Stryper Just Signed A Multi-Album Deal With Frontiers

For all the Stryper fans out there - I know there are a lot of you, so good news!

Frontiers Records is proud to announce the signing of iconic Christian rockers Stryper to a multi-album deal.  The first release due out will be a new re-recorded collection; SECOND COMING will hit streets on March 22nd in Europe and March 26th in North America.  

The album features sixteen tracks, including new recordings of fourteen songs from the band’s early years as well as two brand new songs recorded especially for SECOND COMING, and is produced by Stryper frontman Michael Sweet.  

Sweet commented, “We're really excited about this record. The re-recorded songs are sounding awesome…better than the originals in many ways!  One word to describe the record? Heavier. We've hooked up with some great people - we've got new management, a great album, a great label. We just feel like everything is coming together, and hopefully some big things are to follow."  Please see below for the complete track listing.

Stryper is one of the top Christian rock bands of all time.  Comprised of the original line-up of Michael Sweet (vocals/guitar), Oz Fox (guitar), Tim Gaines (bass), and Robert Sweet (drums), Stryper has been rocking since 1984, and is responsible for such '80s metal classic albums as SOLDIERS UNDER COMMAND, TO HELL WITH THE DEVIL, IN GOD WE TRUST and such MTV hit singles/videos as "Calling on You," "Free," and "Honestly."

After a sabbatical for much of the 1990's, Stryper returned strong in the early 21st century.  To date, the band has sold upwards of 8 million records worldwide and is a Dove Award-winner and Grammy nominee.  Stryper is the first band to have two songs in MTV’s Top 10 simultaneously.

Comments

[bkallday]

"Christian rock".....now that's some funny ish right there! These guys would've been much more popular & successful if they could've stayed away from that fantasy driven agenda crap. They are actually a talented band aside from the fact they think there's a dude chillin up in the clouds, watching us all.

[Christian]

I don't mind Stryper ( and I'm a Christian ) but I honestly think a great part of their success was mining the 'but Dad these guys are Christians, do I have to burn this record, too ?' market. They sure did far too many ballads, although by then, that was pretty common.

[Jack]

I don't care if a band is singing about God, god's, Satan or the chick next door; if it's good music, it's good music. That being said I was never much of a Stryper fan, though the song Soldiers Under Command is an absolute classic (I like their cover of Shining Star too).

[Metalboy!]

Christian, you nail it on the head here but I think there's more too it that's actually cool...

First -- Beyond the whole "Dad, but these guys are Christians" thing, which really was a brilliantly masterminded marketing calculation on their part, one realizes that these guys really do bring it! Yeah, it's Christian Hair Metal, but it's Hair Metal of the first order, first and foremost. These guys frickin' ROCK with a capital "R"!

Second -- I saw them on The Monsters of Rock Cruise last year and they blew the roof off the theater on board. And they did not play ANY ballads. Plus, they played Sabbath's "Heaven And Hell", Judas Priest's "Breakin' The Law", and "Shout It Out Loud" by KISS! Also, just gotta say, they had first class, totally pro sound for their performance better than ANY other band on there save for Firehouse, who's sound was also superlative. It's almost as if they have some kind of divine intervention coming through their sound man at he mixing board. Whatever the hell (Sorry, for the oxymoron here) it is, they really do sound frickin' flawless!

Third -- Love the whole "Christian" shtick (though I do actually believe their "Born Again" stand is genuine). The yellow striped trim on their outfits. Robert Sweet's yellow leather and mirror bell bottom hip huggers (If those ain't Glam Metal, I don't know what is!), the custom built crazy but hot looking multi-pronged yellow and black striped guitars, plus the clever, but totally genuine act of throwing Stryper branded Mini-Bibles in between songs are all things that make Stryper a Rock and Roll Icon along the lines of KISS with all their gimmick laden trappings.

