Striker’s metal is best played loud ... real loud
STRIKER Striker
Record Breaking Records
★★★★ out of 5
Hell yeah! That’s the two-word review of the sweet new Striker album, but my boss is looking over my shoulder, so let’s drive this jagged submarine into the ice for some subterranean detail.
From the first storm-summoning power chord on the opener Former Glory, Striker proves their new album’s initial claim of not dwelling on the past, a high and appropriate cry of “Yeah, I’m back again!”
Not that anyone’s worried after the metal band’s Edmonton Music Prize-winning City of Gold and first U.S. tour — oh, and they’re currently ravaging Europe. Stand in the Fire was a killer followup. Five albums in 10 years? A healthy sign, too.
But as is traditional when a hairmetal band seems to feel they’ve reached their purest form, Striker’s fifth effort is self-titled. And yes, the band is traditional in the best of ways, my kind of boilerplate, ass-kicking roots music.
Twelve songs of straightforward, beautifully easy-to-decipher heavy metal are what we have in front of us — wailed images of crumbling castles, seizing the day and being overall as badass as possible in every circumstance.
The louder you turn it up, the better. Nope, even louder. There you go — see?
Punchy and certainly beating with more than a little Maiden in its veins, Shadows of the Light is especially empowering. Love the swirling mayhem here, pull out your best orc victory moves.
The strange little instrumental Cheating Death, less than a minute, is a surprise visit to the Terminator-ravaged wastelands — a little breather among all the action.
Later, Freedom’s Call is a smilecracking assertion that, you know, you gotta believe in yourself, man! Love these lyrics, a little mountain range to even read aloud. “I don’t want to feel compelled to question everything … The world around me can’t and won’t be my own reality.” It’s just so perfectly junior high, and I mean that as a maximum compliment, having lived first-hand through the first denim-and-leather wave of this holy sound. Over the Top is yet another one to shove into the face of your demon oppressors.
Smartly summoned group vocals, Adam Brown’s crisp drumming and total ’80s earworm licks by Tim Brown are just part of the package. Post-Cookie Monster reign, you hear and understand every one of Dan Cleary battle cries over the speed and thrash.
If you haven’t witnessed this inspiring resurrection of classic metal, the band plays Saturday, April 14 at Starlite with Ravenous and Tylor Dory Trio, no doubt sharpened from the faithful overseas audiences.
Until then, let’s stare at that new logo on the cover. Yup, that is most definitely a giant snake with three swords in its muscled clutches. Conan, what is best in life?