Thrash/Crossover
Century Media Records
Release Date – April 28th 2023
Line Up:
Knox Colby – Vocals
Will Wagstaff – Guitar
Zach Monahan – Guitar
Ethan Gensurowsky – Bass
Alex Bishop – Drums
Tracklist:
1 – Aggressive Menace
2 – The Quickening
3 – Hanged By My Hand
4 – Avarice
5 – War Remains
6 – Mercy Killing Fields
7 – Nation Of Fear
8 – Ultra-Violence
9 – Starve
10 – Empire
Enforced hail from Richmond, Virginia, and have released a couple of bruising crossover thrash albums before this one. On this, they have gone in a more metallic direction still keeping the punk energy.
They waste no time and get straight into the brutality in the opener ‘Aggressive Menace’ and it is – aggressive and menacing then ‘The Quickening’ does exactly that bringing some rabid thrash along with ‘Hanged By My Hand’. ‘Avarice’ comes down a bit and is crushed with the throaty roar of singer Knox Colby telling you about yourself. The title track has shades of Slayer – evil and dark with Colby coming on like the sadly departed Riley Gale from Power Trip. The way he delivers is pure aggression and attitude. More Slayer-ism’s on ‘Mercy Killing Fields’ with a foreboding build over a creepy riff then it rips into another jagged riff and they’re off on a soundtrack for the apocalypse. Guitarists Will Wagstaff and Zach Monahan uses their six strings like weapons – precise and deadly whilst the rhythm section of Ethan Gensurowsky and Alex Bishop pound like mortars keeping you sucked in whilst Colby barks the orders to destroy. This is war metal!
Photo: Jacky Flav
‘Nation Of Fear’ keeps it going with another razor-sharp riff which is mirrored by the bass making it as heavy as hell then ‘Ultra-Violence’ is bound to whip up a pit. Jeez, this is brutal. ‘Starve’ has a monumental groove then the final cut ‘Empire’ slows down a bit on another evil-sounding intro before they get chugging on a Priest-like vibe before they go through the gears and put the foot to the floor.
If you’re looking for subtle and polished look elsewhere. This is nasty dirty beer-soaked sweat-stained, thrash metal to mosh and fight to. It has two fingers raised high for anyone who doesn’t like it. Me, I love this. Gimme more!
Written by: Smudge
Ratings: 10/10
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