Heavy metal certainly has no shortage of rebels. It seems like everybody\u2019s rebelling against something, and that\u2019s part of the genre\u2019s allure. However, the most rebellious thing anybody can do is hold steadfast to personal beliefs and never waver. Stryper indisputably do both.<\/p>\n
They\u2019re not shy about their Christian beliefs, but they\u2019re also consistently as heavy as any of the genre\u2019s pillars. Following up 2013\u2019s seminal opus\u00a0No More Hell To Pay<\/em>, which debuted at #6 on\u00a0Billboard<\/em>\u2019s Top Rock Albums Chart and #2 on the Christian Albums Chart, their eleventh full-length original album,\u00a0Fallen<\/em>\u00a0[Frontiers Music SRL], is their heaviest offering to date.<\/p>\n \u201cIn the past 30 years, we\u2019ve evolved into what we are now,\u201d says vocalist and guitarist Michael Sweet. \u201cThis is what we always really wanted to be. I love the progression. The story of Stryper is that of an underdog. We go against the grain with everything we do. This album is another chance to show the world what we can do.\u201d<\/p>\n In early 2015, Michael and his band mates Robert Sweet [drums], Oz Fox [guitar], and Tim Gaines [bass] retreated to Spirithouse Recording Studio in Northampton, MA. The four musicians collectively immersed themselves in the recording process for\u00a0Fallen<\/em>\u00a0with Michael handling production yet again.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s something to be said for the chemistry of a whole band in the studio together,\u201d he continues. \u201cWe were there living and breathing this record, and I feel like the results speak for themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n Album opener \u201cYahweh\u201d certainly does. Penned with Clint Lowery of Sevendust and Call Me No One, the six-minute plus anthem fuses tight thrash guitars with soaring vocals and a galloping beat. Airtight solos nearly collide with an orchestral refrain bolstered by a muscular groove.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s an epic unlike anything we\u2019ve ever recorded,\u201d smiles Michael. \u201cI was so moved by\u00a0The Passion of the Christ<\/em>. Even though it was bloody and disturbing, it represented what actually happened. I wanted the lyrics to be the same way.\u201d<\/p>\n At the same time, the first single \u201cPride\u201d weaves together intricate fretwork with a slamming refrain that seesaws between swooning and searing. \u201cSometimes, pride gets in the way of what we want to accomplish or what we want to do,\u201d he sighs. \u201cEverybody goes through that. It\u2019s my reminder saying, \u2018Let\u2019s not allow pride to tear us apart.\u2019 Nine times out of ten, that is what separates us. Beat our pride down, and we will survive.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAll Over Again\u201d stands out as the album\u2019s centerpiece. With an orchestral elegance and an ever so slightly countrified swing, the track sits proudly in the Stryper canon alongside the likes of \u201cHonestly.\u201d \u201cIt isn\u2019t a hair ballad or a piano ballad,\u201d he laughs. \u201cIt\u2019s different, and that\u2019s important to us. I have a funny feeling this might be a standout track for everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n Following a tradition of some bombastic and bruising covers, Stryper also tackled Black Sabbath\u2019s classic \u201cAfter Forever.\u201d The foursome infused a new kind of fire into this timeless gem. \u201cWe grew up on Black Sabbath,\u201d he says. \u201cIt says something. Stryper covering a Sabbath tune causes much controversy. The lyrics are very interesting because it questions if Sabbath was a Christian band or not. They could have been the first Christian group if you take a closer look at those lyrics.\u201d<\/p>\n Stryper continue to remain metal stalwarts, leaving an indelible mark on the genre with every subsequent album. With hits in their arsenal such as \u201cCalling On You\u201d, \u201cFree\u201d, \u201cI Believe In You\u201d and \u201cAlways There For Your,\u201d album sales exceed over 10 million worldwide with their discography including one of the most successful Christian rock albums ever, 1986\u2019s multi-platinum, Grammy Award-nominate\u00a0To Hell With The Devil<\/em>. They also have the distinction of being the first band in history to notch two songs in MTV\u2019s Top 10 with \u201cFree\u201d and \u201cHonestly.\u201d<\/p>\n Ultimately, for all the heaviness,\u00a0Fallen<\/em>\u00a0possesses the power to uplift. What\u2019s more rebellious than that?<\/p>\n Michael leaves off, \u201cI want everybody to walk away with excitement, encouragement, and joy. It\u2019s all positive. It\u2019s not about being heavy or dark. It\u2019s about sharing this energy. I hope they press the \u2018repeat\u2019 button and feel blown away.\u201d<\/p>\n That\u2019s exactly what all the best heavy metal does.