Jump to content

Stryper - Second Coming


Stefan

Recommended Posts

isn't it pretty much been said by the band themselves that although they didn't admitt it at the time the Against The Law time period the band was a mess as a unit and each member individualy? they had gotten caught up in the "rock n roll life". I think I even heard M Sweet say that before he did his first solo album the record company had him on a 2 year probation period to make sure he had his life back in order???? I swear I read that.

 

Idk, but if they were in bad shape they made a great album. If memory serves, it was the other brother having all the issues.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 80
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

as much as I love THWTD, Law was the best album they could have made at that time. It could be argued very easily that it's their best.

 

Against the Law was the first Stryper I upgraded from cassette to CD back in the day and in fact it was the only Stryper album I had on CD for quite some time... (I did eventually re-acquire the others, but it was years later)... it's definitely aged more gracefully than the rest of their early stuff.

 

I haven't listened to any of the newer Stryper. Does it resemble the old band or is it just a moderrn version of the band?

Reborn (their first "reunion" album) is pretty blah ... it was assembled from scraps that were originally supposed to be a Michael Sweet solo record and doesn't really have that "Stryper" vibe. Murder By Pride on the other hand is more "classic" sounding, as is their covers album.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If that was the case, how comes they didnt buy the best Stryper album. Against the law didnt even go gold.

 

They got caught up in a Perfect Storm - their change in image/attitude didn't go over very well with their Christian fanbase, who thought they'd turned their backs on God, and the tide of grunge music beginning to rise certainly didn't help matters either.

I know the image and lyrics moving away from god didnt do them any good, but my point was more a case of quality doesnt always mean more sales. Also, I dont think the grunge rise would have made a difference as at that point in time grunge was still relatively unknown to the masses and bands like Warrant were hitting double platinum sales levels. After 91, yes, grunge killed most proper rock record sales, but in 1990 it would have had little or no impact.

 

As for the debate as to whether IGWT was a carbon copy of THWTD, while the format may be indentical it has always been said, even in reviews back in the day that IGWT was a move into more commercial radio orientated songs.

The pacing may have been the same, but IGWT was certainly a slicker radio friendly album, which is why I prefer it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If that was the case, how comes they didnt buy the best Stryper album. Against the law didnt even go gold.

 

They got caught up in a Perfect Storm - their change in image/attitude didn't go over very well with their Christian fanbase, who thought they'd turned their backs on God, and the tide of grunge music beginning to rise certainly didn't help matters either.

I know the image and lyrics moving away from god didnt do them any good, but my point was more a case of quality doesnt always mean more sales. Also, I dont think the grunge rise would have made a difference as at that point in time grunge was still relatively unknown to the masses and bands like Warrant were hitting double platinum sales levels. After 91, yes, grunge killed most proper rock record sales, but in 1990 it would have had little or no impact.

 

As for the debate as to whether IGWT was a carbon copy of THWTD, while the format may be indentical it has always been said, even in reviews back in the day that IGWT was a move into more commercial radio orientated songs.

The pacing may have been the same, but IGWT was certainly a slicker radio friendly album, which is why I prefer it.

 

The last line of your post is why I don't like it better than THWTD lol.

 

And the effects of grunge were starting as early as 1990, most of us turned a blind eye. Alice in Chains, although not as grunge at that time, released their debut in 1990. That was just the beginning...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Didnt say grunge hadnt started then, just that it had not taken off to the masses, which was what killed the scene.

Nirvana released their first album back in 89, but most people never heard of them til 91.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Didnt say grunge hadnt started then, just that it had not taken off to the masses, which was what killed the scene.

Nirvana released their first album back in 89, but most people never heard of them til 91.

 

True but as a person who never missed Headbangers Ball, the change started in 1990 without a doubt. They were starting to play this kind of shit early then if you were lucky, you might hear Valentine at 2 a.m.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Samples of entire album now up over at MR.com:

 

http://www.melodicrock.com/showcase/stryper-secondcoming.html

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • My Little Pony

Samples of entire album now up over at MR.com:

 

http://www.melodicro...condcoming.html

 

Those sound huge. And the new tracks are good, too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

Why are they doing this?

