Given the recent drama and accusations between guitarist/vocalist Jeff Lohrber and bassist Amanda Daniels, it’s probably safe to say that you’ve heard of the new Enabler – even if they weren’t on your radar before. We intend to steer clear of the topic here, as this is a review of the music provided herein. It can be said though, that all of the aforementioned drama will probably overshadow the disc itself.
Enabler’s first full-length for Century Media, the band has worked its way up through the years on a few labels – honing their metallic hardcore craft (notice: we didn’t say metalcore here). Fail to Feel Safe shows some growth by Enabler, adding some dynamics into the mix but keeping in line with their sharp and visceral bite. “By Demons Denied” and the title track see the band adding some quasi-clean vocals while maintaining serious abrasion, where “Malady” utilizes them with the addition of some melancholic edges. On the heavier end, “Sabotage Within” borders on sludge with its oozy, lurching riffs (as does “Euphoric Revenge”). But those simply looking to sink into some of the band’s snarling yet catchy riffs will be rewarded by songs such as “Suffer to Survive,” “Demolition Praise,” and “Haunted.” With the added dynamics, the disc maintains some rather high-intensity riffing without worrying about if each track is blurring together.
With some rather large question marks surrounding Enabler and their future at the current moment, Fail to Feel Safe in and of itself would stand as a high mark in the band’s discography. The band has made some pretty serious progressions since their inception, all while staying true to their original sound. We’ll see what happens from here.