HANKER - CONSPIRACY OF MASS EXTINCTION
HELLION RECORDS
Metal To Infinity
Here it is, the fifth album of Hanker!
These Canadians are working hard since many years and to be honest they’ve
never let me down. I’m still wondering why it took so long to release their
first album – it was dated 1994 – while the band was formed in 1985. It was
without any doubts incredibly difficult during the Eighties to maintain a
contract but I’m convinced Hanker would have been bigger if their first album
would have been released in that era. These lads always stayed under the
surface but that doesn’t mean they didn’t release any good albums. Some of
their songs are actually amazingly strong and made it easily on my I-pod, where
only the strongest Metal songs ever deserves a few kilobits.
Since a few years also Germany is fond
of Hanker, at least the fans of True Eighties Metal. Not only did Hanker appear
at one of the editions of the Headbangers Open Air festival, Hellion Records
offered them a contract as well. At least it proves that their hard working gets
rewarded and Hanker is getting a name abroad Canada. With a pretty remarkable
front cover they want to seduce Metal heads but be sure the music itself is even
more interesting. This is one of those band you can keep on listening to, no
matter where, no matter when…
Why? Because they have the talent mixing
Power and melody in a perfect balance. Not too raw, not too polished, not at all
cheesy but melodic enough to have all of your attention and Hanker is dynamic
all the way. The last albums were more well-balanced than the first ones but the
Iron Maiden influences always were clearly available. This newbie isn’t any
different and as always Hanker puts that dark kind of energy into their music.
Especially this effect makes them so addictive. A bit of Thrash, a bit US style
of Power metal and for one hundred percent hard hitting Heavy Metal!
Hanker contains several trumps! First of
all there’s Pascal Cliché, the guitarist-vocalist. This guy contains the
ideal voice for this kind of Metal. His voice is strong, clear and contains a
special timbre which makes him very recognizable! He owns the talent to produce
very original vocal lines and his high screams are overwhelming. It are these
particular vocal lines that lifts the band up to a higher level, it are these
vocal lines that are responsible for the fact that Hanker have always written
songs that are incredibly strong. Believe me if I say that to me Hanker wrote
some tracks that could have been ‘classic ones’, but the lack of knowledge
about the band will prevent this status forever.
Another strong point are the guitars!
This guitar driven kind of Heavy Metal is pure, just the way it should sound.
Great solos, awesome double leads, strong riffs… The leads are often following
the vocals in their lines and that sounds fantastic, for a big part it is a
brand of this band. A few listens to their albums will make you understand what
I mean.
Is
this a better one than “Web of faith”? It is in my opinion and I can tell
you this release is since I’ve purchased it regularly in my CD-player. Songs
like “Beyond the pale”, “Who’s crying loud” and for example “Ruins
of generation” are more than enjoyable! Fans of Jag Panzer, Attacker, Helstar
etc. will be satisfied by hearing this one! Check them out at http://www.hankermetal.com.
My Points: 89 / 100 (Review by Officer Nice)