STRIKER Forced To Cancel Remaining Dates On "Shredding North America Tour" w/ Seven Kingdoms, Lutharo
Due to irreversible damage to their tour van while on their "Shredding North America Tour" with Seven Kingdoms and Lutharo, Canadian heavy metal champions STRIKER are sad to announce they will be unable to continue to perform the remainder of their scheduled show dates.
"As you may have heard, on our night drive to Portland we drove over a large rock that rolled onto the road as we turned a corner on Highway 101. Everyone was unharmed but our van took irreparable damage and has been written off completely. Unfortunately, due to time and logistical constraints, we will not be able to continue the tour.
We’d like to thank Seven Kingdoms, Lutharo, and Continental Booking for their understanding and wish them luck on the rest of the tour!" - STRIKER
Shredding North America - Seven Kingdoms, Striker, Lutharo, Osyron
# = w/ Osyron
Nov 27 – The Black Cat – Saskatoon, SK #
Nov 28 – Sidestage – Winnipeg, MB #
Nov 30 – Reggie’s – Chicago, IL
Dec 1 – Sanctuary – Detroit, MI
Dec 3 – Meadows – Brooklyn, NY
Dec 4 – Metro – Baltimore, MD
Dec 5 – Hangar 1819 – Greensboro, NC
Dec 6 – The Masquerade – Atlanta, GA
Dec 7 – The Orpheum – Tampa, FL
Dec 8 – Conduit – Orlando, FL
STRIKER was on tour to support their latest album "ULTRAPOWER" produced by Josh Schroeder (Lorna Shore, Tallah, King 810). The seventh full-length from STRIKER follows their Juno Award-winning self-released record "Play to Win" (2018) unleashed on their label Record Breaking Records.
With the band writing material since 2018, "ULTRAPOWER" is a collection of Striker tinkering and exploring new avenues. From the album's opening track "Circle of Evil", a Malmsteen-esque metal banger about secret societies and the evil dealings behind closed doors to their previously released single "BEST of the BEST of the BEST" serving up some big riffs and hockey arena vocals to "Blood Magic", which might be one of Striker's most progressive songs, taking cues from bands like King Diamond, with its unconventional structure and punctuated guitar solos. From the band delving into their obsession for late 80s AOR and pop rock with "City Calling", an ode to 1987, and bands like Toto and Kenny Loggins with their hook-powered albums. To fans experiencing the band's first attempt at a synth-wave track with "Live To Fight Another Day", this new offering sees Striker making a shredding love letter to the hard-rocking era of guilty pleasures.
The band comments on the album:
"Starting with the album cover, we wanted the artwork to represent how we feel as a band right now. We are an engine that is fired up and ready to roll. We’re made of metal and our circuits gleam! The album itself is an amalgamation of 5 years of writing and exploring music. With influences from AOR to Speed Metal, Hardcore to Hair Metal, Steely Dan to Deathcore, you name it, it made its way into the album. In the end with the help of Josh Schroeder’s guiding hand, we melted it all together to present something uniquely Striker. Lyrically we’ve stuck to the Striker tradition of writing montage songs for movies that don’t exist, songs about our spiraling serfdom, and lyrics about the evils that lurk in the shadows."
"ULTRAPOWER" was released on February 2nd, 2024, and is available at https://www.striker-metal.com/shop/ (CD, Vinyl, Digital)
Spotify - https://spoti.fi/3SnIshu
Music Videos:
Live To Fight Another Day - https://youtu.be/BR2zXgqwpWw
Suck To Suck - https://youtu.be/oJcw1EY_D1w
Give It All - https://youtu.be/jRKsJp49Lwc
Best of the Best of the Best - https://youtu.be/0oX9LFx2szs
More info: Striker-metal.com
About: Blending classic heavy metal, hard rock, and 80’s hair metal, Striker has been making shredtacular anthems since 2007. The band has toured multiple times across Europe and North America along with festival appearances at 70,000 Tons of Metal, Bang Your Head Festival (Germany), and more to add to the almost 1000 shows performed in their decade-plus career. The band has been honoured with multiple Best Album awards in their home country of Canada from the JUNO Awards, Western Canadian Music Awards, and the Edmonton Music Awards. Since their inception, Striker has released seven studio albums Eyes in the Night (2010, Iron Kodex), Armed to The Teeth (2012, Napalm), City of Gold (2014, Napalm), Stand in the Fire (2016, Record Breaking), Striker (2017, Record Breaking), Play to Win (2018, Record Breaking), Ultrapower (2024, Record Breaking).
"If you liked the last three albums (as much as I did), Ultrapower will equally satisfy. I know this one will be in my top 10 albums of the year. 8.5/10" - Bravewords
"All in all, Striker's Ultrapower may be their finest album to date. Their traditional, "keep it true," heavy metal has never been more fresh, creative, and versatile, and so also, breathing new life into this classic genre. Easily recommended. 5/5" - Dangerdog Music Reviews
"“Ultrapower” is quite frankly a magnificent album. It has a feel good 80’s movie soundtrack aura about it with the spirit of artists such as John Farnham and Stan Bush standing tall alongside pure 80’s metal throwback. If you love 80’s rock and metal then this album is going to have you grinning from ear to ear. I think I’m gonna be grinning for days after several listens. Some fans of Striker’s more speed metal inclined sound may find this album a bit jarring but I can safely say it is the best album they have done and they have released some corkers. For the pure joy it has given me, this album is going to be hard to top in 2024 and we are still in the early part of the year." - The Razor's Edge
"Striker are more-than-ready to show us all the power of heavy music with Ultrapower, and I’m sure you’ll enjoy the ride with one of the best (of the best of the best) bands of the current Canadian landscape." The Headbanging Moose
"an album that is bold, daring and as mentioned shows a band that are not afraid of fusing styles of music together... there are simply to many high quality songs on this album that simply blows me away. This is a polished, highly refined album with top quality production! 9/10" - The NWOTHM
"I really like the diversity in this album. 4/5" - KNAC
"I’m giving this one an 8 of 10 “Flaming Fists”. You can tell there’s a lot of work put into the album, they don’t half-ass anything. The production was good, it’s really hard to make amazing Arena-style rock without a decent budget, but they did a solid job.... if you liked the late 80’s and early 90’s bands you’ll really dig this. Overall, I’m really happy and thankful for this band continuing to do what they do." - Rock Rage Radio
"The heavy, power, and traditional melodic metal landscape is in great shape thanks to bands like Striker producing high quality songwriting year after year. These Canadians continue to explore horizons while still maintaining the endearing qualities that helped put them on the map in the first place since the late 2000’s. Ultrapower is the seventh full-length studio record, and probably their most varied attack to date – incorporating everything from speed/thrash to AOR and old Wild West vibes. " - Dead Rhetoric
"Striker’s execution and sense of humor makes for an enjoyable ride." - Heavy Music HQ
"How do you say when bowling when you clear all the pins with a throw? It is a strike! STRIKER has achieved a great strike with their album „ Ultrapower “. All songs on this album are real hits! Each song has its own character and rocks what it takes. It is a wonderful homage to the 80 ’ years. I would say: The STRIKER engine is in full swing!" - Metal-Heads.de
