Enforced - At the Walls (2019)

At the Walls was one of those first records I latched onto in the modern wave of thrash and death metal albums incorporating hardcore aesthetics to their songwriting. No, it was nothing new, bands had been crossing the streams for decades before this, notably the crossover scene which Enforced is often tagged alongside, and for good reason, but when I listen through this I feel more of a street tough, 80s NYHC vibe rather than the more punk/hardcore stuff that was threaded into the sounds of D.R.I., Cryptic Slaughter, and their like. Combine that with crispy, crunchy, EXPLOSIVE thrash metal and you've got one hell of a debut, and At the Walls remains my favorite record from the Virginians, since they'd take on a more caustic and warlike feel on the later efforts that felt more like Power Trip.

The production here is absolutely perfect, with its thick bass lines, peppy drums and that aforementioned crispness to the rhythm guitars which delivers the maximum impact whether they are galloping along or headed into a thrashing breakdown. The leads are wild, loose, short and perfect at adding another reckless level of atmosphere, while Knox Colby's vocals on this album are absolutely fucking rad, like Lou Koller if he'd been the front man for Nuclear Assault instead of Sick of It All. There's plenty of metal here, though, don't you worry, from the Slayer-like harmonies of "Retaliation" that lead into the breakdown, to the bevy of faster, crunchier thrash riffs that would make even Municipal Waste weep. All of it combines into an album so vibrant, full of energy and propulsion. I haven't been a 'mosher' since my teenaged years, I just got tired of having my big feet stepped on, never felt I had much leverage, but I tell you there's music that passes my desk which has me privately performing that very dance.

26 minutes is all it takes, concise and to the point and never faltering on any track as the band just blazes the fuck out its hybrid sound. You could listen to the whole thing on the way to work, or for a quick trip to the gym. I wouldn't even say there's a misplaced note here; the leads might not feel super memorable individually, and don't have a ton of confidence yet, but again they are present for effect, for that feel of testosterone about to fall off the hinges. The gang shouts rule, the vocals might be more hardcore-focused but they match the metallic guitars quite well, and it's just infectious, transporting me back to the 80s when I would be just as thrilled to listen to Killing Time and Gorilla Biscuits as I was Anthrax or Overkill. Interestingly, a lot of Enforced fans have an inverse opinion to mine, where they prefer the later records, but I think this smokes them (at least so far), much more youthful and vital.

Verdict: Win [8.75/10] (Sell out your oppressor)

https://enforced.bandcamp.com/