The yellow and black is back, and their thundering stadium classic heavy metal sound is in full force.
Michael Sweet and his bandmates in Stryper continue to add to their already impressive resume with their latest studio project, Even the Devil Believes. This album does not disappoint, with Robert Sweet anchoring everything down on drums that will fill a stadium and echo off the walls. He keeps a steady beat on hooky songs like “Make Love Great Again” and “Do Unto Others.”
Guitarist Oz Fox seems to get better with time, laying down smooth riffs throughout on guitar. He features on the opening “Blood from Above,” while also being part of a steady rhythm section on the driving title track.
Newcomer to the band Perry Richardson proves with both his backing vocals and his technical prowess on bass that he belongs on the stage with the veteran rockers. “For God & Rock ‘n’ Roll” is his time to shine.
No Stryper album would be complete without the recognizable vocals of Michael Sweet. Even after all these years of recording music and touring, he hasn’t lost his voice, and is completely in his comfort zone in the upper ranges.
Stryper has always been a band that lives on the fringes: fully owning their faith while exploring both themes and lyrics that seem to turn heads. Their 2018 album, God Damn Evil, was pulled from the shelves at Wal-Mart for its controversial title.
Throughout this album, the themes are about faith in action, how people of faith should not just believe with words but also act like Christ. “Middle Finger Messiah” sums up the theme nicely as acknowledging what He came to do.
He’s more than a man
More than just words
He is the door and the key
The rock and the sand
One of the third
The bail that will set us all free
Pillars of the apostles’ creed and faith are examined on “This I Pray” and “Invitation Only.” Stryper has never been shy about being very open and honest about their faith.
Even the Devil Believes is an 11-track foray into classic glam metal and stadium rock while challenging listeners to put faith into action rather than just words. It is a must-listen for longtime fans of Stryper, and newcomers to the band will also enjoy it musically and lyrically.
Find Even the Devil Believes on Spotify and Apple Music or get a hard copy.
Related Artists: Petra, Van Halen, Aerosmith
Rock On Purpose 