Canadian heavy metal band Striker have dropped five studio albums in the past ten years, and If we dig even more in detail and observe that their discography has been active for only seven years, we can conclude that they are enormously prolific. No matter the frequency of their released work, and the fact that it’s been less than a year since their previous record Stand In The Fire, they succeed to be consistent in quality.
Truth to be told, it’s not like they are making unforgettable masterpieces of metal. On the other hand, Strikes is a solid and serious heavy metal band rooted in the 80s and influenced by raw and high speed power schemes. Potent and loud, this album is saturated with emphasized rhythms, hardcore production, exploding energy, distinctive melody and technical precision. With raw strength, memorable melodies and intense rhythm sections, the songs are characterized by intrusive guitars and heavy thrash speed riffs. Layered solos filled with ambient vibe only add up to the holistic impression.
Although all of this refer to complexity, Striker is more or less a typical, traditional heavy metal album done by an algorithm, without any redundant perplexities. The vocals lack certain attack quality, so the power of guitar overshadows them. Still, the album functions as a whole. It’s health is reflected in the concert potential of songs.
Former Glory celebrates heavy metal in a slow tempo, and the equal energy is to be found in Born To Lose. After apocalyptic intermezzo Cheating Death comes bass solo supported by drum and vocal in heavy metal anthem titled Shadows In The Light. The most compressed atmosphere and the most striking rhythm are to be found in Rock The Night and Freedom’s Call. On Curse Of The Dead, the album nicely closes with multitude of backup vocals.
This record is another evidence that optimism of the young Canadians stands on strong feet. It also serves them as a good advancement for the future projects. Continuity that lies within will be highly important for their self-confidence, which is often the most important thing for musicians and artists in general.
