A friend recently recommended that I watch Black Sabbath’s performance at 1974’s California Jam primarily to see a mustache-less Tony Iommi having the time of his life. The film is notable for many reasons, including buff Ozzy and handsome smiling Iommi, Geezer’s incredibly short bass guitar cable, and Bill Ward’s powerhouse performance; however, a key takeaway (for me anyway) was how much fun the band is having. While heavy metal can be a dour and cathartic thing, it can also be oodles of fun, and it’s great to see the masters of the craft revel in the festivities. Enforcer is keenly aware of this, and the lucky 13 tracks that make up ’Nostalgia’ are prime examples of Enforcer’s ability to inject a self-aware sense of overblown fun into the proceedings.

The requisite synth-heavy prelude “Armageddon” paves the way for moody opener “Unshackle Me,” which strikes a perfect balance between ‘Nostalgia’s’ grand melodic gestures and balls-to-the-wall traditional heavy metal thunder. The uncharacteristic restraint of Olof Wikstrand’s melodic vocal performance over prominent synth textures offset by galloping guitars highlights the Swedes’ ability to make even the most gnarly speed metal songs memorable.

“Heartbeats,” like many of the songs in this set, harkens back to a simpler time before metal splintered off into a million subgenres. Its acoustic intro, decorated with gentle falsetto vocals teases a ballad before the band builds to a catchy hard-rock chorus. Some fleet-fingered neoclassical guitar runs to balance out the light and shade of the verse-chorus dynamic and pave the way for an old-school lead-break hootenanny that should perk up the ears of even the staunchest of “NWOBHM” diehards.

Elsewhere, the aptly titled “Metal Supremacia,” a song seemingly written to fire up the band’s Spanish-speaking contingent, is sure to be a standout on Enforcer’s upcoming Latin American tour. Similarly, “White Lights in the USA” is the kind of song that European bands of yore hellbent on breaking in the U.S. would write.

From Ghost to The Cardigans, Swedish bands seem to have the spirit of ABBA coursing through their veins. Just look at The Night Flight Orchestra’s entire catalog or more directly Therion’s excellent cover of “Summernight City” for proof. Enforcer is no exception. While this penchant for exuberant hooks shows up in just about every song on ‘Nostalgia,’ it’s most apparent on the yacht rock-infused “Keep the Flame Alive” and the deliciously extravagant title track. The latter, the greatest power ballad this side of Steelheart, nicks the melody from the 1970’s Incredible Hulk TV show theme “The Lonely Man” to outstanding effect, with Wikstrand turning in the most over-the-top performance of his career.

Tunes like the diesel-fueled “Demon,” which incidentally sounds like it should take its place right next to “Fast as a Shark” on the soundtrack to Lomberto Bava’s 1985 movie ‘Demons,’ and the diesel-fueled “Coming Alive,” with Wikstrand and Jonathan Nordwall’s snarling guitars, Garth Condit’s buzz-saw bass, and Jonas Wikstrand’s double-time drums, are thick with vintage speed metal chops and purpose. The record’s throwback analog mix gives these and other tunes in the set a scrappy edge that does a good job of capturing the energy of a live show.

With ‘Nostalgia,’ Enforcer has crafted a fun and uncompromising record that balances good old-fashioned heavy metal aggression with melody and songcraft.