It is "impossible" since "everything exists already," says Enforcer's range-defying vocalist, Olof Wikstrand, as he talks about his band and their powerful brand of metal sounding, in a smattering of ways, like some of the best names in Music.
The impossibility that he is speaking of has to do with creating something that has never been done before in music, and of course, he is quite correct. Today, everything from dubstep metal to country metal has been done, and many of the sounds that do try to stand out do so for all of the wrong reasons (we are looking at you, Ghost).
Today, as Olof suggests elsewhere while he speaks to Blasting News, there seems to be a brief window opening up for nostalgia acts who may harken back to the sounds of nu-metal, but that isn't his cup of tea at all. Instead of trying to hop onto the latest bandwagon, Enforcer has delivered a true platter of hearty heaviness on Nuclear Blast Records. As fate would have it, it just so happens to have a name that applies to the conversation: Nostalgia.
... and it is brutal.
No looking back for Enforcer
Upon one's initial listen to Enforcer's latest, "Nostalgia," it is striking just how refreshing it is to hear music that is not "aligned to the grid," to quote Wikstrand once again.
That is to say, in almost every single metal release that comes to mind in recent memory, the drums are triggers – even if the drum kit is not electronic.
Likewise, every beat is manually (or via a computer program), moved into exact and proper quantization, regardless of any flaws that may have existed when played.
The same is done in similar fashions to the guitars while each note of the singer is fed into autotune to ensure that no stray vibes of mere humanity are left. While this does produce quite a powerful sound, the final result isn't honest, and the over-mechanization of otherwise organic music is the end result.
When Wikstrand says that "It's about the music and atmosphere that you build," that kind of feeling and character, that is actually felt all during "Nostaligia." The drums actually sound like drums, which shouldn't be a novel idea, but somehow in 2023, it is.
Many influences add to the recipe
The reason why Enforcer doesn't sound like any other band "to a T" is because they don't blend just one kind of metal or one kind of feel into their driving sound.
They also do not sound like any existing band.
Instead, it seems like the music features the very best elements of everything from glam to thrash and back again.
For example, "Armageddon" opens "Nostalgia," and if the candlelight is just right, one can almost see King Diamond casting a grimace at his latest instrumental track, yet there isn't any part of the sound that sounds like any particular King Diamond song. Rather, it is a perfectly solid track in its own right, though it does blow kisses to those who influenced it, as if it should have always been there, not as if it was lifted.
Other moments in Nostalgia, such as "Kiss Of Death," go in a totally different direction with a guitar riff that almost sounds like an ultra-sped up "Too Young To Fall In Love" by Mötley Crüe, yet as soon as that is noticed, the riff changes like a thrash band and charges headlong into some of the best guitar work to be heard anywhere.
Mozart and Steve Vai already exist
When Wikstrand is questioned about his thoughts regarding modern music consumption, particularly as it relates to the dumbing down of the average music fan, his take is quite interesting. To him the question was posed asking if most newer fans are more drawn to something that they feel like they can do (such as favor-of-the-week rap) as opposed to something that they could likely never do, such as Mozart of Steve Vai.
Wikstrand replied that "it doesn't matter if someone can play like Mozart or Steve Vail because they already exist."
That there, is the key to what enforces the band's sound.
So much great, meaningful, fulfilling music already exists that the magic can come from each member of the band playing in ways that are deeply inspired by that wonderful music.
Enforcer doesn't need to try to sound vastly different than everyone who has ever played any more than they would attempt to sound like anyone on purpose. Rather, Enforcer seems to focus on writing good songs, achieving a production sound that shows what those songs should sound like, but not overdoing the knob-twisting.
"The essence isn't in how you produce it, it's rather, it think about how you approach the music," Olof Wikstrand stressed during his talk with Blasting News. The analog-sounding production won't save a band that can't write solid tunes, and Enforcer has worked hard to master both.
Destruction comes
Enforcer is set to take over the touring circuit and they are doing so with metal legends, Destruction.
If there remained any doubt as to the power that Enforcer delivers, these shows will, as before, certainly dispel them.
As Wikstrand stated when he talked about another song on "Nostalgia," "Coming Alive," drummer Jonas Wikstrand, guitarist Jonas Wikstrand, and bassist Garth Condit wanted it to be known that they could "crush all competitions from other bands," and the goal was realized, to say the very least. From Olof's initial wail that could awaken the very rocks in the ground to the relentless drum fills, there is hardly time to breathe!
That isn't to say that Enforcer is by any means a one-trick pony. The tittle track to "Nostalgia" is easily one of the most beautiful songs to be released by any band this year.
The lyrics could melt the soul of the devil and the acoustic guitar work is a thing of absolute grace.
"Unshackle Me" has what could almost be called a "poppy" chorus, which is not exactly expected, but which works well in the context of the whole CD.
Furthermore, "Demons" asks cryptically, "Are you afraid of the darkness? Does it make your blood run cold?," as threats regarding the coming of "The Angel Of Death" are delivered in true metal fashion.
What Enforcer does works and more than anything else, that is what matters the most. They don't reinvent the wheel, they just make sure that the alignment is right, that the rims are polished, and that the ride is smooth.
There has never been anything at all wrong with that.
