Nuclear Blast - 2015
8.5/10
Maintaining the pattern of dropping a full-length every few years, Olof and co. continued towards their newer found recognition in the higher ranks rather quickly. Without dropping so much as a split or a single, Enforcer followed up what’s been a perfect formula for two albums with From Beyond, a third stab at the speed-meets-traditional metal with some extra taste structure, for their fourth record overall. I guess as the saying goes, if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it, right?
That does hold some merit, at least for a while. All things considered, From Beyond is a structurally sound release that continues with catchy hooks, melodic leads, crystal clean vocals, and a solid blend of rage and steadiness. As with many a death metal effort, doing what you’ve done well over again can yield some sturdy tunes, as long as it's channeled correctly, holding some sort of memorable variation. I’m pleased to say that is the case here, as several muscular impressions are made. “Undying Evil” is where my mind first wanders, holding some of the clearest yet fiercest vibes not only in the vocals, but in the minor-toned solo and bridge. The pattern of instrumental tunes being stuck in the center doesn’t go away, and I think “Hungry They Will Come” is one of the best ones, fitting the general vibe of the whole record nicely. Its calmer approach meeting adventurous tones and slightly unsettling, heavy progressions complement each other so nicely.
On the other hand, there is an ever-so-slight hint at moving towards a sound that favors the melody and anthemic build over the speed, which has been pretty balanced thus far. A fair amount of fast rippers still exist, such as “Hell Will Follow,” or the opening “Destroyer;” I’d probably even assign this description to the aforementioned “Undying Evil.” But the mellow nature of the title track, and the epic-cladded forays towards a calmer bunker shown on “Below The Slumber” reveal that more interest was invested into cool and concise stock. The title track has to be another favorite of mine, as they master building a repetitive chorus that works all the emotional feels, much of it owing to the sugary flavor. Hell, even the solo in this one is rather masterful, ascending in a very welcoming way. This isn’t really the dominant mode of production (yet), but it shows itself noticeably more clearly than before.
Ultimately, these cooler ingredients are what allow Enforcer to cook up the same formula a third time around without any signs of it going stale. I’ll admit, it definitely feels like it could be a transitional record. The back half (everything after “Hungry They Will Come”) is weak in comparison to the first half, boasting a flame slightly less hot than the two predecessors overall, but there’s still very little to complain about. Regardless, the sweeter tastes that fill in the speedy cracks make up my favorite parts of the record.
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