No Life 'til Metal - The STRYPER cd collection

The CD Collection
..Despite the fact that there are hundreds of Christian metal bands ranging in style from death metal to pop metal, if you mention Christian metal, Stryper will inevidebly come to mind. I discovered Stryper when "Soldiers Under Command" came out in 1985. In the late 80's I struggled with how to juggle my taste in music and my faith in God. Stryper really helped me through a rough time in my life. I still have all my vinyl of these guys but have upgraded all of their albums to cd. Stryper are: Tim Gaines: bass, Oz Fox: guitars, Robert Sweet: drums, and Michael Sweet: vocals and guitars. To all those who hate these guys, or dislike Christian metal in general, stop reading my web page if you don't like it! At least Stryper was willing to stand up for something they believed in rather than riding some stupid Satanic trend. Stryper rules!!!

1. "Loud 'N' Clear" (3:27)
2. "From Wrong to Right"(3:49)
3. "You Know What to Do"(4:47)
4. "Co'Mon Rock"(3:40)
5. "You Won't Be Lonely" (3:42)
6. "Loving You" (4:09)
BONUS TRACKS
7. "You Know What to Do" [live] (5:25)
8. "Loving You" [live] (4:27)
9. "Together Forever" [live] (3:50)
10. "Soldiers Under Command" [live] (5:34)

Excellent recording of the original mix of 'Yellow & Black Attack' made by Ralf Walter. 'Ol Ralf figured out how to put vinyl to CDR and he did a mighty fine job of it, I might add. Since this version was never released in the U.S., real CD copies don't exist, unless you are one of the few lucky ones to get one of the Japanese copies, that I have been searching for. The CDR has no surface noises whatsoever, no cracks, or hisses, or pops. On top of the original six songs, this disc has four live tracks from various B-sides, all of which were recorded live in Japan, 1985. Having had the original vinyl version of this for years, it is so nice to finally get a cd copy as the mix is so much heavier and more raw than the overproduced 1996 re-release. As for the artwork, well, being a scanner operator by trade, I just scanned in the original album art and shrunk it down to cd size. Gotta love it. Reborn Classics and Old Metal Records couldn't have done a better job. Thanks Ralf.

I actually have the original of this on vinyl as well as the blue vinyl record re-issue that came in a round album cover that looked similar to the above cover. (Check out the Stryper on vinyl section for a photo.) The 1986 version was remixed and re-released after the success of "Soldiers Under Command." The new version isn't quite as raw as the original and seems to be more compressed. It also adds two extra tracks "Reason for the Season" from their first EP and "My Love I'll Always Show," a new ballad. I would also swear that there were new guitar parts added to this recording. The music was pure inspired Los Angeles heavy metal from one of the original LA bands and is still one of my all time favorites to this day. However, I still prefer the original mix to the remixed version. My copy is a Japanese import.

Crimson Thorn did a death metal version of "Loud 'N' Clear" on their second album, "Dissection."

This is my all time favorite Stryper album. Almost every song is heavy, aggressive and darn catchy. Of course every Stryper album had the obligitory ballads. "Together As One," however, has a special meaning to me as it was my wedding song. (I'm so sentimental aren't I?) This album won me over to Stryper. At this same time in my life, I had recenty become a Christian as well, so this album becomes even more important to me. Had the sleeve autographed by three of the four Stryper dudes in California when my band performed at the Stryper Expo. Somehow I missed Robert on this one.

Deliverance did a live version of "Surrender" on the Intense Live Series Vol. 1. Boanerges recorded a cover of "Soldiers Under Command" as did Powergod.

At this point I was Stryper nuts! I bought EVERYTHING these guys put out. Just take a look at my vinyl collection. Of course, this was when they began to get a bit too commercial for their own good. I didn't really care at the time, nor do I care now. This is still an incredible album and I even like the pretty ballads. I had the crappy Enigma version with the black cover until Micheal Sweet released a Limited Edition version with the original cover and the "Winter Wonderland" bonus track that originally appeared on "Reason for the Season" EP. Kudos! Had this disc autographed by all four members at the Stryper Expo in California.

