Written: 31st March 2024
Formed in 1983 as Roxx Regime, Stryper remain the most successful religious metal band over forty years later. Although at times derided and undoubtedly ignored by many for their overtly Christian lyrics, Stryper still appeal to a range of metal fans including many who do not follow any religion. Over the last four decades, the band have built a high-quality discography and in recent times have produced a steady stream of excellent albums.
I have always found the hardest part of any ranking article to be the albums in the middle and Stryper are no exception. The albums occupying places six to eight could be moved on a different day such is the slim line between them. Having said that, I do not believe Stryper have ever produced a truly bad album and I still enjoy them all to a varying degree. This ranking does not feature the covers album (The Covering) or the band’s re-recording of their own songs (Second Coming). Rankings are purely objective and other opinions may vary wildly. There is also the difference between favourite and best which can be influenced by a range of factors including when an album or band entered your life. Therefore remember, this is just for fun so add your comments and own rankings at the end!
12: Reborn (2005)
Originally slated to be a Michael Sweet solo album, Reborn was reworked as Stryper album following their reunion tour. As it had been fifteen years since their last full-length album, the band were returning at a time when the musical climate had changed once again and the post-grunge era was in full flight. As a result, Reborn adopts a heavier tone and introduced a sound that embraced the contemporary trends in rock and metal including down-tuned guitars, less high-pitched vocals, fewer soaring guitar solos and an increase in the density of the production. Although these elements marked a departure for the band, Reborn is by no means a bad album, even if not every track hits its mark. Tracks such as Open Your Eyes and Passion proved that Michael Sweet’s songwriting was a strong as it had ever been and the band’s Christian message was delivered with a subtlety and depth that reflected their growth. Reborn saw long-term fans celebrating Stryper’s return and new fans discovering them for the first time.
Three favourite tracks: Open Your Eyes, Passion, 10,000 Years
11: Murder By Pride (2009)
A more consistent album than Reborn, Murder By Pride is a vital stepping stone in the band’s second era of existence. Although not a complete return to the sound that made them famous, it incorporates more trademark screams, solos and twin guitar work, linking these well with the heavier more grounded sound of their comeback era. A statement of resilience, following the tragic loss of Michael Sweet’s wife to cancer, Murder By Pride has an immersive emotional depth and lyrical introspection. The title track delves into the theme of humanity, self-examination and the pitfalls of human arrogance. Alive, which lyrically appears to point towards Sweet’s feelings following the death of his wife, is a towering ballad which harked back to tracks such as Honestly, displaying just how authoritative and precise his voice remained. My Love (I’ll Always Show), which has some genuinely chugging riffs, acts a powerful closer to the album.
Three favourite tracks: Alive, Murder By Pride, My Love (I’ll Always Show)
10: The Yellow and Black Attack (1984)
It has been forty years since the release of Stryper’s debut and the fact that such a strong collection of songs - originally issued as an EP - appears at number ten in the list simply displays the quality of what is ranked above it. The importance of The Yellow and Black Attack in the history of Christian metal cannot be overstated, introducing the quartet to an unsuspecting world. While some of the lyrics appear overtly Christian, the true takeaways were Micheal Sweet’s amazing voice, the knockout guitar duo of Sweet and Oz Fox and a rhythm section in Robert Sweet and Tim Gaines that provided true punch to the band’s developing sound. The use of yellow and black gave the band a visual identity that matched any other contemporary band and they had the songs to back it up. You Know What To Do, Co’Mon Rock and Loud ‘N’ Clear demonstrated the quartet’s love of classic metal, with My Love I’ll Always Show the pre-cursor to many of the more polished ballads the band would produce.