 

It's easier to get rack space in major retailers like Wal-Mart or Best Buy with a "Greatest Hits" pack than with an album of new material that most people won't give a sh*t about.

 

That said, a whole new album of fresh material is already in the works so it looks like we'll get two Stryper discs in the same year. I'm OK with that.

Also a new Michael Sweet solo album due this year.

 

Plus, Michael is putting the finishing touches on his autobiography too, which will be published later this year. Geez, when does he sleep? :blink:

According to Michael on twatter yesterday, not only will there be two albums by Stryper this year, and a new solo album. They are already working on a new album for next year as well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

New album is good. Faithful to the originals but obviously beefed up in the production department, especially rhythm section wise. Special note to the vocals/ harmonies,..still fantastic.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This stuff is more than good, it's great, as expected. I saw them live back in 2010 and I knew Sweet and the gang still has the power like in the 80s, especially the singing, but I'm not sure whether it's really important to buy this because the new songs, only 'Blackened' I think is worth the time, and 'Bleeding' is passable, except maybe later if I can find this one cheap. The songs pick are nice, although I think they can just pass 'Surrender' or 'Sing Along Song'. The production is stunning and the rhythm section is totally tight, and some songs felt more lively. Replay value is okay, at least if you consider this as a greatest hits pack.

 

85%

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Still waiting on mine. *sigh* the bitch of being a tight ass and not paying for faster shipping as I used SAL from a Japan. The Japanese press has Together As One as a bonus track.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Now I like to have that Jap pressing, damn, that's a great song. How much did you pay with shipment to US mate ? Looks like around $30 ?

 

You can stay away from Ebay on most new releases or releases still in print. Use cdjapan online instead. You get points with every purchase and can redeem them towards future purchases. I have found that their prices are cheaper even without the points as you are paying actual retail instead of an Ebayer trying to make a few bucks on the purchase. I ordered this cd and the new Sebastian Bach 2 cd / 1 DVD set but that damn thing was $67 :(

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Probably the only band who has done this and actually bettered the originals in almost every instance. I like the premise of most of these songs, but hearing this sheds light on my above comments. These guys have some nice melodies and some of the best music of the era, but in too many cases they absolutely murder their songs with terrible jesus lyrics. I like this, but for a hater of religion, some of this is pretty hard to swallow lyrically. But musically, I would genuinely rate these guys as one of my favourites of the genre. They have such a heavy hard rock sound, completely softened by Sweet's vocal tone and the terrible christian lyrics.

 

Shame these guys are christians otherwise they could truly have been one of the better bands of the genre. Still, a very good listen.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think this is why I like the latter day Stryper more than early Stryper. Everything from ATL has not only been heavier, but its also been a lot less preachy. Yes the christian lyrics are still there, but they are nowhere near as overt as they were in the early days.

That said, as a fellow religion hater, the lyrics dont bother me anymore than lyrics about satan, drugs or monkeys riding bicycles. I dont have to like the subject matter as long as the songs sound good, and the musicians and singer have talent.

I'd rather listen to a great rock band like Stryper sing about a subject I have no interest in, than hear Justin Hawkins sing about anything for instance. You could give that man the greatest lyrics in the world, but that would not stop the song from sucking.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

yeah agree with that. I don't really care much about lyrics. If I don't like the lyric but I dig the music, that's still a great one, but not otherwise.

 

And J, yeah I've ordered couple of times from cdjapan but actually $30-$35 for a single CD is actually painful for me lol. I still buy Jap releases occasionally from time to time from hinomoto at ebay, he's one fine guy and been dealing with him for probably 5-6 years, but I tend to go as much as $20-$22.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

yeah agree with that. I don't really care much about lyrics. If I don't like the lyric but I dig the music, that's still a great one, but not otherwise.