Woa! We're talking majorly slick pop metal here. There are a few stellar moments in rockers like "The Writings on the Wall," "The Reign" and the title track, but there is a lot of sugary ballads and pop rock songs as well. The band's look was getting beyond ridiculous as well, with Robert Sweet looking more like Farrah Faucet Sweet. Stryper were huge MTV hits at this time with their bee-clad videos in regular rotation. As a matter of fact, Stryper were one of the only bands to have THREE videos in the top 10 on MTV at one time. Stryper were becoming media favorites at this time as well, with all sorts of rumors flying around about them. I think they were allowing their success to take them in areas they didn't really want to go. Too bad, but still, this is not a terrible album. Far superior to crap bands like Poison and Winger! Micheal Sweet's vocal range alone put Stryper at the top of the heap. Overall, however, "In God We Trust" doesn't hold a candle to "Soldier Under Command." Oh and by the way, I have the two little collector's items that you see pictured above as well.

1. "Always there For You" (4:13)
2. "The Reign" (2:52)
3. "Soldiers Under Command" [live] (5:35)

This is a special 3" cd single in a slim case that is extremely rare. I saw a copy at the 2001 Stryper Expo for $30. That's the cheapest I have ever seen it. The single features three tracks. "Always There For You" is a pop-saturated power ballad, but the other two songs are worth while. The live version of "Soldiers Under Command" is from the "Live in Japan" video and "The Reign" is one of the better songs from "In God We Trust." Have this disc autographed by all four members.

In an attempt to "reach a larger audience" Stryper striped their stripes and put out this "bad boy" album. While Christianity was finally use to Stryper, this new look caused some waves and people hated it. I was even a bit surprised by the new look. I thought the whole yellow and black image was cool! Even the lyrics tended to be a bit more angry. The title track was Stryper lashing out at all the negative criticism they had taken from Christians over the years. The music, however, is far better than anything from "In God We Trust." The production is outstanding. Their cover of Earth Wind and Fire's "Shining Star" is a incredible! "Caught in the Middle," "Rock the Hell Out of You," "Rock the People" and the title track are all classic Stryper heavy metal tunes and are perfect examples of what the band should have been doing all along. Even the ballads, like the acoustic "Lady," are excellent songs. Some of the lyrics are a bit corny, especially on "Two Time Woman" and "Not that Kind of Guy" but overall, this is an excellent Stryper disc. Hollywood Records re-issued this album with a slightly altered album cover. I have the videos for both "Lady" and "Two Time Woman" on an HM Video Magazine.

A nice "best of" collection with two unreleased songs. ("Believe" and "Can't Stop The Rock") "Can't Stop the Rock" is a heavy boogie metal song that was actually written early in the band's career. Plenty of band pics and a dicography round out this package. This disc was suppose to prove to the world that despite all the rumores, Stryper were still united and rocking for the Rock. Soon after it's release however, Micheal Sweet left Stryper to start a solo career. Stryper continued to tour for a while as a three peice with Oz Fox doing vocals and even did one gig with Dale Thompson of Bride filling in on the vocals. Unfortunately, Micheal's solo records were terrible attempts at Bryan Adams type pop rock/AOR. Stryper split up with Robert constantly trying to get the band back together. The members have all been active in different musical activities. Robert and Tim played for Rex Carroll's King James for a while. Tim and Oz eventually got back together and are now playing with Sin Dizzy who have one independant cd out as the year 2000. Robert has played drums on a variety of different Christian metal albums as well as released a solo album called "Love Trash." The entire band recently got back together for Stryper Conventions in California and New Jersey and have done several "reunion" shows throughout the world. I had the extreme pleasure of seeing them at the California 2001 Expo.

Over a decade later and someone finally decides to release a comprehensive 'best of' Stryper CD. After a few successful reunion shows in 2001, the four original members of Stryper reunited to record two new songs. The two new songs, for me at least, were bittersweet. I suppose I was hoping for a slightly more retro sound, which these tracks are not. However, while the new songs are not a throwback to the 80's, but they are actually quite good. Both tracks are heavy, melodic, have good song structures, melodic guitar solos, excellent production and some nice vocal harmonies by Oz and Michael. Both tracks were written by Micheal Sweet and sound very similar to the material that he wrote for his last solo CD 'Truth.' As with that CD, despite my dislike for most 'modern rock', Mike's vocal harmonies and his song writing is, without a doubt, full of hooks. Apparently these two tracks were originally written for his next solo album but instead he worked them up for this Stryper release. The rest of the CD compromises some of the best Stryper material from the 80's and early 90's. As with any fan of a band there are certain songs I would have liked to have seen included, but overall I think that Hollywood did a good job of selecting songs. The tracks, with the exception of "Believe" are in reverse chronological order. The one track that I really think should have been included, however, is "Surrender." Otherwise, a stellar CD and a welcome addition to my Stryper collection.