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Heavy metal certainly has no shortage of rebels. It seems like everybody\u2019s rebelling against something,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14944,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[2709],"tags":[599,274,1016],"class_list":["post-19475","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-metal-news","tag-frontiers-music-srl","tag-heavy-metal","tag-stryper"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.exhimusic.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Stryper_GodDamnEvil.jpg?fit=600%2C600&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9jNPU-547","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":16461,"url":"https:\/\/www.exhimusic.com\/magazine\/2018\/03\/14\/new-video-alert-stryper-sorry-official-music-video-frontiers-music-srl\/","url_meta":{"origin":19475,"position":0},"title":"NEW VIDEO ALERT! STRYPER: “Sorry” (Official Music Video) – Frontiers Music srl","author":"Exhimusic - Percorsi nella musica","date":"14\/03\/2018","format":false,"excerpt":"STRYPER\u00a0 \"Sorry\u201d\u00a0 (Official Music Video)\u00a0 From the album GOD DAMN EVIL. Get your copy NOW: Stryper store:\u00a0https:\/\/stores.portmerch.com\/stryper\/ Frontiers' U.S. store:\u00a0http:\/\/pmusic.co\/34WWZE\u00a0| Frontiers' EU store:\u00a0http:\/\/bit.ly\/2nSs5ey \u00a0 Also available to pre-order on Amazon, iTunes, and other online retailers.\u00a0http:\/\/radi.al\/GodDamnEvil","rel":"","context":"In "METAL VIDEO"","block_context":{"text":"METAL VIDEO","link":"https:\/\/www.exhimusic.com\/magazine\/category\/metal-video\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.exhimusic.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/Stryper.jpg?fit=600%2C600&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.exhimusic.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/Stryper.jpg?fit=600%2C600&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.exhimusic.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/Stryper.jpg?fit=600%2C600&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":18610,"url":"https:\/\/www.exhimusic.com\/magazine\/2018\/04\/23\/stryper-the-valley-official-song-video-from-the-album-god-damn-evil-frontiers-music-srl\/","url_meta":{"origin":19475,"position":1},"title":"STRYPER: “The Valley\u201d (Official Song Video) from the album “God Damn Evil” – Frontiers Music srl","author":"Exhimusic - Percorsi nella musica","date":"23\/04\/2018","format":false,"excerpt":"STRYPER\u00a0 \"The Valley\u201d\u00a0 (Official Song Video) From the album GOD DAMN EVIL. Get your copy NOW: Frontiers' U.S. store:\u00a0http:\/\/pmusic.co\/34WWZE Frontiers' EU store:\u00a0http:\/\/bit.ly\/2nSs5ey","rel":"","context":"In "METAL VIDEO"","block_context":{"text":"METAL VIDEO","link":"https:\/\/www.exhimusic.com\/magazine\/category\/metal-video\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.exhimusic.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Stryper_GodDamnEvil.jpg?fit=600%2C600&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.exhimusic.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Stryper_GodDamnEvil.jpg?fit=600%2C600&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.exhimusic.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Stryper_GodDamnEvil.jpg?fit=600%2C600&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":17919,"url":"https:\/\/www.exhimusic.com\/magazine\/2018\/04\/12\/stryper-lost-official-audio-frontiers-music-srl\/","url_meta":{"origin":19475,"position":2},"title":"STRYPER: “Lost\u201d – (Official Audio) – Frontiers Music srl","author":"Exhimusic - Percorsi nella musica","date":"12\/04\/2018","format":false,"excerpt":"STRYPER \"Lost\" (Official Audio) From the album GOD DAMN EVIL. Get your copy NOW: http:\/\/radi.al\/GodDamnEvil Continuing a trend started with their 2013 release, \u201cNo More Hell To Pay\u201d, Stryper\u2019s 10th\u00a0studio album, \u201cGod Damn Evil\u201d\u00a0sees the band offering up their heaviest release yet! Opening track, \u201cTake It To The Cross\u201d\u00a0features a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "METAL NEWS"","block_context":{"text":"METAL NEWS","link":"https:\/\/www.exhimusic.com\/magazine\/category\/metal-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.exhimusic.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/Stryper.jpg?fit=600%2C600&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.exhimusic.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/Stryper.jpg?fit=600%2C600&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.exhimusic.