### Enforcer: Diamonds

#### 07/07/10 || Altmer

Note: This article is about the SWEDISH band Enforcer. There are more Enforcers around apparently… again proves how original these guys are with their music and moniker.

Sigh, guys. Sigh.

I wish I could hate this band as much as I possibly should, but I can’t. This is pretty neat, despite being completely derivative in every way. The name of the game here is 80s, replete with production, vocals, and Iron Maiden influences. It’s a very boring style, of course – ancient to boot – but the band really knows how to play and rock it out, Maiden style. You know, early 80s NWOBHM stuff, down to the very last note.

So what do they do, obviously? Gallop their way through the record, goddammit. The pulsing bass features that Steve Harris sound, replete with galloping rhythm, and what’s more, the bass is extremely audible in the mix (good job, production team). The drums complete this with groovy tempos and fills, sounding exactly like Iron Maiden would on “Piece of Mind”.

The guitar playing is really exquisite, and that’s the main highlight of this record. The dual guitar solos, tradeoffs, and punky riffs are pulled off with vigour and aplomb and I really can’t scold these guys on their skills. It’s amazingly tight and powerful, especially the way the guitars and drums interlock perfectly is a feat of wonder and they really know and love to play what they do. This is the aspect of this record that draws me in, and the instrumental sixth track really blows me away because of how tight and well-structured it is.

The only thing I kinda have problems with is the vocals. He’s not too bad, but he’s generally high-pitched, and the occasional balls-in-a-vice vocals appear here and there. He just gets to be too much, and too overdone really fast. Not to kill the guy’s obvious talent, this guy can sing really well, but his theatricality just can’t match Halford or Dickinson in their prime.

I wish these guys got a sound of their own though, because although I really like this, you’ve heard this all before in the 80s and it may be a nice (and very skilled) Iron Maiden retread but if you really need to hear this type of thing – I suggest you put on “Powerslave” since the songs from that album are more memorable than this. But, fuck, those guitarists can play!

Recommendation: Put a unique twist in your music, and you’ll score high as fuck with me because you guys rule pretty hard.

- Information
- Released: 2010
- Label: Earache
- Website: Enforcer MySpace
- Band
- Olof Wikstrand: vocals
- Adam Zaars: guitars
- Joseph Tholl: guitars
- Tobias Lindqvist: bass
- Jonas Wikstrand: drums

- Tracklist
- 01. Midnight Vice
- 02. Roll the Dice
- 03. Katana
- 04. Running in Menace
- 05. High Roller
- 06. Diamonds
- 07. Live for the Night
- 08. Nightmares
- 09. Walk With Me
- 10. Take Me to Hell