Striker – Play to Win
Release Date: October 26, 2018
A Striker album in 2018 is just what I fucking needed especially after the release of that horrendous Skull Fist album. It’s almost as if Striker came in with their new album Play to Win and quickly slapped me upside the head and reminded me that NWOTHM is fucking good. “Heart of Lies” is an absolutely amazing opening track that sets the pace of what I consider to be one of the finest metal albums released this year by one of the best bands of this New Wave of Metal movement.
The guitar team of Tim Brown and Chris Segger prove that you can exercise restraint and actually write very melodically while still having the chops to run circles around many other guitarists in the genre and this can be heard in “Position of Power.” The first single off the album “Head First” is definitely one that once you hear it you’ll be hearing it all day in your head. It’s so infectious and it reminds me of the Scorpions in the sense that they’ve managed to combine melody and heaviness with a bit of pop sensibility and yes, I mean that as a compliment.
The show stopper on Play to Win is hands down the title track. The groove laden gem that lies smack dab in the middle of the album. Now this is a song that I cannot wait to hear live because I can just feel that nasty, gritty, groove at full volume and totally making me white boy groove dance. The only problem I have with Play to Win is that for an album that is so fucking strong (and in my opinion their best to date), why close the album with such a lame song such as “Hands of Time.”
Sorry guys, I still love you and I hope you still love me but closing the album with this song was a real bummer. This song would’ve been so much better in the middle of the album where more awesome shit would follow making me forget that the song was even on the album. Maybe it was Striker’s way of being sentimental but honestly, it was just so sappy that I felt like it would’ve been a much better album without it but hey, nobody’s perfect.
With Play to Win, Striker has delivered a perfectly produced piece of heavy metal awesomeness. Vocalist Dan Cleary is without a doubt one of metal’s best vocalists that nobody knows about and Striker’s ability to write such quality, hook laden metal masterpieces is what made me a fan of theirs in the first place. Striker continues to wow me with their ability to stand the test of time and if Play to Win is any indication, Striker will not be going away any time soon!
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