No Legs, Just a Head and a Body (2006), Bottle Full of Bourbon (2008), and Midnight at the Capricorn (2010) will find plenty to love in the familiar interplay of MCs Mathias and Black Patrick and the crazy cutting skills of award-winning DJ Mahf, of course. But Surreal’s production reflects our times: dark and wobbly synths, drenched in low end, a bed of rhythmic tension to house the wordplay of Earthworms, plus collaborators such as Daemon and Zech Biship.

It's a new era for Earthworms. A rose sprung from destruction. A reminder that no matter what happens in life, you can always reconnect with your chosen families and rediscover the magic that bound you together in the first place. 

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