Champions in blending classic heavy metal, hard rock, and eighties hair metal, Canadian shredders Striker‘s sixth studio album Play To Win, released via their independent label Record Breaking Records, has won the 2020 Juno Award for Metal / Hard Music Album of The Year. As the most prestigious music award an artist can be given in the country, the 49th Juno Awards were originally scheduled to be held at the SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan on March 15th, 2020, but due to the COVID pandemic was forced to reschedule as a live stream on June 29th.

This was Striker’s second Juno Award nomination and first win.

Says the band: “We are very grateful for the Juno win this year, especially as an independent band. The Juno is the culmination of all the support from the Canadian music industry we’ve had, from FACTOR, Alberta Foundation for the Arts, Canada Council for the Arts, and many others, and helps us feel validated as artists. There was a strong lineup of talent at the awards this year, and just to be nominated among them was an honour. We hope everyone stays safe out there and we look forward to returning to live music!”

Striker’s album Play To Win was nominated alongside Kobra and The Lotus – Evolution, Lindsay Schoolcraft‘s Martyr, Single Mothers – Through A Wall and The Agonist‘s album Orphans. The record, released in October 2018, was described thusly by Sentinel Daily editor Scott Adams: “You’ll find this album takes a little longer to give up it’s secrets than the previous couple of Striker releases, but very often that’s the sign of something truly substantial in an album. Striker don’t ever make bad albums – that’s a given – but Play to Win is an absolute, solid gold classic in waiting. If you’ve never heard this band before, rectify that sorry situation immediately. And if you have – you’ll need to add this to your collection – similarly speedily”.

The man is an oracle!