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[ More Music Reviews ]

Striker: Play To Win

Heavy Metal

4.5/5.0

Website Facebook Twitter YouTube
Record Breaking Records
Released: 26.10.2018
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 24.10.2018

Back in the day, the golden era of rock and metal in the Seventies and Eighties, there was an annual cycle for a band: record an album, tour your asses off, and then repeat. Alberta's Striker has been doing that same thing the DIY way, including through their own label, for the last five years or so. Now these heavy metal warriors return with their sixth long-player, Play To Win.

Striker

Basically, the album is another Striker barn burner of melodic, guitar-centered, heavy metal rock. As usual, their stylistic formula is a familiar one, with emphasis upon twin guitar harmony and blistering solos, clean vocal harmony, and a fine mixture of power metal speed with rock rhythm and groove. The final element to the song package is simply Striker's natural ability drop in memorable melody and catchy refrains. Ergo, stick with what you know best, and rock on.

And the heavy metal rock is self-evident throughout Play To Win with songs such as Heart Of Lies, Head First, Position of Power, and Summoner. While Striker is not quite known for ballads, they can deliver a heavy metal anthem, emphasis on heavy, with Standing Alone and Heavy Is The Heart. But Hands Of Time might sway you towards a heavy metal ballad with its use of voice over synths twisted with parts of heavy melodic metal. Essentially, if you like guitar forward heavy metal rock or simply anything that Striker has done in the recent past, you will dig their latest album, Play To Win. Easily recommended.

Midnite City: There Goes The Neighbourhood

Melodic Hard Rock/AOR

5.0/5.0

People who know me, know that when I find a good thing, musically speaking, I stick with it. Such is the case of UK's Midnite City, formed some years ago ... [ Read More ]

Note: All Amazon advertising in this review first benefits the artist, then Craig Hartranft also receives a residual. Click, and thanks for your support.

Essentially, if you like guitar forward heavy metal rock or simply anything that Striker has done in the recent past, you will dig their latest album, Play To Win. Easily recommended.

Alphabetical Index

The Powell Payne project, created in 2022 is the collaboration of Mark "Penfold Powell (ex-drummer of Psycho Kiss) and Adam Payne (former vocalist of Airrace). With guitarist Adam Davies and keyboard player ... [ Read More ]