Source: Heavy Metal Assault, In Our World review, 2003

In Our World is Hanker's first album so I was expecting it to be somewhat inferior to The Dead Ringer (my first Hanker album). Well, at first I thought so, but after listening to it many times, I realised that my first impression was only based on the fact that they sound pretty much different - in a good way.

As in The Dead Ringer, this album has extraordinary lyrical contents. This is one of Hanker's great qualities, you will not find dumb lyrics just made to sound good with the music in their albums. The writing is intelligent, and, as in their second album, I find that some of their songs touch me personnally to some extent (in one case the lyrics were right on something I am living right now - or more exactly that I've been living for about a year - that actually made me stop and think a lot.) As I mentionned in my review of The Dead Ringer, I am sure at least part of this album will remind someone of some events of their life.

Musically the album is another Hanker masterpiece, or more appropriately, I should say a metal masterpiece. The album starts with two fast-paced songs, I'd Like To Know and Bloodbath In Heaven. My first impression was «Whoa! These guys are pissed!!». Well, you would be with the subjects the songs are about. The pace slows down a little in the next songs, with some starting off as ballads and then speeding up to various levels (I just love those!!!) Overall, a good variety of songs about the things in life make up a great album. Lead vocalist Pascal Cliche still impress me on this album, the vocals are great throughout the album, and vary a lot during each song, sometimes going from a mellow ballad-like voice up to a somewhat speedy, high-pitched one. Aaahh, I'm trying to get too technical here!

Rating: 5/5

Michel Renaud

Source: The Metal Crypt, In Our World review, September 1999

This is Hanker's first release and it is a very well produced and well played album. I found no disappointments here at all. This is a classic album for everyone's collection if you want hard hitting Metal you got it and if you want heart felt lyrics it is here too. When the first time that I heard this album, I was shocked I thought that I was back in the early 80's cause I hear a lot of early 80's Metal influences which include Exciter, Torch and Powermad. Just check this band out, Power Metal at its finest.

Rating: 4.75/5

John McGovern

Source: Metal World, In Our World review, March 1999

I've had this CD for a while, and decided I better review the damn thing! Hanker are a Power Metal band out of Canada who really know how to crank it up! I was hooked from the beginning of this CD, from the opener I'd Like To Know to the ending song, This Could Be Heaven. The standout tracks are, In Our World, Gardeners Of Pain, which kind of reminds me of Ozzy music-wise, and the power ballad Cradle Of The Night. If you like your Power Metal with a touch of melody then check out this band! They also now have a new CD out called The Dead Ringer...

Gorgar

Source: Aethyric Productions, March 1998

In Our World made a big noise upon its discovery. The Canadian band was immediately compared to JAG PANZER, similar in that early 80's style of playing and the somewhat Conklin-ish vocals of Pascal Cliche. Pascal, being the Frenchman that is, has a quirky accent that brings to mind DEAF DEALER but not The Tyrant. While HANKER have a nice collection of songs, they don't touch Ample Destruction by a wide margin. Still, I can't deny that I'd Like To Know and especially the speed metal thrill of Bloodbath In Heaven are fine tunes -- just pure, traditional heavy metal at its best. The pacing slows up a bit in the middle of the 11-song CD, deflating the adrenaline rush that track two (Bloodbath...) produces. Gardeners Of Pain (track four) is another good cut, as is the anthemic Disturbing The Brain, the simplistic yet speedy Fight The Light (sounds like it's right out of '84!), the noholds-barred blaze of Pay No More, and the WRATHCHILD AMERICA-influenced Lethal Liar (it's the reference to «Hell's Gates»!). There are also two ballads, which are better than most. HANKER have come up with a classy first disc, and with that strong foothold, they now have in Europe, these French Canadians' futures looks bright.