I am glad to see Frontiers do this three album deal. It makes total sense when you consider Stryper's loyal fan base while at the same time us Ex-Catholic Bad Boys will also be guaranteed some great Hair Metal from this American METAL Icon for years to come!

I also want to catch TNA with Michael Sweet fronting. He's still got the chops and will just nail Don Dokken's vocals with ease.

p.s. Hey, Christian, maybe you know this -- Is their religious significance to he fact that Robert Sweet and his drum kit face Stage Left on stage? It's a very unusual set up I have never seen before, so I thought maybe it was another biblical reference like their whole yellow and black striped designed stuff, etc.

[Metalboy!]

And... Robert Sweet's drum set up is also cool because the audience can watch him play them more clearly.

Also, it would be great to see one of Stryper's Frontier albums be "The Covering II", with another baker's dozen of cool Metalized covers.

[MIke]

Yes. Finally, they may get the promotion they need. I didn't know they had sold over 8 million records though. Before someone says "Metal is about non conformity," stuff, that describes Stryper. In a day where many religious people called them fake because they played the "devils music" they went out and still did it. If that's not -nonconforming I don't know what is.

[Him]

A solid band, though not my cup of tea (or sacrament or coffee or whatever).

Frontiers is turning into the Gibsonton of 80s metal bands (or some sort of figurative Branson). They should call it Final Frontiers Records.

[Red6ixx]

i used to like a few of the tracks - the whole 'christian' part put me off as a kid though. still does tbh.

[Christian]

I do love 'The Covering', I thought it showcased what great players they are, with better songs than they could write. I don't know of any religious significance, it's Muslims who like to face Mecca to pray, Christians don't have any preferences like that. But then, even the name was kind of weird, I thought. 'by His stripes we are healed'. so if they are stryper, they are advertising that they wounded Christ, right ?

Mike - I agree. The metal community, especially back then, was very strict about exactly HOW you were expected to 'not conform'. I think it's better now.

[Jeff]

Sweet sets his drums up the same way Kelly Keagy from Night Ranger does, so that the crowd can see him. No religious meaning

[Christian]

Metalboy - just caught some other comments in your post. I saw them at Rocklahoma. Nearly all ballads and the band was clearly tired. They were almost apologetic about throwing bibles out, like it was something they were expected to do. I'm glad to hear they have more fire than that, now. I also travelled to Sydney to see them a year or so ago, they did not show and I was not told, so I was pretty annoyed ( that was not their fault, but I tried to give them another chance and blew hundreds of dollars in trying )

[Metalboy!]

That's too bad they didn't show, Christian. Yeah, they showed up for The Monsters of Rock Cruise (MORC) last year. They were flown into Nassau from Key West, along with Lynch Mob, via Chopper because their flight into Miami was delayed due to weather and they had to drive from their to Key West to get to the chopper!

The whole thing was pretty wild and demonstrates the level of commitment from MORC's organizers to quite literally, "Deliver The METAL" and make sure they fulfilled their obligations to put 100% of the bill on the stage.

Plus, I wonder if it was that trip with Lynch from The Keys to Nassau that brought about Sweet fronting TNA?

p.s. I LIKE the Bible Throwing routine. On MORC, they humbly through out Bibles. They weren't apologetic, they were humble. And the audience were KILLING each other to get one!

[Christian]

I sure would have loved to get one.

[Metalboy!]

I'll see if I can grab you one this year.

[Christian]

Thanks

[BatLizard]

Metalboy!, it's "T&N", not "TNA", unless I missed something, which is quite possible.

[Metalboy!]

T&N, Bat Lizard!

Sorry, I must have been thinking of the abbreviation for something else. Gee, I wonder what that is?, hahaha!!!

[Metalboy!]

Thanks for the info on the drums, guys! If I get the chance, I will ask Sweet personally.

[dj]

im a christian (not to fond of organized religion though) but anyways, i dont mind these guys, id see them live, after all i love glam i love rock n roll, these guys fit perfectly into the glam part, so hell yea.