A marking composition for forming marks or indicia on a substrate upon laser irradiation, wherein said substrate is selected from the group consisting of metal, glass and ceramic, and wherein: upon disposing the marking composition on the substrate and exposing the marking composition to the laser radiation, the marking composition absorbs said laser radiation, increases in temperature, permanently adheres to the substrate, and forms a fused mark on the substrate having a luminance, color value, or degrees of opacity that provides visual contrast with the substrate; and when formed on each of a metal, glass and ceramic substrates, the mark has a negative ΔL dark contrast value of at least -1 compared to a mark formed by the marking composition without the enhancer, characterized in that , the marking composition comprises: (a) 2-20 wt% of an enhancer selected from the group consisting of CaSi, CusSi, FeSi, Fe 5 Si 2 , MgFeSi, MnSi 2 , MoSi 2 , Ni 2 Si, TiSi 2 , ZrSi 2 , WSi 2 , YSi, Al 4 C 3 , B 4 C, CaC 2 , Fe 3 C, Fe 7 C 3 , Fe 2 C, LaC 2 , Mg 2 C, Mg 2 C 3 , MoC, Mo 2 C, Mo 3 C 2 , Ta 4 C 3 , YC 2 , WC, AIN, BN, Fe 2 N, Fe 3 N, Fe 4 N, Fe 7 N 3 , Fe 16 N 2 , MoN, Mo 2 N, Si 3 N 4 , TiN, W 2 N, WN, WN 2 , ZrN, and combinations thereof; (b) 5-35 wt% mixed metal oxide pigment; (c) 0.5-10 wt% transition metal oxide; (d) 1-15 wt% silicate mineral; (e) 0.1-5 wt% binder; (f) 35-65 wt% solvent; and (g) 0.02-10 wt% dispersant. upon disposing the marking composition on the substrate and exposing the marking composition to the laser radiation, the marking composition absorbs said laser radiation, increases in temperature, permanently adheres to the substrate, and forms a fused mark on the substrate having a luminance, color value, or degrees of opacity that provides visual contrast with the substrate; and when formed on each of a metal, glass and ceramic substrates, the mark has a negative ΔL dark contrast value of at least -1 compared to a mark formed by the marking composition without the enhancer, characterized in that , the marking composition comprises: (a) 2-20 wt% of an enhancer selected from the group consisting of CaSi, CusSi, FeSi, Fe 5 Si 2 , MgFeSi, MnSi 2 , MoSi 2 , Ni 2 Si, TiSi 2 , ZrSi 2 , WSi 2 , YSi, Al 4 C 3 , B 4 C, CaC 2 , Fe 3 C, Fe 7 C 3 , Fe 2 C, LaC 2 , Mg 2 C, Mg 2 C 3 , MoC, Mo 2 C, Mo 3 C 2 , Ta 4 C 3 , YC 2 , WC, AIN, BN, Fe 2 N, Fe 3 N, Fe 4 N, Fe 7 N 3 , Fe 16 N 2 , MoN, Mo 2 N, Si 3 N 4 , TiN, W 2 N, WN, WN 2 , ZrN, and combinations thereof; (b) 5-35 wt% mixed metal oxide pigment; (c) 0.5-10 wt% transition metal oxide; (d) 1-15 wt% silicate mineral; (e) 0.1-5 wt% binder; (f) 35-65 wt% solvent; and (g) 0.02-10 wt% dispersant. (a) 2-20 wt% of an enhancer selected from the group consisting of CaSi, CusSi, FeSi, Fe 5 Si 2 , MgFeSi, MnSi 2 , MoSi 2 , Ni 2 Si, TiSi 2 , ZrSi 2 , WSi 2 , YSi, Al 4 C 3 , B 4 C, CaC 2 , Fe 3 C, Fe 7 C 3 , Fe 2 C, LaC 2 , Mg 2 C, Mg 2 C 3 , MoC, Mo 2 C, Mo 3 C 2 , Ta 4 C 3 , YC 2 , WC, AIN, BN, Fe 2 N, Fe 3 N, Fe 4 N, Fe 7 N 3 , Fe 16 N 2 , MoN, Mo 2 N, Si 3 N 4 , TiN, W 2 N, WN, WN 2 , ZrN, and combinations thereof; (b) 5-35 wt% mixed metal oxide pigment; (c) 0.5-10 wt% transition metal oxide; (d) 1-15 wt% silicate mineral; (e) 0.1-5 wt% binder; (f) 35-65 wt% solvent; and (g) 0.02-10 wt% dispersant. <EOS>