Ryker's

Ryker transplanted the New York hardcore approach to their native Germany when they launched their recording career with the 1993 EP Payback Time, an effort that honored the sound of Sick of it All, Slapshot, the Cro-Mags, Agnostic Front and similar acts. Their 1994 album Brother Against Brother and the 1995 EP First Blood, both issued by Germany's We Bite Records, preceded the group's inaugural large-scale European tour. Warner Brothers then handled the next two albums, 1996's Ground Zero and 1997's A Lesson in Loyality, which appeared only in Europe during the following two years. After a two-year break and a move to Century Media Records, vocalist Kid D, bassist Chris, guitarist Grobi and drummer Meff delivered their first American release, the fourth album Life's A Gamble...So is Death, in 1999.