STRYCTNYNE

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What is it that we love about lost episodes, lost tapes or never before seen photos from a bygone era? Is it that it reconnects us to the past that we wish to relive? Is it the excitement of experiencing something new that somehow eluded the annals of time? Or maybe it is like digging up a time capsule and discovering how those who went before us embraced what life had to offer them? Like a relic that guides us back into a world we once knew or perhaps a world that beckons us to a time well beyond our years?

It is evident this type of sentiment inspires one to recreate triumphs of past heroes, in hopes that somehow their deeds will be mentioned in the same breath as them, etched in stone as to share in their glory.

We often look to the future with an eye toward the past, and this brings up Long Islands' Metal Warriors; Stryctnyne.

Stryctnyne started in the early part of the 80s in Farmingdale, NY when Samson James met guitarist Grandma Cyco. After hearing Grandma play guitar Samson decided he was going to learn to play bass and form a band.

It wasn't long after that these 2 warriors of metal would form the nucleus of Stryctnyne. After going through numerous drummers and singers Stryctnyne landed singer Siren Scac whose powerful baritone that would seamlessly climb up to a high pitched falsetto, when needed, drove their music to new heights, and later on recruited a powerhouse drummer named Thunder Kyxx. Thunder Kyxx is the reason we are discussing Stryctnyne today but more on that later.

It was this lineup that recorded the eponymous white demo in 1989 that consisted of 3 songs that provided instant gratification with a long lasting impression. The first demo starts off with Turn the Power On, which is an anthem of the excitement that comes with racing and the power of heavy metal music. This song demonstrates perfectly Stryctnyne's ability to connect instantly with fans of the genre. Stryctnyne makes it clear from the opening riff that they are on a mission to grab your attention and take you on a wild ride.

The title of Kill or Be Killed pretty much says it all and Stryctnyne are able to stand tall on their own merit by finely crafted songs that are more about sheer power than trying to impress musicians with odd time signatures and time changes. Kill or Be Killed is Stryctnyne doing what it does best - turning it up to 11 and going for the jugular. It's survival of the fittest and any band that ever shared the stage with them knew all to well that Stryctnyne play for keeps. It was this type of swagger that literally earned the applause and stamp of approval from Manowar ( yes Manowar did watch their set and cheered them on with the rest of the crowd ) in 1989 when Stryctnyne opened up for them at Sundance in Long Island, NY.

The white demo concludes with Open Highway. This song showcases a band that's firmly rooted in their working class roots all the while cranking out a galloping riff that gives Siren Scac the wall of sound needed to convince anyone listening that this is a band that can throw down with the best of them.

You get the sense from listening to this tape that Stryctnyne are as streetsmart as their songs indicate. Lyrics like " If you're looking for trouble, you better look again, there won't be no struggle... " from Open Highway or " If the bitch is hot, gonna' give it all you got... Heavy metal thunder roaring through the night, heavy metal thunder we'll win the fight " from Turn the Power On give the listener the sense that they are being infused with the power coming out of the speakers, like some sort of super hero transformation. One is made to feel like they can take on any obstacle that comes their way with a cocksure attitude.

There is definitely a New York vibe about this band that comes through in the music that makes them all the more believable.

Stryctnyne's sound embodies the Judas Priest and Manowar ( Kings of Metal era ) formula of explosive heavy metal contained in tightly structured arrangements. No need to wait for the chorus as Stryctnyne come at you full throttle from beginning to end.

The first demo garnered Stryctnyne praise not just from the New York Metro area but on an international level as well. In fact at one point their Metal Warrior tape had distribution set up in Germany.

With their momentum growing at a furious pace, Stryctnyne were preparing for their second attack but this time with new drummer Jack Hammer.

Jack’s contribution to Stryctnyne was instantly recognizable in the background vocals. On Stryctnyne’s 1991 demo - Metal Warrior, You hear the high pitched harmonies in the chorus to opening track Stryctly Dangerous. Lyrically the song reminds me of someone who drifts in and out of reality and is equally dangerous in either realm.

Speaking of dangerous, there was an incident at one of their shows where the singer jumped into the crowd and got into a fight and was soon joined by Grandma Cyco and Samson James. This is just one example of how the band fought their own battles leaving the bouncers to proclaim

"That band Stryctnyne, they don't need no bouncers".

This is the same way Stryctnyne went against the mainstream ( glam and thrash ) of the day. They were never apologetic about they fact that they were a heavy metal band. In fact they flew the flag of metal right in the face of the very industry that never signed them. Expressions like “ missed the boat “ etc… never deterred them. The fact of the matter is, this band destructed from within.

