Review ENFORCED “A Leap Into The Dark” – EP

Richmond, Virginia is the home of Enforced, a metal band that started in 2016 and released a furious debut album with ‘At the Walls’. To date, the guys have released three studio albums, and after ‘War Remains’ hit the shelves in 2023, it’s an EP that showcases some new songs from the US powerhouse.

“A Leap Into The Dark” is the title of the latest release, which contains three new songs, a remastered classic and two cover versions. “Betting on the End” is the opener of this release and it’s a throbbing thrash metal track. It is impossible to stand still while listening to this song and you may feel the need to start a circle pit in your own living room. Howling guitars and a massive groove are the ingredients of the title track. A little slower in the verses and building up towards the chorus, the song emits a certain Slayer vibe without Enforced copying their idols.

Enforced switch gears with “Deafening Heartbeats”, a raging metal tune. There is no room for complex structures and balanced layers. This raging piece hits you with full force and it’s the essence of metal that echoes with every note.

“Casket” was a single released by the band in 2021 and it follows the new songs. With “Deadly Intentions”, Enforced take on the challenge of covering an Obituary classic. The band adds a thrash metal vibe to this classic from the “Slowly We Rot” album and they do the same with “The Chase is On”. The latter is a song by English Dogs. Enforced’s version is a thunderous hardcore/metal blend that gets the crowd going.

“A Leap Into The Dark” is an EP to bridge the time until the new album. Enforced have found the right balance between new material and extras on this release. The new songs are the promising half though as they show a band that is hungry and I think we can expect a lot from these guys in the future.