Sentinel Steel

Source: Sentinel Steel #3, 1997

Aqui está o filhote do Jag Panzer. Mais particularmente aquele do tempo do Ample Destruction, com seu Power Metal melodico e pesadao. Até parece que o disco foi gravado entre os anos 83 e 84, tal a semelhança com os plays que saíam aquela epoca, como os primeiros trabalhos do Avenger e do já citado Jag Panzer. Para quem é saudosista em relação aqueles tempos ou quer conhecer o mais puro e verdadeiro Metal, In Our World é um deleite. Faixas como I’d Like to Know e Fight the Light mostram o lado mais pesado da banda. Já as baladas Cradle of the Night e This Could be Heaven são de uma maestria inigualável. Nota 10.

Cotações: ***** - obra-prima (5/5)

Carlos A. M. Afonso

Source: Renegade, February/July 1997

Here is an awesome new metal band in the style of old Jag Panzer. Sometimes it seems the music that Panzer done in Ample Destruction, with a power metal, melodic and with very weight. It even seems that this album was recorded between 83 and 84, 'cause is much closer to the power metal done at that time, remembering sometimes the first album of Avenger. This is an item for those who are die-hards from the traditional metal or wants to know the most pure form of heavy metal. For those people, In Our World is a masterpiece. Tracks like I’d Like to Know and Fight the Light show the most heavy side of the band. And the ballads Cradle of the Night and This Could be Heaven have an unique majesty. Perfect!

Rating: ***** - masterpiece (5/5)

Carlos A. M. Afonso

Source: Renegade, February/July 1997

If you like NWOBHM (New wave of British Heavy Metal) you'll love these guys! They really really remind me of old Iron Maiden! And that's a compliment! So if that's your bag, please check these guys out at Hanker.

Gina Achord

Source: Bands On The Run, In Our World review, April 1997

All the Heavy Metal 'specialists', (magazines, like Kerrang, radio stations, Death Metal bands) agree with the opinion that Heavy Metal is dead! F**K YOU! Heavy Metal is more alive than ever. Alive and kicking. And it will be there when you will have lost faith! Hanker is one of those bands that will continue tradition. Fantastic classic Heavy-Power Metal and no less is what you'll hear in this brilliant CD. Sounding like something between Jag Panzer (old) and Running Wild, influenced by the traditional Euro Heavy Metal and the current Power Metal movement, Hanker is one of the most promising new bands (if not the most). With songs such as Bloodbath In Heaven, In Our World, Gardeners Of Pain, Disturbing The Brain and Lethal Liar, this CD is incompeteable. Try to obtain this independent release and stay tuned, because you will hear more about this band in the next issue of «Singing Swords». HEAVY METAL WILL NEVER DIE!

Greg «Heavy Load»

Source: Singing Swords, Summer 1996

Die Kannadier von Hanker wollen so gar nicht in die momentane Zeit passen denn geboten wird purer Heavy Metal. Den gibt es zwar heute mich noch aber In Our World klingt eher win eine Produktion aus den Mittachzigern. Da schleßen einen gleich Namen wie Vicious Rumors, Metal Church, Jag Panzer oder Armored Saint in dea kopf wohlgemerekt jedoch mit thren frühen Veröffentlichungen. Gegründet wurde Hanker bereits 1985, sechs Jahre später erschien jedoch erst ein 5 Song Demo, woyon drei nun auch auf der CD landeten. Nach Support Shows für Lee Aaron, Big House und Slik Toxik entschloß man sich Gott sei Dank für eine Eigenproduktion, die uns mit In Our World nun vorliegt. Hierbei sollte sich jeder Heavy Metal Fan der alten Schule angesprochen fühlen, hier jagt noch eine Hymne die andere. Ich kann es fast nicht glauben, Titel wie Gardeners Of Pain (etwas Maiden beeinflußt), Bloodbath In Heaven oder Staring At The Rain auf einer aktuellen Produktion gefunden zu haben. Im «Heavy, oder was?!», «Hellion Katalog» und «Horror Infernal» bekam man bereits erstklassige Resonanz, ich bin mir fast sicher daß Hanker bald im größeren Rahmen dabei sind. Wäre doch auch klasse, wenn die alten Zeiten wieder aufleben würden. Die 11-Song CD gibt es für DM30 (MC für DM15) inkl. P/V bei Rainer Sautter Unters Dorf 31 73457 Essingen.

