Enforced Essentials

Thanks to a new generation of ferocious bands like Enforced, crossover thrash is alive and well in the 21st century. Hailing from Richmond, VA, a longtime hotbed for extreme metal and hardcore punk, the outfit came together in 2016 over a shared love of classic platters from Slayer, Sepultura, and Cro-Mags. After a pair of independently released demo tapes that set the underground on fire, Enforced unleashed their 2019 debut full-length, At the Walls, a 26-minute blast of bulldozer riffs, whammy-bar screams, and plenty of breakdowns. Vocalist Knox Colby—who sounds as if he’s chewing on scrap metal—deserves special mention. On 2023’s War Remains, released on Century Media, his Stoicism-informed reflections on human existence and societal ills are a big reason Enforced are as thought-provoking as they are pummeling.