Further cementing their reputation as a world class metal act was the title track “ Metal Warrior”. This is a band definitely at the top of its game so much so that you wish the song lasted another 5 minutes.

As a first for the band, they delve into science fiction much in the way Judas Priest did with “ Electric Eye “ but the character of this song is much more dangerous.

Finally the tape ends in uncharted territory for Stryctnyne. “ Gang War Nights “ is a bit on the progressive side ( albeit wrapped in a pop format ) with a groove previously unheard in their music. This song showcases the entire bands talents and if you had any doubt about their ability to live what they sing, just listen to the lyrics. “ Mess with us and you’ll get beat…”. If you need more convincing, just cross reference the chorus to “ Open Highway “.

Metal Warrior got great reviews in the press and especially in Germany and most of Europe. In fact, in the late 80s and early 90s the band was better appreciated in a continent they never set foot on. But as I said earlier it wasn’t grunge or outside forces that caused the band to split in 1992. It was a clash of will and

to some degree control of the band.

Stryctnyne in their day shared the stage with heavyweights like, Manowar, Wrathchild America, Blue Oyster Cult… and even played at a Spinal Tap release party. But ask anyone who saw them back in the day and they’ll tell you that Stryctnyne didn’t just take to the stage. They owned it. Some of they stages they graced were Sparks, Sundance, CBGB’s, Hammerhedz, The Cabaret and many others too numerous too mention.

They were also heard on Long Island’s WBAB 102.3 FM during Finger’s Metal Shop.

They also refused the pay to play scam club owners were imposing on lesser bands. One thing that was a sure bet was that when Stryctnyne played a crowd followed.

Aside from the 6 songs most people know from Stryctnyne, the fact is is that they recorded many more songs slated for release that perished in the bitter flames of a 50 gallon drum. One can only wonder what kind of anthems went up in smoke that fateful day.

During the course of about the last 6 yrs there had been numerous requests for the bands demos to be reissued on CD. One problem. No one knew where they were or who they were ( They all have aliases ) .

A fan of the band made a valiant attempt to track them down to find out what happened with high hopes that the music of his metal heroes would be heard again in the digital age.

For the sake of brevity I won’t go into the particulars but that fan was me and I tracked them down. I had no idea what I was getting myself into but I can say it’s been a thrill to know I played a part in seeing them get back together. 

After 20 years and numerous attempts to put the band back together, the unlikely happened. Thunderkyxx saw that the band had a facebook page started by a fan and posted on it that he’d be up for a reunion. This was in July of 2011. Shortly thereafter the band met as a unit for the first time in 20 yrs and laid out a plan of attack. They began to rehearse to get back in playing shape. This led to their first show in 20yrs at Ollie’s Point in Long Island on. Old fans who saw them say they were better than ever. Shortly after they played another show and again won the crowd over and even debuted a new song “ Last Rites”.

Yes Stryctnyne are writing new material that they plan on recording for a full length album. It would be a safe bet that along with new material they will summon from the dead songs that perished in flames, songs that were heard by their Metal Warrior Army back in time. Songs like Witches Hunt, Kiss of Death, We are the Ones and Hammerdown should sit nicely alongside brand new material.

So to answer my question at the beginning, what is it that people love about a band of Stryctnyne’s caliber? The band never was signed to a contract, never appeared on MTV and never even had a manager other than Samson James. Well these are some of the reasons they have a following to this day. People who love metal realize that the industry doesn’t get it right much of the time when it comes to metal. Just look at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Stryctnyne are a stellar example of a band from a distant era that aspired to greatness and achieved that without the industry’s blessing. They could have compromised and went glam or even later grunge but they held their ground.

To many, Stryctnyne share in the glory of bands like Judas Priest, Manowar, Sabbath etc… because they are a homegrown talent just like them and are more than capable of sharing the stage with them as well.

The 80s was a glorious time for metal with a thriving scene and Stryctnyne’s music embodies that time. Listening to their music will take you back to that glorious era and rightfully so, but Stryctnyne are turning the power on once again with a stockpile of new material they are honing to unleash upon a world hungry for metal.

Until then, Stryctnyne are currently in negotiations with several labels to reissue their classic material on Cd for the first time.

So if you’re an old fan, just know that your patience will be rewarded and if you’re just discovering the band you too can share in the joy of “ the lost tapes”.

 

Rick Pizzo