EP Review: Enforced - A Leap Into The Dark
Reviewed by Sam Jones
Consider my surprise when I learnt Enforced would be back with a new EP release. Coming not too long off the back of their latest album, Enforced are currently on a roll with released and so I was thrilled to dive back into this six-track EP, due out for general release come October 25th. Formed in 2016 out of Virginia, United States, Enforced have risen hardly to become amongst the premier thrash icons of the last decade. Though their early days were peppered with Demos, it was their first full length album, At The Walls, back in 2019 that really saw the band take off to start with. Though this was only the beginning as Enforced soon succeeded that record with their second, 2021’s Kill Grid, which soon became the band’s gold standard and one that refused to shift even as they geared up for album three: 2023’s War Remains. With three for three under their belt it seems the future is bright for Enforced, and thus we come now to their newest EP, A Leap Into The Dark. Once again released via Century Media Records, it’s time to see how this EP complements Enforced’s runaway success of late
The general attack that Enforced are renowned for hasn’t dissipated at all, if anything it feels more refined as the band have ensured their production is able to convey the severity of their onslaught. When one hears the band playing these ripping, chopping riffs you can feel the end of one chord sequence to great effect right before the next begins, and then we must bare in mind the riffs are throwing these at us in rapid succession. The band have hardly failed to convey the furnace of their performance but it’s through the prediction of their work herein that one understands why Enforced have become such a beloved thrash act in recent years. When one listens to them play, you really feel the acid and strength they possess and I believe that’s down to the mixture of their songwriting and ensuring the production highlights the progression of their riffs. It enables us to delve further and become more immersed within their performance because it feels all the more real.
Whilst Enforced effortlessly keep our attention transfixed upon their performance, I feel this is the strongest their drums, especially their bass drums, have ever been. Their drums possess an especially meaty quality, even the standard drums at the forefront of the kit feel especially taut and so they’re struck with resonance that doesn’t hang around much but resounds with a pretty strong bass quality. If anything, the EP on the whole carries a rather strong bass presence as you can hear basslines flowing through the underwater if the record here should one listen attentively. I think it’s why the riffs also seem to punch us pretty easily; they’re being constantly reinforced in the mix to hit us exactly where the band want. If things where the band are going for a potential fourth album it excites me greatly, knowing how bold their sound is becoming.
It’s worth mentioning that Enforced really don’t stop for anything. The band take thrash seriously and thus write metal that isn’t going to hold your hand, but rather thrust you straight into the whirlwind their soundscape forms. When you couple together their growling vocals alongside their riffs and bass you’ve got thrash metal that doesn’t intend on stopping or slowing down for a moment. Thought their songwriting has moments where track progression isn’t necessarily predictable, and isn’t always moving at breakneck speed, their momentum never feels to stall at all. Though their tempo isn’t always riding a high, the pacing never lets you go so while they throw in more methodical and steadier pieces of songwriting, you know you’re still in good hands and the energy isn’t going to suddenly lax.
In conclusion, with some great covers thrown in encompassing half the record’s runtime, Enforced make this a ripping yet pleasant experience, showcasing fresh material from the band whilst demonstrating their own spin on some classics, Enforced are already pointing towards what a future new album might look like. With just six tracks on the whole this EP doesn’t overstay its welcome and each original track by the band is strong and keeps you thoroughly engaged from start to finish. As of yet Enforced have established themselves as a reputable and consistently entertaining thrash act, and this EP is no different which is saying something since this is in fact their very first EP release; the rest of their more miscellaneous material being either Singles or Demos. I’m certainly hyped to see what Enforced do in the future.
