I invite you to enter the world of Stryper, an iconic band that dominated the rock scene of the 1980s with their unique blend of talented heavy metal and bold Christian lyrics. They rose to fame with their electrifying live performances and bold visual aesthetic. Stryper quickly became synonymous with the burgeoning Christian metal movement. Their albums, such as To Hell with the Devil and In God We Trust, soared to the top of the music charts (both Christian and mainstream), earning them widespread acclaim and numerous accolades--including two Gold and one Platinum records. With their signature yellow and black attire and infectious anthems, Stryper not only rocked arenas but also challenged perceptions and broke barriers in the music industry.
You may recognize the name of the band or a mega-hit of theirs, "To Hell With The Devil," due to the recent collaboration by the Christian music band for KING + COUNTRY's remix of the song, featuring rapper Lecrae. With the extra attention they have been receiving, I wanted to reminisce on the classics of Stryper and share them with you. Join us as we delve into the exhilarating journey of Stryper, a band whose impact on both music and culture remains undeniable even to this day.
"Loud 'N' Clear"
What an explosive debut Stryper had with "Loud 'N' Clear" back in 1984! The soaring riffs, sick guitar solo, and lead singer Michael Sweet's iconic high range vocals stand out clearly in this song. Lyrically, it's not the most impressive, but it's a fun song about rock and roll and invites the listeners to salvation in Christ. This debut record, The Yellow And Black Attack! is a killer debut of eight songs that put Stryper on the map but was far from the blow up they were going to have in following years. Yet even this first song has the same song archetype that is followed by the band to this day.
"Soldiers Under Command"
Only one year after their debut, Stryper released their first RIAA Gold-award winning record Soldiers Under Command. The title track opens the record with a noticeable increase in quality in both musicianship, vocals, and songwriting. The song's highly anthemic chorus is irresistible and remains a constant in live Stryper shows today. It's with songs like this that Stryper proved with a doubt that they were just as talented and skilled as other heavy metal legends of their time.
"First Love"
Stryper is not known only for their exhilarating rock anthems and sweet guitar solos, but also for their tender ballads that give more space for the heartfelt lyrics to reach the listener. One of their first big ones was "First Love" from the Soldiers Under Command record. The song explores the theme of true love, about how love can let you down, except for God's love. It is a standout on an otherwise high-energy record with the relationship-based songwriting that Michael Sweet continued to write.
"To Hell with the Devil"
If I were writing a longer "greatest hits" article, I could easily fill most of it with the third record, To Hell With The Devil. This platinum-selling album broke records, reached untold numbers of people for Christ, and cemented Stryper into rock and roll history. Some of their most iconic riffs and catchiest songs remain on this record to date. The title track has been getting attention recently thanks to the remix by for KING + COUNTRY, but the original is as iconic as ever. The band has had their fair share of head-turning titles, such as this one, but also with 2018's God Damn Evil, and the new acoustic album in 2024 inspired titled To Hell With The Amps. This song remains a huge influence on Christian rock and metal and will continue to.
"Honestly"
Another incredible ballad from their classics is "Honestly," which is also from To Hell With The Devil. This song is a beautiful song of loyalty and love to those you love, or even when compared to God's love to us. This touching song was heard by millions, both in the 80s through the radio and record players, and today through streaming services. "Honestly" triumphs among their most famous songs throughout the years, new and old.
"In God We Trust"
The title track from 1988's In God We Trust still hits hard today as it did back in the 80s--money disappoints but God never will. The whole message of the album is wrapped up in this song and the elements of Stryper that have been heard world-wide is continued in this record. The gang choruses, the insane riffs, and commanding drumming sound so good as the album unfolds. This album went Gold but has not remained as popular as the previous two over-time, especially in the streaming age. But it is still full of great Stryper songs that shouldn't be skipped.
"All For One"
Stryper's last album in their "classic" years was Against The Law, released in 1990. The album marked a change in Stryper's visuals, both their logo and outfits were changed. And the songwriting took a different direction, with more attention on relationships and rock and roll specifically, with less obvious Christian messages--though not absent. One of the best songs is "All For One" because it still proclaims unity over the world's pain. Jesus' prayer for unity among believers is echoed with this song, as the band proclaims, "All for one and one for all/Isn't that the way that it should be/Will we ever change this world?"
Ryan Adams lives in Montana with his family. He works as a professional game master and loves his spoiled rotten dog.
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