Lying somewhere in between thrash metal, alternative metal, and hardcore punk, Germany’s Ryker’s offer their first domestic album (and fourth overall) with Life’s a Gamble…So Is Death (the cover and spine only contain the first half of the title). It’s a ferocious record of slamming riffs and propulsive drumming, even if the sameness of the approach tends to wear over the course of the album. – Steve Huey