Crossover has become a hot genre again in the metal world. Bands like Power Trip, High Command, and Spiritworld have rose the ranks in the metal world to become house hold names. Another band who has garnered a lot of love in this genre is Richmond, Virginia’s Enforced. I discovered this band back in 2019 when they dropped their debut album At the Walls. I was an instant fan upon hearing that album. Four years later, they are set to drop their third album, second on Century Media Records, on the unsuspecting masses. War Remains comes straight for the throat on opening track “Aggressive Menace” with dizzying riffs, pulse pounding drumming and bass to let the listener know that this quintet means business. The onslaught continues on tracks “The Quickening” and “Hanged by My Hand”, the latter containing a guitar solo that will get a circle pit moving at maximum speed. The band knows just the right time to change tempos to either rev things up to eleven or cool things off a bit. The title track is the longest track on the album, which runs just under thirty-four minutes, and for me is the strongest track on the album. The track starts at with a chugging, mid paced riff as vocalist Knox belts out the lyrics before the track flies off the hinges and takes off into the stratosphere. The line “War is What Makes Us Human” from this song sent chills down my spine each time I listened to it. The second half of the album crushes just as much the first half. “Nation of Fear” is nice break from the hyper speed of some of the other tracks, opting for a slower pace that will still have the listener banging their heads and stomping their feet. The track “Ultra-Violence” is the complete opposite from the previous track, coming out blazing fast and hot, sure to kick up a gnarly circle pit and some crowd surfing during its two minute and ten second run time. “Empire” closes out the album on a high note with more fret burning riffs by Will, Zach and Ethan; and Alex puts on another drumming clinic, keeping the track moving along at warp speed. War Remains is top tier crossover and Enforced is poised to keep ascending the metal mountain with their new offering. This is an album that any fan of thrash, or metal in general, should not sleep on. If Enforced roll through your town on tour, do not miss them. I had the chance to see them with Undeath and 200 Stab Wounds last year and Enforced just about tour the roof off the venue. Until next time!
- The Metal Architect
