ENFORCED

Let’s face it, the old gods of thrash metal are on their last lap. It’s strange but folks of decrepit old age such as the Good Doctor still think of thrash as a newer form of metal. The truth is, it’s approaching 40 years since the earliest bands raged forth with metal of extreme velocity. METALLICA and MEGADETH have pretty much left the hall completely, while SLAYER has only roused itself from slumber for a brief nostalgic burst. Even the more active Germans, like SODOM and DESTRUCTION, have got a lot more road behind them than ahead.

That’s why Richmond, Virginia’s ENFORCED are such an important band. More than just about anybody else out there, they embody the furious speed and anger that made thrash metal such a powerful movement. Every one of their records just flat out throws down...”Kill Grid” and “War Remains” match the best of SLAYER and NUCLEAR ASSAULT. Now comes a new EP, “A Leap In the Dark”, which will bridge the gap until the next ENFORCED opus. To the surprise of nobody, this one also hauls ass. It also gave me a window of opportunity to speak to this band that holds the future of thrash in its hands.

So it is I speak to human dynamo and lead singer KNOX COLBY to learn the laws of ENFORCED...

WORMWOOD CHRONICLES: Greetings and hails to ENFORCED! Thanks for talking to us. “A Leap Into The Dark” is the new EP from you guys. You’ve been very consistent in getting new material out on a yearly basis. Was the EP done to make sure you have something out in 2024?

KNOX COLBY: Totally! We’re working on a new LP, but we knew it wouldn’t be done or released until 2025, so we pulled some songs from the pool, along with some fun covers, to put out an LP to keep people satiated. We hinted at it with “Casket” and “Deadly Intentions” being released earlier this year. We’re always working on something. 

WC: The first couple of tracks on the EP show some emphasis on more “chugging” and less total speed. Is this a sign of how ENFORCED is going to do things in future works?

KC: I think they all fit with each other in tone and style; it makes it a more cohesive release to have songs that kinda play off one another. In terms of what to expect: you’ll get what you came for: hard riffs and breakneck speeds. 

WC: There are spots in “Betting on the End” and “A Leap Into the Dark” where the tempo changes to absolute speed. I can see in my head the pit going wild during the transition. Do you kind of see the live result of your songwriting in your heads when you come up with tunes?

KC: I don’t think so. I think we’re writing with more practicality in mind and to achieve a good flow transitioning from one tempo to another instead of playing fast, then stopping, and going to a slower tempo. I know it's difficult but really rewarding in the end. 

WC: The band has always been known for social and politically charged lyrics. Has your point of view on lyrics changed over the years or are you still motivated by the same things as always?

KC: I believe my views haven’t really changed but my interests and how to approach those topics have changed. Songs about war death and mayhem, cool, I’ve covered that. I hate feeling as if I’ve repeated myself or falling back on tropes. I really want to push myself into different territories, and for me, that’s speaking more about myself, my experiences, my problems, etc. That way, when you listen to songs like “Hanged by my Hand” “Mercy Killing Fields” or “Deafening Heartbeats,” it provides the personal background to frame the larger overarching topics. I want the listener to understand me better I guess. 

WC: The song “Deafening Heartbeats” is a real rager! What’s the idea behind this one?

KC: “Deafening Heartbeats” is about a time late last year where I started having really vivid nightmares. Hags crawling into bed with me, sucking my soul out of my mouth and climbing out the window. Extremely loud booming deep voices that would say “GO” or “NOW” and I’d wake up in a panic. This all precluded me starting to have panic attacks and eventually going to see a psychiatrist and be put on medication for anxiety and PTSD. The sound and feeling of blood rushing in and out of my heart felt like an interesting topic that fit with the ending breakdown, so I focused my attention on that. 

WC: When it came time for you to choose the cover songs for the new EP, what was that process like? Were there a lot of songs you sifted through or did you focus on these like a laser?

KC: All the cover songs sprung out of us just farting around and having fun in the studio. The English Dogs cover was recorded during “Kill Grid”, “Deadly Intentions,” along with another special cover yet to be released, was during “War Remains”. We didn’t really sift through a big library of songs, we just played what we wanted to hear.  

WC:You guys have been on the road with OBITUARY. Did you get any input from them on choosing one of their songs? What attracted you to “Deadly Intentions”?

KC: We didn’t ask or get any input on which song to cover. We obviously reached out and asked for permission, but they were very gracious and kind and loved the idea. Like I said earlier, we just played what we wanted to hear. I don’t think OBITUARY has played “Deadly Intentions” in awhile and that song rules! so we picked that one haha. 

WC: THE ENGLISH DOGS are one of the forgotten names from the original wave of thrash. Was “The Chase Is On” your first choice to cover from them or were there others?

KC: Yeah that was the one that just stuck with us. It’s a really catchy song and like I said it just came down to “hey let’s record this” “...okay…”

WC:  Are there any other lesser known names from the past of thrash that you would like to bring attention to?

KC: PROTECTOR (Thrash/Death metal from Germany). Their album “Shedding of Skin” rules.  I don’t think these are “lesser” by any means but RAZOR and SODOM rip too. “Shotgun Justice” and “Tapping the Vein” are van staples. 

WC: You guys hail from the Richmond, VA metal and hardcore scene, which certainly has to be one of the best in the country. What’s special about Richmond and are there any newer bands from there we should be aware of?

KC: I think the smaller size of the city, it being a college town, being right off 95, far enough from DC and North Carolina puts it in a good position for bands to always come through and have good crowds. The scene itself is very supportive and always pushes bands to do more and challenge themselves and each other to get better. It’s very close knit that way. 

Richmond Hardcore Punk Metal for life 🤘

WC: You’ve got a big European tour coming up soon. Any plans for American touring after that or is it straight back to the studio?

KC: Back to the studio to finish the next LP and figure out some USA dates maybe in the spring or early summer. We’ll see; nothing is set in stone. 

WC:. What has been the strangest/most memorable gig you’ve played?

KC: Probably Full Terror Assault. There was an eating contest that involved vomit, an air sex competition and it was the most wasted crowd I’ve seen to date. Wild. (Sounds like a typical day at Wormwood Labs—Mischievous Mality)

WC: If you could have dinner with any 3 people from history, who would they be?

KC: The Three Stooges. What could go wrong?

WC:. Have you guys ever had a “Spinal Tap” gig where things went nuts that you could share with us?

KC: We were on tour with HIGH COMMAND and played New Orleans. I needed to use the bathroom but it was locked so I went to the back of the venue (where the office and kitchen was), thinking that there might be one back there. The show started and someone locked the door behind me while I was wandering around looking for the bathroom. Since bands were playing, no one could hear me banging on the door, and in between bands they were blasting techno! I was trying to kick the door and yell, eventually getting so desperate that I tried to crawl through the attic and punch out an HVAC vent to get anyone’s attention. No one knew where I was and couldn’t find me, assuming I’d gotten hurt and sent to the hospital someone. FINALLY, after a few hours, some employee opened the door and let me out. The band was out front on the curb worried as hell. We got it together and played the show. What a strange night. 

WC: Any last words or messages for the faithful?

KC: Thank you for supporting us in any way you see fit. Whether that grabbing a shirt, a CD or LP, seeing us live or just streaming our songs and showing a friend. We appreciate you all. ENFORCED Army: ASSEMBLE

ENFORCED