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/Stryper.jpg?fit=600%2C600&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":14942,"url":"https:\/\/www.exhimusic.com\/magazine\/2018\/02\/12\/stryper-god-damn-evil-to-celebrate-their-35th-anniversary-with-the-upcoming-release-of-their-10th-studio-album-due-april-20-2018\/","url_meta":{"origin":19475,"position":3},"title":"STRYPER: “God Damn Evil” to celebrate their 35th anniversary with the upcoming release of their 10th studio album, due April 20, 2018","author":"Exhimusic - Percorsi nella musica","date":"12\/02\/2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Iconic hard rock\/heavy metal band\u00a0Stryper\u00a0will celebrate their 35th anniversary with the upcoming release of their 10th studio album, GOD DAMN EVIL, due\u00a0April 20, 2018\u00a0from Frontiers Music SRL. Produced by frontman\u00a0Michael Sweet, the band returns with their most powerful album to date, doubling down on the hard rock\/heavy metal sound that\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "ANTEPRIME"","block_context":{"text":"ANTEPRIME","link":"https:\/\/www.exhimusic.com\/magazine\/category\/anteprime\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.exhimusic.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Stryper_GodDamnEvil.jpg?fit=600%2C600&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.exhimusic.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Stryper_GodDamnEvil.jpg?fit=600%2C600&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.exhimusic.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Stryper_GodDamnEvil.jpg?fit=600%2C600&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":16409,"url":"https:\/\/www.exhimusic.com\/magazine\/2018\/03\/13\/stryper-sorry-new-radio-single-from-god-damn-evil-frontiers-music-s-r-l\/","url_meta":{"origin":19475,"position":4},"title":"STRYPER: “Sorry” – New radio single from “God Damn Evil” – Frontiers music s.r.l.","author":"Exhimusic - Percorsi nella musica","date":"13\/03\/2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Continuing a trend started with their 2013 release, \u201cNo More Hell To Pay\u201d, Stryper\u2019s 10th\u00a0studio album, \u201cGod Damn Evil\u201d\u00a0sees the band offering up their heaviest release yet! Opening track, \u201cTake It To The Cross\u201d\u00a0features a guest appearance from Matt Bachand (Shadows Fall, Act Of Defiance) on death growls, yes, death\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "METAL NEWS"","block_context":{"text":"METAL NEWS","link":"https:\/\/www.exhimusic.com\/magazine\/category\/metal-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.exhimusic.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/Stryper.jpg?fit=600%2C600&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.exhimusic.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/Stryper.jpg?fit=600%2C600&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.exhimusic.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/Stryper.jpg?fit=600%2C600&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":51405,"url":"https:\/\/www.exhimusic.com\/magazine\/2020\/10\/06\/stryper-divider-watch-the-video-now\/","url_meta":{"origin":19475,"position":5},"title":"Stryper: “Divider” – Watch the Video Now!","author":"Exhimusic - Percorsi nella musica","date":"06\/10\/2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Have you heard\u00a0Stryper's excellent new album, \"Even The Devil Believes\" yet? If not, then get a taste with the just premiered music video,\u00a0\u201cDivider\"! Click here to watch the video of\u00a0\u201cDivider\u201d: \u00a0 Get a physical copy of or stream \"Even The Devil Believes\" HERE:\u00a0https:\/\/orcd.co\/stryper \u00a0","rel":"","context":"In "NEWS"","block_context":{"text":"NEWS","link":"https:\/\/www.exhimusic.com\/magazine\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.exhimusic.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/Stryper.jpg?fit=600%2C600&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.exhimusic.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/Stryper.jpg?fit=600%2C600&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.exhimusic.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/Stryper.jpg?fit=600%2C600&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.exhimusic.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19475","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.exhimusic.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.exhimusic.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.exhimusic.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.exhimusic.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19475"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.exhimusic.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19475\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19476,"href":"https:\/\/www.exhimusic.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19475\/revisions\/19476"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.exhimusic.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14944"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.exhimusic.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19475"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.exhimusic.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19475"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.exhimusic.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19475"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}