Released by: Nuclear Blast Records
Release Date: April 26th 2019
Genre : Classic Heavy Metal
Links: https://www.facebook.com/enforcerofficial/
Tracklist:
- Die For The Devi
- Zenith Of The Black Sun
- Searching For You
- Regrets
- The End Of A Universe
- Sail On
- One Thousand Years Of Darkness
- Thunder And Hell
- Forever We Worship The Dark
- Ode To Death
Line-up:
- Olof Wikstrand – vocals, guitars
- Jonas Wikstrand – drums, piano, keyboards
- Tobias Lindqvist – bass
- Jonathan Nordwall – guitars
Swedish Heavy Metal legends Enforcer are back with their fifth studio album, four years after the critically–acclaimed From Beyond. Zenith includes ten stadium-rocking metal songs and it seems to be the most ambitious project of the group in their fifteen years of existence in the music scene.
The band members have spent more than two years into writing, producing and recording their new project which has been defined as their effort to “do the biggest heavy metal album of all time without any type of limitations”. Their mission has been successful, because they have released an old-school heavy metal time bomb with the biggest shift of style ever among the tracks which are bonded in an efficient way in order to create a homogeneous record that has been studied in every single detail.
There is a retro heavy metal basis on the whole album, even if mood is variable in every track. The band’s songwriting skills have been focused to create the most memorable songs ever. The intro tune is the full of energy and rock party feel “Die For The Devil” which could have been a super hit for Motley Crue back in the eighties. “Zenith of The Black Sun” is a great mid-tempo song with a “Holy Diver” style and it’s followed by “Searching For You”, a speed metal track with some groovy guitar riffs.
Next one is “Regrets”, a power ballad that starts with a piano melody which gives an AOR feeling to the listener or it could even remind of a Stryper slow motion tune. At this point we go back to a heavier mood with “The End Of A Universe”, an epic piece with thrash guitar riffs. But it’s only a small break, because we go back to melodic rock with “Sail On”, a piece with a wonderful guitar work, which gives the sensation of happiness to the listener. “One Thousand Years Of Darkness”, a fast hard rock song, with epic elements and “Thunder and Hell”, a pure speed heavy metal piece lead us to the final section. Here we have “Forever We Worship The Dark” with an epic intro that evolves in a melodic rock piece followed by “Ode To Death”, a slow motion tune of a similar style that gives an epic ending to the record.
In conclusion, Enforcer has created an entertaining and brilliant record, where they have mixed many music styles in a perfect way. The result is a high quality album of timeless heavy metal. Maybe an impression of a more commercial sound could be created to the listener at some point. This is mostly the case of the ballads of Zenith, even if the quality of the material and the balance between the songs is not influenced in any kind of way. Recommended to all fans of old-school heavy metal.
Vote 8/10
Writer: Katerina Paisoglou
About Author
