Band:	Striker
Album:	Ultrapower
Style:	Heavy metal, Speed metal, Thrash metal
Release date:	February 02, 2024
Guest review by:	Blackcrowe

01. Circle Of Evil
02. Best Of The Best Of The Best
03. Give It All
04. Blood Magic
05. Sucks To Suck
06. Ready For Anything
07. City Calling
08. Turn The Lights Out
09. Thunderdome
10. Live To Fight Another Day
11. Brawl At The Pub

Strikes on Striker.

Striker, the Canadian NWOTHM band, has released their latest album, Ultrapower. Striker has always delivered an ’80s sound but with more metallic stylishness. In Ultrapower, they explore a distinctly ’80s pop glam vibe, moving beyond traditional metal elements with hints of speed metal. Striker has created memorable albums in the past, my personal favorite being their impressive debut, Eyes In The Night, or the powerful City Of Gold.

This time, the music takes on a softer, more polished feel, with processed synthetic sounds and huge vocal harmonies that bring to mind bands like Bon Jovi, Kiss, and Def Leppard. However, the album quickly reveals flaws. Even great production can’t fully cover weaker song structures or flatter lyrics, plus the record feels overproduced and totally forgettable.

Ultrapower opens strong with “Circle Of Evil,” the best track, featuring great riffs and amazing vocals. This track sets high expectations, but Ultrapower soon starts to drift, moving into a softer side. Songs like “Best Of The Best Of The Best” and “Give It All” fully embrace an ’80s pop vibe, with saxophones and naive melodies that feel out of place compared to other works by the band.

This inconsistency characterizes much of Ultrapower. Just when you’re energized by a great track like “Ready For Anything,” you’re met with songs like “Sucks To Suck” and “City Calling”, which feel disjointed and disconnected from the album’s stronger moments. The final track, “Brawl At The Pub,” closes the album and leaves a confusing impression.

Striker is still a really good band; the guitar work is great, the vocal performance stands out, and the bass and drums are amazing. However, the stylistic turns and desire to revive a certain sound may have betrayed the good intentions behind this record. Ultrapower marks a departure from Striker’s previous albums... but is it a successful one? Hard to say. With only about two or three good songs, the rest feeling mediocre, the album lacks the strength of their earlier work. I always admire a band that dares to evolve and try something new, but this time, Ultrapower may not appeal even to those nostalgic for ’80s metal.