Stryper (Official Thread)

[METALPRIEST]

Official Website

The Yellow and Black Attack (1984)
Soldiers Under Command (1985)
The Yellow and Black Attack (Re-Issue) (1986)
To Hell with the Devil (1986)
In God We Trust (1988)
Against the Law (1990)
Reborn (2005)
Murder by Pride (2009)
The Covering (2011)


No real big introduction here....just a thread for Orange County, California's Christian Metal band Stryper. Yeah sure go ahead...say they had their ballads, and they did have great ones to boot...but c'mon...these guys had some MONSTER metal riffing! So much so that IMHO they were ahead of their time and most of their heavy material stands up with the great power metal bands today out of Europe!

Fronted by Michael Sweet along with drummer/brother Robert Sweet, guitarist Oz Fox and bassist Timothy Gaines, these guys gave a new meaning to the words Christian Metal

All one needs is a set of ears and to be a metal fan to feel the heavy melodic sounds of STRYPER!!!

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[METALPRIEST]

Re: Stryper

Lady

When they had tamed down the look

 

[METALPRIEST]

Re: Stryper

Soilders Under Command 2010

 

[LOU/REALM]

Re: Stryper

Massive STRYPER fan here MP !!! You beat me in doing a thread... Yes I totally agree with you they may have overdone the "ballad" bit in the past but when they rock..... a fantastic band!!!!
I think Ive put them in my favorite top 20 bands of all time above Zeppelin,Floyd ,Queen etc
Oz Fox is a tremendous,totally underated guitarist The vocalist Michael Sweet is also as good as you can get,great vocal range,sings with power,emotion and great style [ reminds me of Tommy Shaw of STYX ..for some reason..]
Im not getting into any "religious " thing about STRYPER ...promoting Christian beliefs...even though they were guilty of posing with machine guns on soldiers on command . Im afraid on my turntable was/is contradictory..........Stryper singing " Jesus Christ is the lover of your soul...." etc then followed by " in league with satan" by VENOM

 

[METALPRIEST]

Re: Stryper

Cool Lou! I agree...I think more people really need to take a harder look at how these guys can put together songs...and the musicianship is above and beyond that of excellent!! All top notch players!!

I agree with the STYX comparison in the vocal department. Quite a bit of Dennis too. I always thought they had an Angel influence even though they never mentioned it and were never asked...but I bet if they were!



The album SINFUL by Angel alone...just listen to Don't Take Your Love and go back to Stryper...it's sooooo there...from the melodies, background harmonies down to the drum and instrument production and performance.

 

[Dreams]

Re: Stryper

I'm a big fan of Christian rock/metal, but I could never get into Michael Sweet's voice. Back in the 80s I wished for a Christian metal band with the musical talent of Stryper and the voice of Ronnie James Dio. Today the Christian genre has grown into a billion dollar industry with dozens of awesome bands out there.

 

[METALPRIEST]

Re: Stryper

^^ Not a bad idea

 

[Kuaizi]

Re: Stryper

About time you got around to making this thread MP!

 

[LOU/REALM]

Re: Stryper

I agree on the ANGEL comparison too MP .....so its no surprise I took to STRYPER . Musically and visually. STRYPER had their often ridiculed yellow and black image while ANGEL dressed in white.
What a surprise to see 2 of my favorite rock stars DIMINO and OZ FOX teaming up for the covers band PLAYGROUND. The two have obvious respect for each other
I have plenty of STRYPER albums but have been guilty of not yet purchasing their comeback albums....the last I bought was the excellent [ less religeous ] "Against the law" from 1990 .I have a" live" video and a documentry about STRYPER and "Christian Rock"...classic stuff
Heres my ultimate STRYPER fave...."Surrender" :bow

 

[LOU/REALM]

Re: Stryper

OMG !!!! Id heard rumours of STRYPER working on a forthcoming covers album......"The Covering"....just looked at the track listing...amazing!!!!

set me free [ Sweet ]
Blackout [Scorpions]
Heaven and hell [ Black Sabbath ]
Lights out [U.F.O ]
Carry on wayward son [Kansas ]
Highway star [Deep Purple ]
Shout it out loud [Kiss ]
Over the mountain [Ozzy]
The trooper [Iron Maiden]
Breaking the law [Judas Priest ]
On fire [Van Halen ]
Immigrant song [Led Zeppelin ]
God [...new STRYPER song ]


A very impressive list Im sure you will agree....STRYPER will have to be on top.top form for this one .....not easy covering masterpieces
I will have to get a copy !!!!