STRIKER
“STAND IN THE FIRE”
Album Review By Iron Mathew
8/10
Striker are a heavy metal band from Canada formed in 2007 releasing their debut album in 2010. Two more albums followed in 2012 and 2014 with their latest album ‘Stand In The Fire’ released in 2016.
Canada are famous for producing some of the biggest names in heavy metal, bands such as Anvil, Helix, Exciter, Razor, Annihilator and Skull Fist, and of course, the mighty rock band Rush. Striker emerged in 2007 and have been banging heads for nearly ten years with their brand of heavy power metal. Their fourth album opens in traditional Striker fashion, quick paced, blistering guitars and galloping rhythms with a clean and clear vocal delivery. Their legions of fans will love this and the huge army of fans of European style power metal will latch on to this too. ‘Out For Blood’ is heavier and quickens the pace, pedal to the metal, heads will be banging and fists will be punching the air. Striker, amidst all the speed and power, seem to be able to inject a huge amount of melodic hard rock to make every song catchy, infectious and addictive.
‘Too Late’ introduces a more mid tempo vibe, a melodic nature that will keep your feet tapping and your head nodding all the way to its end. A catchy chorus and ‘Too Late’ is one of those songs that you will find yourself singing…a long time after you finish listening to it. Title song ‘Stand In The Fire’ is pure hard rock, with a slight hint at AOR, and I mean slight, as you will have to listen closely. ‘The Iron Never Lies’ is bombastic and picks up the pace, energy and intensity. A hard hitting, hard edged, slab of hard rock ‘The Iron Never Lies’ is infectious and has a catchy, if short, chorus. A very heavy, pounding riff opens the instrumental ‘Escape From Shred City’ as it rattles and rumbles on its way with some excellent guitar work. Although there are no vocals, it is still a very infectious song that will keep your attention as it wanders to a conclusion.
In your face and ballsy, ‘Outlaw’ rocks and rolls, taking no prisoners as it cracks and smacks its way through rampaging rhythms. A buzzing guitar riff sets ‘Locked In’ off in a blaze of fury. One of the quickest songs on the album it is pace and power combined which will keep your head banging. Introducing elements of the sleaze and glam rock genres from the late eighties and early nineties ‘United’ has attitude and is a fiery blast of thunderous proportions. ‘Better Times’ is heavy, melodic and quick paced all mixed together with a sparkling screechy, mild screaming guitar solo. And here was me thinking that a modern age power metal album was not gonna have a ballad in it…wrong, sort of. The album ends with the soulful strains of ‘One Life’ … but this is a song of two halves. Yes, the first half is ballad territory but the second half crosses the border into more familiar territory, picking up the pace and playing out in traditional Striker fashion.
Overall, powerful power metal with a melodic edge that will keep your feet stomping and head nodding for a long time, and a huge smile on your face ages after you finish listening.
TRACKLIST
Phoenix Nights
Out For Blood
Too Late
Stand In The Fire
The Iron Never Lies
Escape From Shred City
Outlaw
Locked In
United
Better Times
One Life
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