Sworn Enemy

Formed in Queens, New York, in 1997—originally under the name Mindset—Sworn Enemy grew out of the New York hardcore scene before gradually shifting toward a blend of metalcore and thrash metal. The band emerged in the early 2000s with the EP “Negative Outlook” and followed with the album “As Real as It Gets” in 2003, establishing Sworn Enemy on a circuit that included hardcore clubs, metal tours and niche festivals. Anchored by Sal Lococo’s raspy vocals, the group developed a direct style built on fast riffs, staccato rhythms and heavier passages drawn from groove metal, while retaining vocal approaches and gang vocals rooted in hardcore. Sworn Enemy then released “The Beginning of the End” (2006), “Maniacal” (2007) and “Total World Domination” (2009), signaling a move toward a thrashier sound. After a period of more sporadic activity, they returned with “Living on Borrowed Time” in 2014 and “Gamechanger” in 2019, produced by Robb Flynn, continuing to move between hardcore and metal stages and embodying a particularly aggressive, compact version of the New York crossover.