Album Review: Enforced - Kill Grid
Reviewed by Paul Hutchings
Whilst their 2017 demos and following brutal debut ‘At The Walls’ may have crept under the radar of many, there is no way that Kill Grid, Enforced’s sophomore release is going to do anything but slam its way through every fence, wall and boundary as it storms to the end of year top ten albums.
The Virginia based crossover outfit, recent recruits to the Century Media stable have created a nine-track album that blends thrash, crossover, death metal and hardcore in a ferociously balled fist that opens with the relentless power of ‘The Doctrine’ and closes about 40 minutes later with the equally punishing ‘Trespasser’.
Kill Grid simply levels. Sure, there is ample evidence of influences from punk to Slayer to Bolt Thrower to Iron Maiden. It’s a heady mix of full-on pile driving. The pounding ‘UXO’ shifts from break-neck explosive speed to a slower, crushing riff heavy pace, whilst the spirit of Slayer is reborn in the blistering ‘Malignance’. Two other tracks have already been released from Kill Grid; the groove laden ‘Hemorrhage’ which demands circle pits with its infectious chugging stomp, and the most recent slab of bruising pain, ‘Curtain Fire’.
Amidst all the driving riffs Enforced raise the title track. A seven-minute epic, it’s a song that towers tall in the middle of the album. A slow burning intro allows the tension to rise before some of the biggest riffs you’ll hear all year kick in. It’s a power burn that you’ll want to shake your head, bang your fists and slam into your mates with. To be honest, if this doesn’t move you, you may well already be dead.
Enforced are led by vocalist Knox Colby, whose delivery sits somewhere between Randy Blythe and Riley Gale. It’s guttural, raw, and totally in keeping with the slabs of huge metal that is delivered by guitarists Will Wagstaff and Zack Monahan, bassist Ethan Gensurowsky and drummer Alex Bishop
With a striking cover courtesy of legendary artist Joe Petagno (Motörhead, Vitriol), Bob Quirk (Iron Reagan) engineering and Philadelphia-based studio whiz Arthur Rizk (Power Trip, Cavalera Conspiracy, Pissed Jeans, Eternal Champion, Ghostemane, Code Orange) mixing and mastering, Enforced have arrived with the complete package. It’s extreme, it’s fierce and it drives like a raging fire. Get involved!
ICYMI - We catch up with Knox from the band last week. Check out the interview here.
