It’s hard to actively criticise Sweden’s Enforcer (yes, but have a go – Ed); Their hearts are clearly in the right place, and their new album, Nostalgia, is better than their last, the well-intentioned but in the end disposable Zenith, but there still remains the unsavoury tang of cheese about a lot of what they do that makes them a decidedly acquired taste. And surely, a retro-metal band calling their album Nostalgia is a bit heavy on the irony, right?

Still, when they get it right, as they undoubtedly do on raging single release Kiss Of Death, they resemble nothing so much as leather-clad defenders of the faith, here to save ‘our kind of music’ from all-comers hell bent on it’s sonic destruction. It’s high energy, it’s well executed.. it’ll get the blood pumping and the head banging – what’s not to love?

It’s just that, in their quest to cover all the eighties bases, they still insist on the insipid; Quasi pop metal like Heartbeats and No Tomorrow just aren’t this band’s wheelhouse, really, despite the absolutely superb solo on the latter, which emulates the Scorpions at their hurricaning best. And let’s not even mention the lamentable toe-dipping into disco territory that is Keep The Flame Alive…

Better to concentrate on the positives, then, and the Spanish language belter Metal Supremacia, which finds all cylinders firing, or the riotous (geddit?!!) rocker White Lights In The USA, which again is genuinely exciting if you’re of an age to remember just how vital this music made you feel back in the day – positives both, and certainly worth the price of admission.

A mixed bag, then, certainly, but it’s good to hear the band getting their heavy back on at least in part here. These guys have got the talent, no doubt – you don’t get to enjoy a decade plus career unless you’re doing something right, after all – and there are genuine moments of metal glory to enjoy here. Have a listen and see what you think.

Nostalgia releases on May 5th.