Absolute stunning live set from our favorite bumble bee clad heavy metal Bible thumpers. What else can I say, I love this disc. It is an excellent testimony of their sound and a great companion of the memories of an excellent reunion tour, of which I saw them in Albuquerque. The sound quality is excellent making some of the songs a bit heavier and more aggressive than the studio recordings. Minor complaint in that they didn't include either of the two new songs that they played every night of the tour and the packaging is rather weak. For a band that is as visual as Stryper, the inclusion of more than just a few black and white photos inside the sleeve would have been nice. I was also disappointed that the ultra-heavy, downtuned version of "In God We Trust" was left off the final track listing as well. (I would imagine they are saving this for the DVD release.) Other than these minor complaints, this is an excellent live album. Crank it up and see if those glass shattering screams by Micheal, or the perfectly executed dual guitar solos don't send shivers down your spine.

Well here is the album that I never thought would happen. I never thought that Stryper would reunite, no less record a new album of originals. Stryper kept telling us during their reunion tour that they didn't know what the future would hold for the band. It was announced sometime after the tour and the release of the live CD that the band would be putting out new music. Shortly after it was announced that longtime bassist Tim Gaines would be leaving the band. Then there was the Mexico fiasco that caused a bunch of controversy on the net. It seems even a "reborn" Stryper is steeped in controversy. Well, musically, this album is exactly what I was expecting from the band. Those familiar with Michael Sweet's "Truth" or the two new songs on Stryper's "7: The Best of Stryper" already have an idea of the direction the band is taking. Despite the more modern direction, there are still hints of the old Stryper, mostly in the vocal melodies of Micheal Sweet. His voice is unmistakable and as such, there is that small connection to the past. There is also a newly recorded, heavier, rearranged version of "In God We Trust", here titled "I.G.W.T.". This new version of the song is complete with an Oz Fox shred guitar solo. Unfortunately it is the only real solo to be found on the CD. These things are the only real connections with Stryper's past music. The aggression of songs like "C'mon Rock", "Surrender" and "Rock the Hell Out of You" is left behind for midpaced grooves and melodic songwriting. Stryper have successfully changed styles without completely losing their identity. This is not neccessarily a bad things, although I would be lying if I didn't confess that I was initially disappointed. However, with repeated spins, I began to appreciate the music more and more. While there really isn't anything on this CD that I would call heavy, some songs like "Open your Eyes", "Reborn" and "Live Again" rock pretty hard. These songs actually have good hooks. Given half the chance, some radio support and some push from their label this CD will probably do well for the band. In typical Stryper fashion, "Reborn" includes a few ballads, "Passion" and "Wait For You". I actually enjoyed these a bit more than some of their older ballads. However, the highlight of this CD for me is the new, downtuned version of "IGWT". I really enjoyed this song when I saw the band on their reunion tour in '03 and was disappointed it didn't show up on their live CD. So I was happy with the inclusion here, even though I think it would have come off even heavier in the live setting. I especially liked Oz's guitar solo in this song. It's a shame there wasn't more of this used throughout the disc. The song also sports a heavy guitar tone. Actually the guitars throughout this CD are pretty crunchy, although not as forward in the overall mix as past albums. The drums and bass seem a bit more prominent than ever before. I was quite impressed with the lyrical stance that the bands takes. While Stryper were never one to hide their faith, the lyrics here offer a very transparent look at the band. Rather than "rock for the rock", the band sings very personal songs to and about their Lord. Unfortunately the lyrics were not included as part of the insert, but Micheals vocals are very clear and easy to understand. The packaging is worth mentioning as well. This CD is very nicely packaged, from the cover art to the yellow and black shrinkwrapping, both pictured above. I dig the imagery portrayed in the cover and how it applies to Stryper as a band and to the band's beliefs. This is a very cool idea that is a bit odd looking but is also very eye catching. I know I would have picked up the cover to look at it, even if I wasn't a fan formerly.

