My Stryper Experience

In this post I will rate and briefly discuss every Stryper album. I own the majority of these but have listened to the ones I don’t own.

The Yellow And Black Attack (1984) *****

I bought the original six song EP after hearing Soldiers Under Command in July of 1986. I was totally blown away (pun intended) by the artwork, even though it was so tiny (remember cassettes?) that I could barely make it all out. I didn’t know anything about the band at the time other than they were Christians making hard rock. This is still one of my favorite albums of all time. I love the rawness and the energy here. I think some of that was lost when they re-mixed it in 1986. You Won’t Be Lonely, Loving You, and From Wrong To Right are my stand out tracks but there really isn’t a bad song up here.

Soldiers Under Command (1985) *****

I bought this on cassette while attending the North American Christian Convention in July of 1986. I had seen the name Stryper but had never heard their music until attending a lecture on Christian alternatives to secular music. I was a fan immediately. I bought this and the debut EP the same day. Everything about this album rocks. The crunchy guitars, the thundering drums, and the ear-piercing vocals were all things that I had never heard in Christian music. I soon began to buy every magazine that even mentioned Stryper in it. My bedroom wall became a shrine to the guys in yellow and black. Every track, with the exception of Battle Hymn Of The Republic, is a stand out track in my opinion.

The Yellow And Black Attack (remix) (1986) ****

I remember getting home from the convention where I discovered Stryper and seeing this in the record stores. It was advertised as the “new” Stryper album. This confused me because I was already reading about the soon-to-be-released To Hell With The Devil. I noticed that it had the same songs as the EP with two new titles added. I also noticed that the really cool artwork had been replaced. I still bought it, but it never got much play. The remix didn’t improve the sound of the album and the two “new” songs were nothing special. I had just bought Reason For The Season on a cassette single (yes, there once was such a thing) and My Love I’ll Always Show was a decent ballad, but totally out of place with the harder rocking songs from the original.

To Hell With The Devil (1986) *****

October 1986 brought the REAL “new” album from Stryper and it did not disappoint. By this time, they were popping up in Metal Edge and Hit Parader frequently so I was learning more about them. I joined the fan club and I like to think that all of my phone calls really did help make Honestly #1 on Dial M-TV. THWTD is a classic album, whether we’re talking Christian music or not. I admit, the yellow and black thing got old after a while but in the Eighties, image was just as important as the music. Stryper had both. They were able to ride the fence between heavy metal and melodic rock and this album was their finest moment until recently. The controversy surrounding the original artwork only added to the mystique. Free, The Way, and More Than A Man are three of the best songs Stryper have ever done. Honestly was the last song played at my senior prom. So there.

In God We Trust (1988) ***

I can remember reading interviews with Michael Sweet while they were recording this album. He kept comparing it to bands like AC/DC and The Scorpions. That really got my hopes up. Imagine my disappointment when it came out and didn’t sound like either of those. It still retained the signature elements of Stryper but the production was so glossy and sterile that it lacked any sort of bite. When you look at it track by track, you realize that they were basically trying to carbon copy To Hell With The Devil. Not surprisingly, it sold well but it was obvious that Stryper were spinning their wheels. Always There For You is like Calling On You Part Two but is still a pretty good track. I think that Lonely is a great rock ballad and I was glad that it wasn’t based around the piano.

Against The Law (1990) ****

Your perspective changes a lot once you start to get older. I discovered Stryper right after I turned sixteen. I listened to them all throughout high school. IGWT came out right after I graduated. By the time Against The Law came out, I was twenty, working full time, and engaged to be married. I had also gotten into more “serious” bands like Rush, Yes, and King’s X. When I saw the interviews with Stryper around this time it was obvious that I wasn’t the only one who had changed. When I finally heard the album, I had two responses. The first was disappointment. They had seemingly abandoned what they stood for. I now know that isn’t true, but at the time, it felt that way. My second response was elation. They had finally ditched the silly yellow and black stripes and the sound of the songs was incredible. They did sound like Motley Crue and Skid Row, which is what they had been teasing. Musically, this is one of their best albums. Lyrically, it falls flat in places. They had ditched the God lyrics (for the most part) and were trying to write Sunset Strip sleaze rock without the sleaze. They were only partially successful. This one does have a few stand out tracks though. Their cover of Earth, Wind & Fire’s Shining Star is absolutely blistering (and features Randy Jackson on bass). Power ballad Lady is the best thing Skid Row never released. Unfortunately, it was the last gasp of a band falling apart at the seams.

