Enforced – War Remains (Reviews)

Richmond, Virginia has always been a good place for heavy music. Whether it’s Lamb of God or Municipal Waste, both bands have established themselves over the years as true greats of the scene and are known worldwide. However, there is one lesser known band that currently generates quite a bit of a hype. There is definitely one name you can’t get around, Enforced. With At the Walls and Kill Grid, the thrash combo already released two very strong albums. Their new record War Remains will be released on April 28th via Century Media. I’m not sure if Slayer have really ended their career or just continue under a new name.

It quickly becomes clear that Enforced carry the essence of Slayer and Demolition Hammer, when you start the album and are thrown into the violent pit. At least this was my first thought while listening to “Agressive Menance“. Without wasting a second, you are directly confronted with tight guitar riffs. This is paired with the aggressive voice of singer Knox Colby.

Monotonous Thrash Metal? There has been more than enough of that in the last 30 years. Enforced certainly do not let boredom arise. The various tempo changes provide a pleasant surprise. Especially songs like “Nation of Fear” show how well mid-tempo thrash can work. It’s almost crazy how Enforced manages to write such a fast and aggressive album, but still manages to let off the gas pedal every now and then and play “slower” songs.

Speaking of positive aspects, the guitar solos are perfect. Especially in Metal, it often seems as if bands almost have to force solos into their songs. Enforced succeeds doing this more than well. “Mercy Killing Fields” or “The Quickening” are prime examples of how to pack a good solo on a record. Chef’s kiss.

But the real MVP for me are the drums, respectively Alex Bishop. The way groove is combined with hard blast beats is brilliant. While many Thrash bands pass their zenith after a while or sound more like Dad Rock, this is definitely not the case with the guys from Richmond, Virginia.

War Remains joins the perfect discography of a still young band. The future looks bright for Enforced. Slayer and Demolition Hammer must be proud parents when they hear the latest work of their offspring.