Anyone who regularly reads my reviews will know that I am a sucker for the NWOBHM and all the bands today that are creating music that sounds like it is from the 80s. Sweden's Enforcer is one of the best of those bands and album #3, Death by Fire, further cements their position atop the list. These guys open up Death by Fire with a quick instrumental intro ("Bells of Hades") and then just let the guitars fucking rip. "Death Rides This Night," "Take Me Out of This Nightmare" and the Maiden-esque instrumental "Crystal Suite" (check out the opening bass riff) are just the type of speedy, double-guitar Heavy Metal that got me hooked back in the 80s. Enforcer rarely slows much below mid-pace, a good thing in my book, and only gives us a quick breath with the atmospheric opening on "Sacrifice" before that song takes off and lays a hugely catchy chorus on our ears. The lyrics are suitably cheesy, capped by the tongue-in-cheek appeal to join the Devil himself on the closer, "Satan." Echoes of Iron Maiden, Witch Cross, Tokyo Blade, Speranza-era Riot and a host of others can be heard in Enforcer's songwriting, but the band carefully avoids ripping off their heroes.
Simple and unpretentious, Death by Fire kicks ass. If the 80s is still ringing in your ears, like it is in mine, Enforcer is a band you need to hear.
