(Az interjú magyar változata ezen a linken olvasható.)

Enforcer, the Swedish heavy metal powerhouse fronted by Olof Wikstrand, finally made their way back to Hungary after more than a decade. Before their electrifying show in Budapest on March 7, we had the chance to chat with Olof about their long-awaited return, their latest album Nostalgia, and the biggest challenges they’ve faced over the past 10 years.

Text: Kiss Daniella · Photo: Alex Phillips, kiadói archívum

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How does it feel to be back in Budapest?  Last time you guys played here was in 2014.

„It feels great. I kind of remember Hungary as having a pretty good scene. We only played once there before, but I have a very good memory of it being loud and wild last time. I’ve been trying to come back here and make us play in Hungary on many occasions during various tours, but for some reason, it hasn’t happened. Now we could make it, and it’s a good time to come back. I think we sound really good now, better than ever. So, I’m really happy to be back here again.”

What do you think has changed the most in Enforcer since then?

„Well, maybe the biggest difference is that ten years ago, we were more of a new band. You could tell we were a little more hyped, but now we are way more established. In the beginning, there was a lot of hype, but now I think we’re more established so it’s pretty good. All the shows we’ve had over the past couple of years have been great. We haven’t had a bad show in a very long time. Like I said, I think we sound better than ever and look better than ever. We must have done thousands of shows in these 10 years, so we definitely sound a lot better now.”

Some bands try to reinvent themselves with each album, while others refine their signature sound. Where does your most recent album, Nostalgia fit in that balance?

„It’s always about finding the balance between reinventing yourself and creating something inspired, rather than falling into clichés or repeating what you’ve done before. I think we found quite a good balance on the latest album. I didn’t even want to think about it that way—like, I have to do something new. We did some experiments on our fifth album. Some turned out pretty good, some didn’t. But with this one, I just focused on writing the best songs possible. As long as the songs are good, it doesn’t matter. Songwriting is central. Sound-wise, that’s a different thing, but I tried to simplify things—take away what’s not needed instead of making long, epic songs. That was kind of the approach.”

What were your biggest musical and lyrical inspirations for this record?

„For lyrics, I don’t know. I don’t really care much for other bands’ lyrics, honestly. I try not to be inspired by them because that can turn out cliché. When it comes to the lyrics, it’s about what flows naturally. If I record a demo and a phrase feels good, I keep it. You can write something that looks good on paper, but if it doesn’t work when you sing it, then it just doesn’t work.

Musically, I usually say I’m inspired by everything, which is cliché, but it’s true. Even bands I don’t like can inspire me. You might hear a pop song in a grocery store that you hate, but it could have a melody fragment that sticks with you, which you can use. Eventually, it’s all about music. I’m actually not that inspired by metal. For this latest album, I listened to a lot of other stuff, like Journey. That taught me a lot about arranging songs—how to structure things instead of just throwing parts together.”

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Was there anything you wanted to capture with Nostalgia that you hadn’t quite achieved on previous albums?

„Not really. This latest album came together very naturally. Probably the most natural album process we’ve had. It pretty much wrote itself. Some albums have been harder to put together, more challenging, even feeling forced at times. But this one came out very easily.”

Enforcer has always been known for carrying the torch of classic heavy and speed metal. What initially drew you to this style, and what keeps you passionate about it today?

„I think it’s the search for genuineness. It started with bands like Saxon and Iron Maiden that have always been around, even since I was a kid. I grew up in the early ’90s, born in 1986, so metal was mainstream when I was young. That’s how I first picked it up. As a teenager, I listened to a lot of extreme metal like black metal, but then I started chasing things backward. Instead of finding new bands, I searched for the roots of the music I loved.

Going from black metal, I got into thrash metal, then into more traditional heavy metal. I always had a tendency to search for what’s behind the music. That’s what led me to find genuineness in heavy metal when it was still new and limitless. Today, if you’re writing thrash or death metal, you’re caged into a genre. But back then, bands like Black Sabbath were just rock bands who accidentally created heavy metal with the mindset of being completely limitless. That’s the mindset I want—to not be limited by genre.”

Have you ever felt the urge to experiment with other styles?

„A little, but I don’t really see it that way. The style or genre is just the icing on the cake. You can take any song and change the instruments—use synthesizers and drum machines, and it turns into a synth-pop song. Use guitars and heavy drums, and it becomes metal. The song itself remains the same. For me, genre is more about production or how you present it, and how you market it. It’s all music at the end of the day.”

Whether in the studio or on stage, Enforcer is known for delivering high-energy performances. What do you think makes a truly great live show?

