EP Review: Enforced – “A Leap into the Dark” (Thrash/Crossover)

Written by Kep

Last summer, by a stroke of pure chance, I was reminded how much I love Enforced when I saw their vocalist Knox Colby fill in admirably for Undeath’s Alex Jones at a Thursday night show in Richmond, VA. It was the last date of the Undeath/Jarhead Fertilizer run and Jones had caught an early flight home to deal with a family emergency, so when the New Yorkers hit the stage to play an understandably shortened set it was Colby that took the mic and ripped through the first two songs, “Rise from the Grave” and “Suitably Hacked to Gore”. My memory suitably jogged, the car ride home was the perfect chance to give Enforced’s 2023 album War Remains a spin, and yeah, it still whipped, and I’ve revisited it another few times in the last few months. When their new EP, A Leap into the Dark, dropped into my inbox last month, I pounced on that shit like a damn puma. 

Given that we’ve gotten full-length efforts from the Richmond crossover thrashers in 2019, 2021, and 2023, it’s pretty safe to assume this is the between-meals snack that keeps our appetite whetted in anticipation of an LP next year, and A Leap into the Dark is an appropriately small but not insubstantial bite. It’s sort of a model “tide me over” release, with a small chunk of new music and an assortment of semi-related shit that’s just for fun to round out the runtime to the ideal 15-20 minutes. This is supposed to be little more than a rollicking good time, and it absolutely is that, featuring three new tracks, which all deliver that robust grooving thrash we expect, plus a grab bag of three bonus songs that comprise a re-recording and two covers.

On the new track side of things, “Betting on the End” is a burly dose of old school swagger, packed with driving rhythms, chunky thrash riffs, and multiple solos that get the blood pumping. The title track follows and lays down a monster riff, jagged and heavy with drums you can feel pounding in your chest, before bursting into a headlong tilt that seems to ratchet up in intensity with every passing verse. “Deafening Heartbeats” closes out the A side with a no-nonsense dose of high octane aggression that broadens in its final stretch for some headbangable rhythms and vicious jabbing chords. The trio of tracks delivers exactly what we expect from Enforced: big, catchy riffs and high energy aggression in tight, smartly-written packages. 

On the B side is where things get a bit more loosey goosey. These are essentially “bonus” tracks, led by a remastered version of “Casket”, a song that previously appeared as a standalone single in Decibel Magazine’s Flexi series. Originally written and recorded during sessions for their 2021 breakout record Kill Grid, it’s a brutal straight-ahead ripper that lasts a grand total of 115 seconds and leaves you with a ragged hole in your torso. How do you follow a concentrated burst of violence like that? With another one, obviously, and so track five is a faithful recreation of Obituary’s “Deadly Intentions” from Slowly We Rot. Nobody’s voice drips sewage quite like John Tardy’s, so Enforced’s take isn’t quite as nasty as the original, but it’s good shit regardless. Closing things out is a cover of “The Chase is On”, a jammer of a track by British hardcore punks English Dogs. It’s another straightforward cover that doesn’t put a new spin on the tune (and leaves out those cool guitar wails in the chorus), but the aggression and raw power is dialed up several notches thanks to Colby’s throaty roars and the thicker production; it’s got a nifty classic feel to it that I really enjoy. 

Again, A Leap into the Dark isn’t a release that’s meant to be a unified front-to-back listening experience, but it’s worth noting that the production isn’t consistent across the runtime. The new tracks on the A side sound stellar, with loads of gutty punch, clarity, and a nice depth of sound; Arthur Rizk, long since proven as an elite producer, handled production and mixing. On the B side, things are more raw and there’s less depth—notably because of the presence of two remasters (“Deadly Intentions” was also released as a standalone single some months ago, then remastered for this EP). The B side songs still sound good, but matching the two halves of the record more closely would’ve been an appreciated touch. The remastered “Casket” in particular sounds filthier than the rest, which fits the track in my opinion but makes the transition a little jarring. 

But again, this isn’t a full-length and we shouldn’t hold it to LP standards. The tracks hit like a roundhouse to the jaw and the boys are playing their asses off. Colby’s vocals are as ferocious as ever, Alex Bishop pounds out a fusillade of driving thunder, and the threesome of Will Wagstaff (guitar), Zach Monahan (guitar), and Ethan Gensurowsky (bass) boisterously lay down riff after riff after solo after rocking riff. It’s a good time, and what else do you really want out of a between-albums EP?

THE BOTTOM LINE

Enforced knew we’d appreciate a quick and dirty ass-kicking while we await their next full-length record, and so they obliged us with six wallops about the head and midsection. Despite some unevenness, A Leap into the Dark is a damn enjoyable listen that gives us what we want: riffs and a bunch of catchy jams.