Can’t Stop The Rock (1991) ****

This is the first (of several) compilations that Stryper have out. This one contains two “new” songs so I am including it in this post. Believe is a song dedicated to the American troops who were involved in Desert Storm at the time. It’s okay but not a favorite. It does feature Jeff Scott Soto on backing vocals, so that’s a plus. The other track is Can’t Stop The Rock. Musically, it’s a thumping Van Halen-ish rocker. The lyrics are not very imaginative and basically stream together bits from other Stryper tunes. These were the last two songs released before Michael left the band in 1992 and would be the only ones until 2003.

7: The Best Of Stryper (2003) ***

As I understand it, the two new tracks on this were written after Hollywood Records approached the band and asked for them. Something doesn’t sound like Stryper. It would have fit nicely on Michael’s solo album Truth. For You is more of the same. Both sound like Michael’s take on modern hard rock at the time. They’re good tracks, but not what you think of when you think Stryper. I’ve never bothered to buy this one.

7 Weeks: Live In America, 2003 (2004) ***

A brief reunion of the original members produced this live album that features tracks from earlier albums, including their take on Winter Wonderland. A live DVD was shot in Puerto Rico around the same time. As far as live albums go, this one is okay. They use pre-recorded tracks for some of the crazy backing vocals but it isn’t distracting. Other than Winter Wonderland, which I’ve never liked, this one is a keeper. I snagged this one used on CD.

Reborn (2005) ****

Some fans really do not like this album and I understand why. Following the short-lived reunion, Michael started work on a new solo album. Reborn is the result. Oz and Robert came in and replaced some of the original guitar and drum tracks and voila, a new Stryper record was born. Tracy Ferrie, who had played with Michael (and countless others) was brought in as the new bassist. Reborn is a solid album but isn’t classic Stryper. With a couple exceptions, there are none of the soaring vocals or guitar solos. Fans picked up on that and complained loudly. I still believe this is a killer record. The songwriting is there and the re-working of In God We Trust absolutely blows the original out of the water. Even those who don’t like this one are thankful that it came out and basically started Stryper’s second run. Michael Sweet released a solo version of this one in 2021 that added those vocals and solos fans were clamoring for. It is superior to this.

The Roxx Regime Demos (2007) ***

This is a collection of the 1983 demos that ended up on the debut EP. The one exception is the demo version of Honestly and a drum solo called Tank. The demo versions of these tunes are not much different than the versions released in 1984. They are rawer and show the band learning how to gel. I don’t think they are better than the versions we ended up with, but they are definitely interesting and I enjoy listening to them from time to time. The original, hard rock version of My Love I’ll Always Show is included and makes you wonder why they did the sappy, acoustic version back in 1986. I picked this one up on colored vinyl a few years ago.

Murder By Pride (2008) ***

It’s funny how so many Stryper albums coincide with huge moments in my life. THWTD came out right after I turned sixteen. IGWT came out right after I graduated from high school. ATL came out right as I was getting ready to get married. Reborn came out when my daughter was born and I went back to Bible college. Murder By Pride arrived just as I was graduating from school and looking to go into ministry. After hearing the fans complain about Reborn, I assume that Michael deliberately put out something closer to what fans wanted. This album still doesn’t recapture the classic Stryper sound but it did take a step closer to it. 4 Leaf Clover and Murder By Pride could have been from the Eighties and are my two favorite tracks. Their cover (a trend they continued) of Boston’s Peace Of Mind is okay but I tend to skip over it whenever I pull this one out. I finally saw them live when they toured for this.