 

And J, yeah I've ordered couple of times from cdjapan but actually $30-$35 for a single CD is actually painful for me lol. I still buy Jap releases occasionally from time to time from hinomoto at ebay, he's one fine guy and been dealing with him for probably 5-6 years, but I tend to go as much as $20-$22.

 

If you are buying used Japanese cd's there are a number of great sellers out there. $30-$35 is about the range for a new/sealed released. Hinimoto has some decent stuff for sale but he shill bids just as an fyi. I get second chance offers from him constantly so he is either shill bidding or has a massive pile of the same cd's lying around. Bandmaster is legit and cheap, Pricekiller is on the up and up as well. Japanrarehunter has nice things every auction but bids on his own stuff with another account every action. He always relists the same things he wins every new auction. There are some great sellers in China as well.

 

On topic, as a person of Christian faith I would say complaining about "Jesus lyrics" from a Christian band is kind of ...well, stupid, for lack of a better word. Listening for the music is great but I would gather a lot of their fans are faith based and enjoy their message. I enjoy both or everything they do. I will disagree with the above though as early Stryper stuff kills the newer stuff. Its not even close though still good. But this is the case with most bands is it not?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I do care about lyrics, but don't dismiss a band solely on the subject. Hence why I have a lot of christian hard rock discs in my collection. I also think 'ATL' is far and away the best Stryper album and otherwise I do prefer the less preachy stuff by far. I even thought a lot of the stuff on 'In God We Trust' was not as preachy, and songs like 'Always there for you' and 'World of you and I,' were taken by me as just normal songs about a ladee with large cans. The band were probably talking about romantic dinners with God and bedding Jesus afterwards, but they were easy enough for me to interpret my own way.

 

Point is, the really preachy stuff does irritate me a lot - and early Stryper was really, really preachy... but a lot of excellent christian bands know how to balance it, such as Disciple, and that's the kind of stuff I prefer.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...

  • Posts

    • I posed him that exact question on his discord page as to what his future plans are.... He said he plans to relax for a bit, do his You Tube thing, keep writing new music and then will decide how to release that music.  He said as of now he's thinking he'll either do a solo thing or form his own band.  He didn't say this but I'd sort of envision a Daughtry type "band" where he kind of puts a band behind his name. So essentially, I think you're right on with his plans.  Ultimately, I think like you say, the control is a big part of it.  I think he wants to be able to operate on his own schedule to maintain his health and family obligations. It'll be interesting to see what sound the new material takes on.  It would seem logical to think it would be rock/melodic rock of some sort since that's really the type of music he's built his following with but he certainly has shown he can dabble anywhere from AOR to metal.
    • Glad I got to see them with Erik in front. All the best to him, definitely looking forward to his future outings when he is fully recovered. Would be cool to see him form his own band, where he could take control, and play around in different genres, from full on metal, to soothing AOR, the guy is so versatile.
    • Remedy - Crying Heart. One I've just seen thanks to the Iridium channel.  From the upcoming album. It's a Killer.     
    • Let's not forget Benny Hill. What a Magnificent show that was.    
    • Yeah... I dunno about that. It would be too cringe. Who knows? If I'm high enough, I might submit a video. 
    • Yep great track and if you fancy being in the video for "The Feeling" nows your chance.  
    • I'm proud to say that I had this single when I was a mere 8 years old. KISS were big down here then. Norman Gunston is Iconic for Aussies of my vintage.  The face ln the bottom left says it all. Hilarious.     
    • All in all, this is a great story. Erik played a brilliant, well received, albeit short cameo with one of our favourite bands.  It was a win, win, win. A win for us, a win for Skid Row (the album certainly put them back on the map) and a win for Erik, adding this to his already impressive resume. The fact that it was so amicable with both parties is also great to see.
    • I really like this album - not every song on it but there are some surprisingly catchy melodies all over. Personally I think the singer adds great energy to the mix. It reminds me of the earlier Bai Bang ("closer to you")
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.