Album Review: Enforced – Kill Grid (Century Media Records)

Virginia-based crossover maniacs Enforced open their Century Media account with their blistering new album, Kill Grid. Formed in Richmond in 2017 out of shreds of disbanded hardcore and punk bands, Enforced quickly found their calling between the undying support of regional punk/hardcore scenes and their respective record collections. Whether it’s Sacred Reich and Integrity or Bolt Thrower and Amebix, “Pure Crossover Death,” as Enforced call their devastating din.

Kill Grid will be released on March 12th 2021 via Century Media Records.

Thrashing, grinding and smashing like maniacs, Enforced bring a lot of anger in their package and deliver it with venom on their new album. Kill Grid is a beastly album that moves a one major speed… frantic. Or maybe the more accurate word is frenzied. Such is the eruption of thrash, hardcore, punk and death metal that comes screaming out of the darkness on The Doctrine. With instruments being hit hard enough of leave welts, the sudden burst of of hardcore ferocity is all the more damaging.

The bar for a chunky and bilious mugging has been set and it’s up to the following OXO and Beneath Me to better it. The former by introducing more meaty chugginess to the guitars and the latter by being thrashy gold that has such an infectious heavy beat. Bangers, the pair of them.

Malignance keeps the formula on point, the riffs absolutely galloping away. Before the title track offers up a surprise or two. Where some guitar solo flair, hyper activate heaviness and crushing percussion rule all. So much so that we don’t get any vocals until we near the 3-minute mark of a 7-minute track.

Back to pure adrenaline based speed; Curtain Fire, Hemorrhage and Blood Ribbon threatens to tear holes where there really shouldn’t be holes. Enforced are non-stop in their bludgeoning and bloody hell, is it enjoyable. Oh yes, it might be a constant battering that makes you feel numb all over but it’s never boring. The blend of styles, the mixing of genres, the wealth of ideas results in a wrathful listen.

Ending with a final beastly assault in the form of Trespasser. Take a breath, it’s over then do what feels natural. Hit play all over again.

Enforced – Kill Grid Full Track Listing:

1. The Doctrine
2. UXO
3. Beneath Me
4. Malignance
5. Kill Grid
6. Curtain Fire
7. Hemorrhage
8. Blood Ribbon
9. Trespasser

Links

Album Order | Facebook | Instagram