Stryper

There’s less glam and no spandex this time around, but all you need is your ears to tell you that Stryper is back and that they’ve come back full-strength, sounding fresh, energized, and uncompromising. Unlike 2005’s ‘comeback’ CD (Reborn), which actually started out as a Michael Sweet solo album, Murder By Pride is a true band project and shows that Stryper is right back where they belong – creating signature pop-metal anthems and emotionally powerful ballads with more hooks, rapid-fire guitar breaks, and pyrotechnic vocals than you can shake a yellow and black headband at.

The twelve tracks on Murder By Pride, which include two covers – Tom (Boston) Scholz’ “Peace of Mind,” and their own, “My Love (I’ll Always Show),” from 1984’s Yellow and Black Attack album – show a band that knows its strengths and makes no pretentions at being anything other than what they are: a powerhouse of pop-metal. Michael Sweet proves once again that he knows how to write immediately accessible songs that are heavy enough and have enough of an edge to satisfy the metal-heads and hair-band fans, while creating melodic vocal lines and memorable guitar riffs that give a kind of hard-core elegance to the whole affair.

Stryper’s signature twin guitar solos remain intact, with Oz Fox and Sweet ripping through several stinging solos in precise harmony (but never sacrificing any edge), particularly effective in the cascading riffing on “Everything.” Still in the official drum seat is the ‘visual timekeeper,’ Robert Sweet, although the bulk of what you hear on this recording is Kenny Arnoff, playing with a solid, fat, commanding sound. Listen to the way Arnoff’s playing is featured at the end of “Eclipse for the Son” and near the end of “4 Leaf Clover,” where the dynamic duo of drums and bass are left alone to show the solid, funky foundation that the guitars and vocals get to build on. Tracy Ferrie makes his second studio appearance as the band’s bass player, and does an excellent job playing thick, aggressive bass lines that help to move the music along and provide a solid bottom end to the Stryper sound, nicely displayed on “Mercy Over Blame.”

The big question, whenever a Stryper album or tour is discussed, is: ‘can Michael still hit the high notes?’ Undauntedly, Sweet has set himself up for some pretty demanding vocal moments on Murder By Pride, and he proves that there’s no rust on the pipes – certainly, if there ever was any rust, the sheer power of Sweet’s vocals would have shaken it off. The man can sing. Not only do we get the semi-operatic Big Notes – we get the screams, the rich harmonies, and the tender ballad-vocals, too. Sweet seems to channel a metal-version of Edgar Winter on the last section of the afore-mentioned, “Mercy Over Blame,” while he does his power-ballad best on the destined-to-become-classic, “Alive.” Not only does Michael do some of his best singing on this track, but he also fakes us out at the end by not singing the climactic phrase that you would think should end the song, leaving the listener to finish the vocal in his or her mind…

Sweet’s lyrics at first seem to straddle the fence of human relationships and spiritual issues, but upon repeated listening it becomes clear that the spiritual side wins out. Sometimes the songs are confessions of the need for renewed strength, as in “The Plan,” where we hear, “I’ve tried, I’ve lied/I’ve told the truth at times… where do I go from here?/I’ve gotta’ crucify my fear/I want to be the man, the one I know You see…” In “Mercy Over Blame” Michael affirms, “when we all reach Heaven/There will be no shame /‘Cause when we stand before Him ….it’s mercy over blame.”

The band ends the album with a version of “My Love (I’ll Always Show)” that’s much gutsier than the original, and gets into a very basic heavy rock and roll groove.

Murder By Pride, brilliantly produced by Michael Sweet and Danny Bernini, is classic Stryper, but with a renewed confidence and maturity, solid songwriting and performance, and a clear message – no longer breaking new ground, but treading on that ground with authority, carrying a big stick, and taking names.

Tagged as: Murder By Pride, Stryper

↓ 6 comments

#1 David Candel on July 20th, 2009 at 3:04 pm

I went to a concert in eighties. Hope they’re just as much fun. Thanks Bert, excellent review. I would buy the album.

#2 John Wofford on July 20th, 2009 at 4:33 pm

I’ve got a promo copy of this album, and it really owns. I’m not saying they’ve reinvented the wheel or anything, but the whole classic metal vibe (while not exactly face-melting) is nothing short of fantastic.

#3 Tom Wiermann on July 20th, 2009 at 7:21 pm

For Stryper fans this was the album we’ve been waiting for. It re-ignites the emotion you got as a kid when first hearing the melodic vocals and crunching guitar tones from their earlier works, while at the same time not sounding dated. Bert’s review is on point. I highly recommend this album not only from a musical standpoint but from a lyrical one as well….And if you have never seen them in person then all I have to say is buy tickets now. You will not be disappointed.

#4 Michael D Koehler on July 20th, 2009 at 10:45 pm

Stryper Rocks! Waited 3 years on this cd, worth every minute of the wait! Catch the Yellow and Black Attack Fever!

#5 Aaron on July 28th, 2009 at 8:47 pm

9 out of 10 is a pretty lofty score for a band that has never been that great of a musical outfit. Then again, I am of the opinion that glam metal is one of the lesser subgenres of metal and it overshadowed the good music that came out of the 80s.

#6 Bert Saraco on July 28th, 2009 at 11:48 pm

I understand where you’re coming from, and appreciate the feedback, Aaron. My philosophy in reviewing an album is to ask this question first: did they achieve what they set out to do? For example, I’m not much of a fan of light ‘pop’ music, but if a band is in that genre, and they fulfill the ‘fluff’ factor with a degree of legitimacy, then they’ve succeeded. It doesn’t really matter that I might not like the album. I might not want to listen to that album again, but they might have done a ‘good’ job in a genre that lacks musical gravitas.
I think that Stryper has come back on the scene with an album that fulfills the requirements of their particular niche quite well. At some point you have to ask yourself, ‘where did they go wrong,’ and, on this album I think they pretty much did everything right. That doesn’t mean that glam/pop/metal itself is ‘great’ music, but it can be done very well, which is what I think we get on Murder by Pride.
There’s a legitimate question of judging every album equally against everything else that’s ever been done, which would mean putting every artist up against, let’s say – The Beatles. In that case, I think most albums would be dropped a notch or three which might just put everything in too much of a negative light.
I go back and forth….
You’ve provoked a good discussion. Thanks.
- Bert

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