Three favourite tracks: Loud ‘N’ Clear, You Know What To Do, Co’Mon Rock
9: In God We Trust (1988)
Being the first album of brand-new material after I became a fan, In God We Trust – released just before my sixteenth birthday - holds an important place in my love of the band. Stryper’s fourth album was without doubt a product of its time, easily the band’s glossiest and over-produced release, encapsulating the zenith of the band’s fusion of glam metal and Christian rock. The album’s sheen, courtesy of producer Michael Lloyd, was a double-edged sword; it highlighted the band’s technical proficiency and Michael Sweet’s vocal range but also alienated some fans who preferred the rawer edge of earlier works. Nonetheless, In God We Trust has a number of excellent songs and it is a shame that they have not played more of the album live in recent times. The title track sets the tone with its anthemic chorus and flashy guitar solos and Always There For You remains a perennial fan favourite.
Three favourite tracks: Always There For You, Lonely, The Reign
8: Even The Devil Believes (2020)
Following the mighty Fallen and the almost equally excellent God Damn Evil must have been a difficult task indeed but with Even The Devil Believes, Stryper proved that even after more than thirty-five years, they still had much to offer. Opening track Blood From Above immediately reassured fans that Stryper had not lost any ability in crafting high-energy metal tracks. The band have made no secret of their love of Judas Priest, Van Halen, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple and Iron Maiden and while I have always enjoyed the better crafted ballads that the band have produced, Even The Devil Believes illustrates just how metallic the Stryper can be. The first album on which Perry Richardson actually played bass, it is a contender for their heaviest album overall, displaying where there influences truly lie.
Three favourite tracks: Blood From Above, Even The Devil Believes, Divider
7: The Final Battle (2022)
As I mentioned during the introduction to this ranking, a fine line exists between the albums in these middle positions and by the time of The Final Battle, Stryper had settled into a cycle of releasing an album every two years - their new album is due later in 2024. Since No More Hell To Pay, the quartet have produced a string of strong albums and this was no different. It is a tribute to the strong work ethic of the band and the consistency of Michael Sweet’s songwriting who seems to be able to produce high quality songs in a short space of time. Production wise, The Final Battle has an excellent sound, is well varied in the type of songs in contains and errs, once again, on the heavier side of the band’s music. Near, which avoids being overly saccharine, is the closest to a traditional Stryper ballad and Ashes To Ashes is amongst the strongest album closers of the band’s career.
Three favourite tracks: Transgressor, Rise To The Call, Ashes To Ashes
6: No More Hell To Pay (2013)
If Murder By Pride went some way to drawing Stryper fans of the band back to the cause, No More Hell To Pay was the album that fans, including myself, had been waiting for. A triumphant return to form and the beginning of a remarkable run of excellent albums, it found balance between the band’s early sound and the more mature approach to songwriting they had been developing. With the band’s classic line-up back together on an album of new material for the first time in over twenty years, a return to the yellow and black visuals, and a collection of robust anthems, the band encapsulated their ability to meld heavy metal with an uplifting message. No More Hell To Pay benefited from modern production techniques making it clear and formidable, highlighting each instrument, while allowing the vocals to shine. There is a ferocity and fervour to much of the album as evidenced by some of their heaviest material to date including Legacy and Marching Into Battle.
Three favourite tracks: Revelation, No More Hell To Pay, Legacy
5: God Damn Evil (2018)
With the masterpiece Fallen, Stryper had made a complete return to form (which truly began with No More Hell To Pay). Provocatively titled, their next album, God Damn Evil, immediately set a tone of defiance, making a bold declaration that the band was not shying away from controversy or diluting their messages to appease the masses. God Damn Evil was a fierce outcry against the malevolence that plagues society, a theme that is woven throughout the album. Despite facing backlash and censorship from retail outlets that took issue with the album’s name, the band stood firm. Being a fan of extreme metal, I loved – unlike many others – the contribution of Matt Bachand of Shadows Fall on Take It To The Cross. It is the band’s ability to craft songs that are both spiritually poignant and accessible but retains the band’s heaviness, evident in their more recent music, which makes it unashamedly Stryper.
