Enforcer
From Beyond
(Nuclear Blast Records)
There’s so many newer bands emerging these days with strong old-school influences that they’ve been placed into their own sub-genre (aptly titled the New Wave of Traditional Heavy Metal), and along with Cauldron and Holy Grail, Sweden’s Enforcer are at the top of that list in my book. But unlike groups like Steel Panther, these guys take what they do seriously rather than make a mockery of what’s come before them. Their fourth full-length release finds Enforcer maturing gracefully, easily marking their strongest effort to date. “Destroyer” starts things off fast and brutal, followed relentlessly by “Undying Evil” and “From Beyond,” which take the album into epic proportions from then on. The dual guitar work at times is so impressive that it’s easy to forget you’re not listening to Iron Maiden. There’s a real sense of familiarity found here, reminiscent of Saturday nights spent listening to old records and drinking beers in the garage with the guys. If you can relate to that, then this should be right up your alley as well – so crack open a cold one, and enjoy! (Jesse Striewski)
