Released in 2003 (and thus narrowly pre-empting its twentieth anniversary), Enemy Of The Enemy was Asian Dub Foundation’s fourth album and the first not to feature Deeder Zaman, who had left three years previous to engage in activism. It was to become their bestselling album, aided by Fortress Europe (a blistering critique of EU immigration policy) finding its way onto Need For Speed: Underground, and the addition of Sinead O’Connor, who provided vocals for 1000 Mirrors, a harrowing tale of domestic abuse. This new edition collects the remastered album across three sides of vinyl, with a fourth side featuring a rare bonus track (Illegal Minds – not on previous bonus discs) and two remixes, which previously found their way onto a re-release of the album. It’s a strong package, aided immeasurably by the liner notes, which not only provide full lyrics, but also explanatory notes of the concepts being covered.
The album opens with Fortress Europe, a high energy track with a skittering breakbeat going head-to-head with Steve Chandra Savale’s punk-infused guitar. The first thing to notice is that the remaster sounds great, bringing the album crisply to life. Pump it up and you’ll hear the racing bass and shattered glass guitar circle the room, while the vocals cut straight through the heart of the track, emphasising the band’s fiercely intelligent lyrics. The vinyl itself is well don -impressively crackle free at the outset, although how long it will remain so after the inevitable repeat plays is another question(!) What a start to a record – everything that served to make ADF beloved of a diverse audience is right there on that first track, and it starts the album off with a bang. It’s followed by the smoother dub of Rise To The Challenge, adopted by the ADF as the anthem of their relaunch and filled with positivity, despite the darkness to be found in the world. Few bands could compress their remit to such a degree, but with Chandrasonic’s post-punk guitars making their presence felt and a sense of community ever-present in the layered vocals, it’s a track that somehow brightens the mood whenever you hear it. Written for the film of the same name and featuring the key line It’s not how you fall, it’s how you LAND, La Haine is a powerful song with a simple, yet important, message; as relevant now (if not more so) than when it first landed in 2003. Yet, it’s not all hope and progress. Side one concludes with 1000 Mirrors, a tale of domestic violence given greater weight by Sinead O’Connor’s committed and entirely authentic performance. The victim of domestic abuse herself (Sinead suffered at the hands of her mother), it’s a deeply affecting song that questions a legal system that seeks to punish those who snap after a lifetime of indignities. In twenty years, it would be good to think that things had changed, but given the appalling tales of abuse that emerged throughout an enforced lockdown that offered no escape for victims, this feels like a song that is overdue a re-release.
Side two sees the band leaven the atmosphere somewhat, with the Leftfield-esque dub of 19 Rebellions. It is one of those tracks that highlights how vinyl sequencing services the album better than that of a CD, with obvious peaks and troughs marking the beginning and end of each section. However, while it is musically brighter, the thematic weight remains, and a powerful message sits at the heart of the track. Next up, the heavy, heavy bass of Blowback harks back to Rafi’s Revenge, with its tungsten groove and savage rhyming. Calming the vibe, 2 Face hangs off a lazy beat, stripping away the layers and allowing a tighter focus on the vocals. It leaves Power To The Small Massive to wind up the second side in a blaze of heavily processed guitar noise and trance like rhythms. A prescient track with its lyrical discussion of misinformation vs social evolution, it closes out the first platter on a high.
Side three opens with the rhythmic punch of Dhol Rise, a piece that steadily builds before collapsing in on itself. In contrast, the slower-paced Basta takes everything from trippy percussion and a brass section to industrial strength guitar, creating something totally unique in the process. The eerie Cyberbad strips away the lyrics, leaving only wordless vocalisations and HUGE dub drums to allow a greater focus on the band’s exceptional musical skills. It leaves the dark-hearted title track to close out both the side and the album on a trip that cleaves closer to the Prodigy, with its dense beats and heavy bass.
Side four allows for the bonus cuts and each adds value to the album. First up is the chunky, splenetic guitar fest of Illegal Minds (Feat. Mark Stewart). A punky addition to the album, it’s powered by huge swathes of guitar, and while those ADF drums are present and correct, it’s a messier, dirtier track than anything found on the album. It’s great to hear, but it’s equally easy to see why it was left off the original track selection. Rounding out the package are two remixes. The ubiquitous Adrian Sherwood lends a hand on a remixed Fortress Europe, which takes on an even dubbier aspect in this version. While not preferable to the original, it is nevertheless a great take on a classic track. Finally, La Haine (The Bug Remix) takes the original and leaves it splintered into pieces, with pulverising drums very much the order of the day.
Enemy Of The Enemy is a classic ADF album that builds upon the sound the band claimed as their own on the preceding three outings and firmly cements it, even in the wake of their departed frontman. Tracks like Fortress Europe showcase the band’s skills for effortlessly combining socio-political concepts with incredibly vibrant and catchy tracks, while Rise To The Challenge provided the band with an anthem for their manifesto. More to the point, some twenty years down the line, the album is as musically and lyrically relevant as it was on the day of release, and this new vinyl edition is something of an essential purchase for veteran fans and newcomers alike. 9/10