„I always think of the live show as something we do together with the audience, rather than just us performing while they watch. I want to include everyone who comes out to see us and create an energy flow between both sides. That’s always the goal—to make that connection happen. The best shows are when you can really see it working.”

You’ve built a strong international following over the years. What do you think has been the key to Enforcer’s success in reaching fans worldwide?

„Touring has been a big part of it, but most of all, I think the key to our success is that we were the first and, for a long time, the only band playing traditional heavy metal. When we started in 2005, there was nothing else like it. In the beginning, we played death metal festivals because there simply wasn’t a scene for what we were doing.

Over time, we helped build a global scene from scratch. We started with small club shows, and what we did eventually became part of the new wave of traditional heavy metal. We also used the internet a lot to reach fans. Now, we play in almost every country in the world and even if it’s a small one, we have a following everywhere.”

You’ve been part of the scene for a long time now. What do you think is the biggest difference between the metal industry today versus when you started?

„From 2005 until now, the biggest shift has been the rise of the retro wave. A lot of people from our generation—born in the ‘80s and ‘90s—have formed semi-successful retro bands, whether it’s retro thrash, retro heavy metal, or even retro goth rock. That’s been the biggest development in the scene. Back in 2005, that wasn’t really a thing yet. But we, along with a bunch of thrash bands, helped make it possible. As for mainstream rock, I have no idea what’s happening there. The underground scene and its culture are what matter to me.”

What do you think has been the biggest challenge Enforcer has faced in its career?

„The biggest challenge is continuing to grow. We’ve had great success—strong record sales, streaming numbers, and ticket sales—but it’s been hard for us to break into the mainstream rock and metal establishment. Even though we do well, it’s difficult to get on big rock and metal festivals that aren’t underground. It’s also been tough to land support slots on major tours. Everything we do is headlining our own shows for our audience, but at some point, you need to reach new people to keep growing. Fans will always drop off—they’ll find new genres, get jobs, get into relationships, and move on. You always need to be making new fans, and that’s the biggest challenge. Otherwise, one day, no one will come to your shows or listen to your music.”

If you could go back in time and give advice to yourself when you were first starting Enforcer, what would you say?

„I guess I’d say be more humble and don’t waste opportunities on drinking. In the beginning, we were such a party band—we still are to some extent. But back then, we had a lot of opportunities that we just threw away trying to live up to all the rock ‘n’ roll myths instead of being professional. It’s been fun, but you have to find balance. I think we’ve found that balance now. We can still be a party band but also stay professional.

For example, we were on tour with Airbourne in 2010, playing arenas. We completely sucked because we were drunk all the time. We were in our early 20s, and we thought, „this is how it’s supposed to be!” We couldn’t stop ourselves, and we sounded terrible every night. It was a total circus. The same thing happened at big festivals early on—we were a new band getting these amazing opportunities, but we’d down ten beers before a show, and I couldn’t sing properly because I had been partying the night before. That’s something that has definitely changed. When you’re young and suddenly on the road, getting all this attention, it’s easy to lose yourself. You’re not used to it, and it takes time to figure out how to handle it properly.”

What’s next for the band after this tour? Any new music or future plans in the works?

„This year, our main focus is reestablishing ourselves in the U.S. We have two U.S. tours coming up and a festival there, so a lot will be happening in the States. Then, we have 10-12 festivals lined up in Europe. At some point, I hope we can record a new album, but it’s tough to find the time because making an album is so time-consuming. Plus, two of us live in Stockholm, and two are in Austin, TX so we’re pretty spread out.”

Do you guys write on the road, or is that not how you work?

„We usually don’t write when we’re on tour because it’s important to enjoy yourself. I couldn’t do this for 20 years if I took all the fun out of being on the road. The fun part of touring is hanging out with people, meeting new friends, and experiencing new places. That’s usually what happens when you’re partying. I’ve toured with bands that cut that part out, and it seems miserable. They just sit in cold vans, go to bed early – that is not for me. I love this lifestyle, and every time we’re out, I’m having the time of my life. If it were up to me, I’d tour 360 days a year. This has been my life for so long that it feels normal now.

We’ve had periods where we felt like we couldn’t keep doing this forever. But then, all of a sudden, you get out there again, and you remember why you do it. In 2017, we were close to breaking up. But at some point, we changed our mindset. Instead of thinking, „we have to be the biggest band in the world,” we accepted that we’re not going to be the biggest band in the world and we’re doing this because we love it. That changed everything. Now, we just focus on enjoying every moment and that makes a huge difference.”