Enforced – Kill Grid
Release Date: 12th March 2021
Label: Century Media Records
Pre-Save
Genre: Pure Crossover Death
FFO: Power Trip, Sodom, Agnostic Front.
Review By: Kenny Newall
What do you get when you combine punk, metal and death? Lemmy, you say. Too soon, my friend, too soon. Just like his passing. But more specifically thrash metal and hardcore punk and you have yourself Richmond, Virginia’s Enforced. Pure Crossover Death for life! as the press bio has it. And that sums them up rather well. Bolt Thrower, Ringworm, Slayer. You can hear them all in the pit exchanging fluids and influences. (The video for Malignance even has a pit fan punching his girlfriend at 2:53. Don’t worry, she’s imaginary). And those that know At The Walls know what to expect, as this builds on their debut full-length. (Though at 26 minutes I use full-length in the same way I use it to convince women about the benefits of my knob).
So, sophomore effort, Kill Grid sees a C90 worthy 41 minutes that puts some jam in my donut and has my middle aged head saying fuck you neck, we’re getting this on. Some morning stiffness is a price worth paying for a crossover hangover. Thrash is to the fore and while they gave the walls a damn good telling off on the debut, the ferocity is now upped to seven and everything is destroyed save the hookers.* UXO especially blows my trumpet* and is like those annoying as piss film scenes where the guy pulls a knife out halfway through the fist fight and you’re shouting, you should have led with that you shitnugget. Then again, I wonder maybe as I listen to what they did throw as first punches, the singles, Malignance, Curtain Fire and Hemorrhage and no, UXO is the standout. But whether your preference is mosh or circle, or you’re that bloke in the middle everyone pretends isn’t there, then the best of the rest will have whatever bits of yourself you want to flail. For this is music to move to and make life altering decisions by. This is not to say the lyrics are inspiring, just that you’re in a zone where logic and past promises are optional. I don’t really give a fuck about the lyrics, but the title track has some big words if that’s your thing. (And if Joe Petagno is also your thing then you’re in luck as he did the cover art). Though when you come out of the zone you realise maybe this is more life affirming than altering, but it’s that kind of album. It pulls you in and has a swagger that lifts it up to be better than it should be. Like when French women walk.
So, time may not come to view this as a classic, but right now it’s a rather fine listen. And right now’s all we got.
*Joshua 6 Biblical reference there for the hell of it.
(4 / 5)