The Covering (2011) ****

There was a trend a few years ago where it seemed like every band was releasing an album of cover tunes. This came out at the same time and I initially wasn’t excited about it, other than it promised to have one new Stryper song on it. When I finally heard it, I changed my mind. I have always thought that Stryper’s cover of Shining Star was a high point in their career. The Boston cover was okay but at least made sense due to Michael’s involvement in the band Boston. I didn’t know what to expect with them covering Kiss, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, and others. I’m not a fan of cover albums but this one is incredible. The only track I think missed the mark is Immigrant Song and that is due more to the production than the performance. New track, God, is killer and hinted at the direction they were about to take. Most importantly, this marked the return of Tim Gaines as a full-time member of the band.

Second Coming (2013) ****

I don’t like cover albums and I like re-recording old songs even less. That being said, I understand why some bands do it. Sometimes there are production issues with the original recordings and sometimes there are publishing issues. I’m not 100% the reason why Stryper did it, but for the most part, this one is solid. It does feature two new tunes (Bleeding From Inside Out and Blackened) that build upon the heaviness of God.

No More Hell To Pay (2013) *****

Once again, I made a huge life change and Stryper put out a new album. This one came out the week before I moved from North Carolina to pastor a church in Pennsylvania. I had heard the singles before moving and eagerly anticipated what was being called a return to the classic Stryper sound. Interviews had them suggesting that this should be considered the follow up to To Hell With The Devil. I am happy to say that it lived up to all the hype. Outside of Soldiers Under Command, it is my favorite Stryper album. I actually think it is better than To Hell With The Devil. That’s saying a lot. I even like the cover of Jesus Is Just Alright, which is one of my least favorite songs ever. The album is heavy (yet still melodic) and has everything that I, as a Stryper fan, want. Killer dueling guitars, soaring vocal harmonies, and riffs for miles.

Live At The Whisky (2014) ***

I have only listened to this one a handful of times and I have yet to purchase it. The performance is hit or miss in places (Michael forgets some lyrics) and the mix is muddy overall. It’s okay but not something I want to listen to very often.

Fallen (2015) ****

Fallen continues along the same path that No More Hell To Pay paved. Heavy riffs, plodding rhythms, stacked vocals and blistering guitar solos give Stryper fans everything they want. This is a heavier and slightly darker Stryper. The cover of Black Sabbath’s After Forever only reinforces the vibe. Big Screen Lies is probably my favorite track.

God Damn Evil (2018) ****

Stryper have always flirted with controversy. Some of it was unintentional and some was completely manufactured. This is definitely a case of the latter. I have a full review of this album I’ll share later so let me just say this, I really like this album. The opening track (Take It To The Cross) is odd and the title track still makes me cringe a bit but I listen to this one quite a bit. Even though Perry Richardson (Firehouse) was in the band, he wasn’t able to perform in this one.

Even The Devil Believes (2020) *****

This is the first Stryper album to feature Perry on bass and he makes a significant impact. He and Robert lock in with the bass and drums on every song. I would argue that this is the most consistent collection if tunes that Stryper had released up to this point. Even the goofy Middle Finger Messiah grooves and doesn’t kill the vibe. This one is near the top of my list.

The Final Battle (2022) ****

By this point, Stryper were firing on all cylinders. Michael Sweet found the sound he wanted and churned things out like a heavy metal assembly line. The band is locked in and playing at a high level. Same Old Story is my favorite track but there really isn’t a dud on here. There’s nothing ground-breaking but Stryper learned to give the fans what they wanted.

To Hell With The Amps (2024) ***

Originally recorded as the very limited edition Acousticyzed, this is a semi-acoustic “live” recording. The performances are tight and we get some interesting arrangements of heavy songs like Soldiers Under Command and No More Hell To Pay. The stand out track (to me) is the gem Make You Mine, originally from Reborn. The only bummer is the weird arrangement of Honestly. I would have preferred another song instead.

When We Were Kings (2024) ****

Stryper’s most recent release doesn’t shake things up. It sticks to the formula (for lack of a better word) that Sweet and company have been following since 2015’s Fallen. I have seen some suggest that they are in a rut and have nothing left to say. If I had to guess, I would say they are devoted to giving the fans what they want. The title track stands out as do Unforgivable and Betrayed By Love.

I plan to sit down and do a more in-depth discussion of each album in future posts

Grace and peace.