Three favourite tracks: Take It To The Cross, Lost, Beautiful
4: Against The Law (1990)
Coming at brink of a change in the world of rock and metal, Against The Law is an anomaly in the Stryper catalogue. It saw the band abandoning their iconic logo, the yellow and black visuals and almost every reference to God while adopting a rawer, more driving sound. Tom Werman – who worked with Poison, Mötley Crüe and Twisted Sister – gave the album a sound that was more in step with the popular rock acts of the day. Much as lyrics are important to me when writing reviews, the Christian aspect of Stryper’s music has never been a driving force in my enjoyment of them, so to eighteen-year-old me, this was simply a great rock album whatever the lyrics were saying. Micheal Sweet has made no secret of the fact that this is his least favourite album and I completely understand his reasons for saying so. However, as a fan of many bands that influenced Stryper and the heavier, bluesier punch of the guitars, this remains a personal favourite more than three decades later.
Three favourite tracks: Two Time Woman, Two Bodies (One Mind One Soul), Rock The Hell Out Of You
3: Soldiers Under Command (1985)
For those who have not studied the history of the band, Soldiers Under Command is the perfect album on which to hear those classic heavy metal influences shining through. While The Yellow and Black Attack was a solid debut statement, the step up in songwriting, structure and nuanced use of dynamics on Soldiers Under Command is significant. I came to the album very soon after hearing my first Stryper album - To Hell With The Devil. A milestone in the band’s career – the title track will forever remain their signature song – it proved that Christian based lyrics and rock could combine successfully. It challenged the notion that the genre was inherently dark or negative, offering an alternative that was both uplifting and uncompromisingly hard-hitting. Building on the debut, Michael Sweet’s and Oz Fox’s harmonised leads and riffs drew inspiration from other twin guitar bands – notably Judas Priest and Iron Maiden - but added their own style, not content with being facsimiles.
Three favourite tracks: Soldiers Under Command, The Rock That Makes Me Roll, Together As One
2: Fallen (2015)
With No More Hell To Pay, the band proved they knew exactly how to make a modern day Stryper album; with Fallen, they proved they knew how to make a modern-day masterpiece. Opening track Yahweh is possibly the best thing they have ever recorded. A haunting, choral opening leads into compelling, insistent heavy riffs and a truly Herculean vocal performance from Michael Sweet and some incendiary guitar solos. Fallen is amongst the best sounding albums of the band’s career. Tim Gaines and Robert Sweet’s contributions are volcanic and potent throughout, while a weightier crunch to the guitars allows for a more aggressive overall sound. Featuring an interesting if unexpected cover of Black Sabbath’s After Forever, Fallen maintains its quality throughout and approaches its lyrical themes with an equilibrium between obviously Christian content and a more nuanced understanding of spirituality. To Hell With The Devil excepted, it is easily my most played of their albums in recent years.
Three favourite tracks: Yahweh, Fallen, Heaven
1: To Hell With The Devil (1986)
My introduction to the band in late 1986, To Hell With The Devil has been a staple of my listening for close to forty years. At the time, I was becoming a fan of bands such as Queen, Judas Priest and Iron Maiden and Stryper fitted neatly between them all. Each song on the album stands the test of time and many of them have remained staples of the band’s live set to this day. It remains the band’s most commercially successful release and balances the bombast and spectacle of glam metal with musicianship and melodic prowess. MTV favourite Honestly sits well alongside the heavier material representing the band’s versality to write songs with widespread appeal, blistering guitar solos, enough to appeal to fans of heavier music and a great understanding of album structure. It is testament to quality of the music (on this and many other albums) that someone of no religion could follow the band for so long, enjoying them just as much as many other bands in my collection.
Three favourite tracks: Abyss / To Hell With The Devil, Free, The Way
Listen to my playlist Stryper Through The Years featuring my three favourite songs from each album (in chronological order) below.
*With the exception of songs from Reborn, which is currently not on Spotify.
** I am counting Abyss / To Hell With The Devil as one track as in my mind they are inextricably linked.
Comments