Markus Wosgien

Source: Troubadicks-mag. (Germany), November/December 1995

Yeah, das ist das Album, das Jag Panzer ihrem superben Erstling «Tyrants» und dem genialen Ample Destruction hätten folgen lassen müssen. Die Kanadier HANKER fahren auf ihrem selbstproduzierten Debüt grandiosen Power Metal mit schneidenden Riffs, geilen Soli und zwingenden Refrains auf, der einem schon nach nur einem Durchlauf nicht mehr aus den Gehörgängen geht.

Neben einer ganzen Latte gradliniger und kerniger Abgehnummern gibt es genug Abwechslung in Form des halbballadesken Titelsongs und des ebenfalls ruhigen Cradle Of The Night. Die unschwer herauszuhörenden Parallelen zu den Kaliforniern gehen neben den ungemein kraftvollen, melodiösen und stark an Harry «The Tyrant» Conklin erinnernden Vocals auf das Konto der beiden superb aufspielenden Gitarristen, die sich massig Killerriffs aus dem Ärmel leiern.

Die fette, transparente Produktion macht alles klar und In Our World zu einem unumgänglichen Muß für die Power Metal-Fraktion. Toll, daß sich bereits ein Vertrieb gefunden hat, der dieses superb aufgemachte musikalische Juwel auch der breiten Masse zugänglich machen will. Zusammen mit dem selbstbetitelten Wardog-Debüt die bisher beste Eigenproduktion des Jahres. Wer auf real Metal abfährt, MUSS hier zuschlagen. 30 Märker gehen an Rainer Sautter, Unteres Dorf 31, 73457 Essingen.

Rating: 8.5/10

Wolfgang Schäfer

Source: Rock Hard magazine #102, In Our World review, November/December 1995

Everybody was very disappointed from the Jag Panzer comeback album. But no longer. Here is the real power metal return. The playing of the band is very tight and heavy. The guitars are first-class and the vocalist sounds like a heavier version of Harry «The Tyrant» Conklin. Every track is very high-leveled. No bad songs on this CD.

Rating: 10/12

Detlef Dengler

Source: Heavy, Oder Was!? mag., September/October 1995

Again another hot tip for every record company of this world. The canadian power quartet has released a self-produced 11 track-album. It sounds like Fates Warning (vocal lines) and Exciter/Riot/Maiden (music). The absolute mega-song with a little Lillian Axe melancholy (power accoustic track) is Staring At The Rain - The song's growing a threatening thunder storm.

Source: Metal Hammer (Germany), September 1995

Why is this band without a record deal? So many power metal fans have been waiting for this kind of music. Hanker from Canada are playing this kind of power sound. Heavy force/power, melodies and a good production. This album sounds like the following release of Jag Panzer's Ample Destruction, sometimes it's better. Every record company and real fan should listen to this master piece.

Rating: 15/15

Claudio Flunkert

Source: Horror Infernal magazine (Germany), August/September 1995

This Quebec act impressed the hell out of me with this CD. The band name is lame, the logo looks waaaaay too much like Winger's, but holy shit, does this thing ever smoke! I had no idea what to expect, especially from the intro, but this album takes off like a roadrunner on speed right from the word go. Tracks like I'd Like To Know and Bloodbath In Heaven sound like old Riot or Helloween, and overall this album stands out from most accessibly found international releases I've heard in the last month or so. The guitar work on this is fantastic, the production is good (self-produced), and the arrangements show that this band has been doing this for a while. Gardeners Of Pain and Cradle Of The Night showcase the talents of this band, and the closing tune This Could Be Heaven is an arrangement of all Hanker's musical skill rolled into one song. Definitely a band that is alternative to alternative. Pay attention folks, as I smell a new scene happening. Now, all these guys have to do is change the name of the band to be taken seriously.

Carl Begai

Source: M.E.A.T. #54, February/March 1995