How do you separate what Enforcer does from something that’s deliberately throwback?
Tobias Lindkvist: We don’t follow any trends in music. We play the music we love and always loved. Enforcer are not part of any movement and we don’t want to be labeled as some “New-wave-of traditional-whatever…” band. We play heavy metal our way and we will do it as long as the band exists. Whatever the current trends in music are.
How much of Death By Fire is in From Beyond? Sonically and aesthetically.
Tobias Lindkvist: Quite a lot. We are still the same band. From Beyond has got more variation but it still has the same speed as Death by Fire. From Beyond is more melancholic and more melodic while Death By Fire might be a little bit more aggressive. They are both strong albums.
What was the writing process like?
Tobias Lindkvist: It was the smoothest writing process so far. We started collect our ideas in April 2014 and turned them into 10 songs in a couple of months. It felt great from the very start. Some songs like “Hell Will Follow” came together really quick and songs like “Mask Of Red Death” and “Below The Slumber” took a while to get as we wanted.
Is From Beyond meant to be listened to in the given song order? There’s a good cadence to the track order.
Tobias Lindkvist: It should definitely be listened as an album, from start to end. We always put a lot of thought in the order of the tracks to make the album dynamic and interesting.
If you had one song to play from From Beyond for someone which song would it be and why?
Tobias Lindkvist: If the person never heard Enforcer before I think I would play “Undying Evil”. It’s a catchy and fast song that really shows want this band is about. If the person heard us before I would play “Mask Of Red Death” because it’s a untypical song for us. We never done anything like it. It’s a more dramatic song with good instrumental parts.
You do a lot of the recording, engineering, mixing and mastering yourselves. Those aren’t the normal tasks of a heavy metal band. What does Enforcer gain by controlling all aspects?
Tobias Lindkvist: We gain total control of the music. We can’t risk to involve anyone else in the writing or recording process. We got the knowledge within the band to make a record to sound as we want. It’s a lot of work but in the end it’s worth it. I can’t see that we ever gonna do a record in another way.
The cover has a very ‘80s vector graphic feel. Was that intentional?
Tobias Lindkvist: We wanted a simple and direct cover this time. We kinda felt that we needed a blue cover to fit the atmosphere of the songs.
What are your Top 5 records of all time?
Tobias Lindkvist:
- Every record Iron Maiden made and will make
- Credo – Paying For Everything
- Metallica – Ride The Lightning
- Misfits – Walk Among Us
- Tormentor – Anno Domini
If that wasn’t enough to get your ’80s high tops pumped up, then a stream of “Below the Slumber” will. Clearly, the Swedes are on fire!
** Enforcer’s new album, From Beyond, is out April 7th on Nuclear Blast Records. Pre-order vinyl and CD versions HERE while they last.