1. "Makes Me Wanna Sing" (4:36)
2. "Calling On You" (3:45)
3. "Free" (3:39)
4. "More Then A Man" (4:35)
5. "You Won't Be Lonely" (4:26)
6. "Reach Out" (5:27)
7. "The Way" (3:50)
8. "Soldiers Under Command" (5:22)
9. "To Hell with The Devil" (5:57)
10. "Honestly" (4:25)

Yet another cheap BMG reissue, this time we get 9 tracks from Stryper's "7 Weeks: Live In America" CD, with the additional track "You Won't Be Lonely" as a bonus. As with all the other "Extended Versions" CDs, this was a budget price CD, selling for $6 brand new. Being a Stryper fanatic, I purchased it as part of the collection as well as for the track not on "7 Weeks". According to the liner notes, these tracks were all recorded November 11, 2003 at Earthlink in Atlanta, GA, USA. All-in-all, this is actually not a bad collection and is a good listen.

1. "From Wrong To Right" (4:00)
2. "My Love I'll Always Show" (3:28)
3. "Loud N Clear" (3:42)
4. "You Know What To Do" (5:04)
5. "You Won't Be Lonely" (3:55)
6. "Co'mon Rock" (3:42)
7. "Tank" [instrumental] (:43)
8. "Honestly" (4:05)

Early demo material from Stryper when they were a struggling club band on the L.A. circuit. Most Stryper fanatics like myself already owned most of these demos, but it's nice to finally have them officially released. The recordings are much more raw than even the original 6-song EP release of "Yellow & Black Attack". The songs for the most part are similar to the final versions that made it onto vinyl in the coming years however there are some noticeable differences. The biggest change here is the heavy rocker "My Love I'll Always Show". This hard rocker is much, much different from what became the ballad on later editions of "The Yellow & Black Attack". "Co'Mon Rock" has a some differences in the way Micheal Sweet sings the song and the overall song seems a bit heavier here. "You Won't Be Lonely" has some cow bell action in the chorus that was left out in later recordings. "Tank" is a little a short drum solo from Robert Sweet . There isn't much in the way of packaging. A 4-page insert that has a collage of old flyers and magazine covers, a short write-up about the early years of Stryper and how these recordings are untouched without any additional over-dubs or re-recordings.

1. Sing Along Song" (4:57)
2. Makes Me Wanna Sing" (3:51)
3. Calling On You " (3:55)
4. Free" (3:40)
5. More Than A Man" (4:43)
6. Caught In The Middle" (4:01)
7. You Won't Be Lonely" (4:13)
8. Reach Out" (5:35)
9. Loud N Clear" (4:02)
10. Way" (4:48)
11. Soldiers Under Command" (5:24)
12. To Hell With The Devil" (5:19)
13. Honestly" (4:51 )
14. Winter Wonderland" (4:12)

Recorded in Puerto Rico in 2004 in front of a sold out crowd, this CD is a good representation of what Stryper sounded like on the reunion tour in '04. Unlike the "7 Weeks" CD, which was a compilation of the best takes from different shows and also had a studio overdubbing, "Greatest Hits-Live in Puerto Rico" was recorded at one show and seems to be free from the studio fixes. The sound isn't perfect here, but has a heavy, raw quality that I like. Stryper have always been best without the gloss, in my opinion. I also think that this CD offers an honest vocal performance from Sweet. The track listing is nearly identical to the "7 Weeks" CD, with the Puerto Rico show adding in "You Won't Be Lonely". As with the "7 Weeks" CD, the new songs recorded for the band's 2003 compilation and played during this tour were left off. While I didn't attend the show in Puerto Rico, I did get to see the band when they came through my neck of the woods and they did play those songs, along with a heavy version of "In God We Trust", also not included here. I had thought that they might have been saving these tracks for the DVD release, but they are not included on Puerto Rico DVD either. One thing that could have made this release better for this long time fanatic was if they had played "Surrender". The CD comes wrapped in a nice three-panel digi-pack. Unfortunately no booklet was included. A short bio is included written by William Hogeland.