After more than a decade since releasing an album, The Enemy are back this week with their most ambitious project yet.
Social Disguises, out this Friday (20th February), is a 20-track release split between streaming and physical formats.
We caught up with frontman, Tom Clarke, who told us all about the new record, and the reasons behind the creative mixed format release.
Tom reflects on creative freedom, his late autism diagnosis, the band’s evolving sound, and the enduring power of community – from football terraces to local music venues.
NC: This is your first album in over ten years. Tell me about the preparation and how you’re feeling ahead of this release.
Tom: “It’s been a slow burn for about two years. We’ve been working on the record for that long, and then suddenly everything ramps up in the month before release. You don’t always think about the practical side – signing thousands of albums, doing hours of interviews. It’s intense, but it’s good. There’s been a lot of interest and mostly positive feedback, which feels really nice 20 years in.”
NC: Do you think the time away benefited the band? Has it given you a fresh outlook?
Tom: “Definitely. Everything we do now is totally different. When we first came through, we were thrown into the music industry machine. I’m not even sure that industry exists in the same way anymore. After the band split, I did solo projects and tours and realised you can do this without that machine. I wanted to share that with Liam and Andy, which led to the reunion. That tour was meant to be a one-off, but we enjoyed it so much that we decided to keep going.”
NC: How does this album compare to your previous releases?
Tom: “All four previous records are different. The debut, We’ll Live and Die in These Towns, stands apart. For a lot of fans, that’s the definitive Enemy record. It’s also the only one I was really happy with. The second album was rushed and compromised. We wrote 11 songs and used all 11 – no quality control. The third was very narrow because the label wanted us to “play it safe.” The fourth chased radio trends. This is the first record since the debut where I haven’t had to make huge compromises. It’s the first one I’m properly happy with.”
NC: The title track, “Social Disguises”, is very personal. Can you tell me about that?
Tom: “It almost didn’t make the album. It’s the most personal song I’ve ever written. I don’t usually write very introspective songs – I tend to capture a general sentiment or zeitgeist. With this one, I just wrote it without thinking. When I listened back, I realised I’d accidentally written exactly how I feel. That made me feel quite vulnerable.”
NC: Why were you reluctant to put that side of yourself out there?
Tom: “Because it’s about being diagnosed with autism in my early-to-mid 30s. It’s about struggling in social situations, masking, finding small talk draining. I prefer deep conversations. I can come across as blunt – for me, that’s just efficient communication. Including the song meant I’d have to talk about it publicly, and I don’t really like the idea of “victim status.” Autism hasn’t made me a victim. It’s also given me strengths. We’re all good at some things and bad at others.”
NC: Has that diagnosis helped you understand yourself better?
Tom: “Yeah. I wasn’t looking for a diagnosis – I was looking for help with anxiety. But it helped me make sense of my life and how I see the world. It hasn’t changed the world for me, but it’s helped me understand my place in it.”
NC: How hard is it to balance making music you want with what fans expect?
Tom: “Very hard. I had to reverse-engineer our sound. I didn’t even know what we sounded like as a listener. I realised we play at insanely high tempos. The bass does most of the heavy lifting. It’s melodic and interacts with the vocals. The guitar isn’t as important as people think. Once I understood all that, the songs started sounding like The Enemy again.”
NC: You open the album with impactful single “The Boxer“, what was the thinking behind opening with this?
Tom: “Musically, it picks up where No Time for Tears left off. That was written for the debut but didn’t make it. Lyrically, it speaks to the same people who listened to us at 18, but now they’re older. It’s more reflective. It looks at class inequality and missed opportunities.”
NC: Track six, “Interference”, feels like a dividing point. What’s its role?
Tom: “It’s built from the chord progression of “Social Disguises,” but played in different ways – Casio keyboard, choir, strings, rehearsal room. It represents masking: one source, many versions. It’s roughly halfway through, but the real divide is after track ten. It’s a 20-track record. The first ten are on streaming, the second ten are on the deluxe physical version. A lot of people don’t realise that.”
NC: Why did you structure it that way?
Tom: “It’s a business decision. We’re independent. Streaming gives us reach. Physical sales pay for the record. But we had a rule: the second ten tracks had to be good enough to stand alone. They’re not B-sides. In some ways, they push things even further.”
NC: Do you have a personal favourite song from the album?
Tom: “It changes, but right now it’s “Innocent”. We wrote it so “Social Disguises” wouldn’t feel isolated. It’s more forward-looking, with more synths. But mostly, I just love how it flows.”
NC: How are the new songs translating live?
Tom: “We’ve already played a few – “Not Going Your Way,” “The Boxer,” and “Trouble.” They went down well. It’s terrifying playing new songs next to classics. If they’re not strong enough, they get exposed. You have to be selfless and follow what the fans respond to.”
NC: Next year marks 20 years since your debut. How do you see the industry now compared to then?
Tom: “If we were a new band now, I don’t know how we’d do it. Back then, there was a clear path: major label, radio, success. Now, radio barely supports new bands, and labels focus on legacy acts. People say, “You’ve got Spotify,” but it’s completely saturated. It’s like stuffing a leaflet in a library.”
NC: Has anything improved?
Tom: “Gatekeeping has reduced. It used to be very class-based. A lot of people in the industry came from privileged backgrounds. That power has weakened, and that’s a good thing.”
NC: You’ve become closely associated with Coventry City football club, particularly through their association with “We’ll Live and Die in These Towns”. How does that make you feel?
Tom: “It’s incredible. The club has a real sense of community. It feels like one living organism. Our song has become part of that, and it’s bigger than us now. Thousands of people sing it who probably don’t even know who we are. That’s amazing. It’s incredibly validating. It’s not like writing Three Lions on purpose. This happened by accident. I just feel lucky.”
NC: Do you think the city itself plays a role in that connection?
Tom: “Yeah. “We’ll live and die in these towns” is about belonging. In a world where communities are disappearing, that lyric acts as glue. That glue feels more important now than it did 20 years ago.”
NC: How do you see Coventry’s music scene today?
Tom: “I’m really proud of places like Coventry Empire and Coventry Music Museum. Local venues are vital. People need spaces to come together and process life through music. I’m also gutted that Godiva Festival won’t happen next year. That’s a huge loss for the city and its sense of community.”
NC: What’s next for you and the band?
Tom: “My solo project is on hold. The Enemy means more to more people. We’ve got plans through 2027 and 2028, and we intend to keep going. For the first time, we’re genuinely enjoying it. Before, it was always stressful. Now, it feels free.”
The Enemy’s new album ‘Social Disguises’ is out THIS FRIDAY (20th February). Head to Home | The Enemy for more information.
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