MASS – For all of you fans who can’t get enough of Christmas songs that Rock, the 2 song EP A Very Merry X-Mass from MASS is out now!
Track List:
Grown Up Christmas List
Jingle Bell Rock
* A Very Merry X-Mass is available at: MASS – MASS ROCKS.COM and iTunes
* Portion of sales will be donated to the “Toys For Tots” organization!
MERRY CHRISTMAS.
Stone.
STRYPER – Christian Heavy Metal and Hard Rock’s genre pioneer, influence, household name and undisputed legend of a band are back again. This time around, they are releasing an album of 12 covers songs with an additional original song. This original song is aptly titled: God. This substantial undertaking of covering such lifetime dependable classics is known as The Covering, to be released on Big 3 Records on February 15, 2011.
Stryper. The name alone resonates the positive energy and glorious power of their Christian belief and unity, not to mention they are one incredibly talented group of musicians. To understand and accept each respective Heavy Music genre is to be open minded to the bands that illuminate each genre, like a shooting star in the midnight sky. Stryper has been a shooting star for Christian Heavy Metal and Hard Rock since their 1984 debut The Yellow and Black Attack. Spanning four decades as a band of any genre is an admirable feat, while still being able to legitimize their sound and style through quality musicianship, after all these years, to multiple generations of fans, is undeniably respectable. For me, this is what Stryper has consistently accomplished to date.
There has been that moment when Stryper tried their hand at breaking away from their lyrical style and to a degree, musical style as well, with 1990’s Against The Law proving they were just as muscular and driven as a band than ever before. Stryper has branched out once again with The Covering, justifying they are not just an enormous Heavy Metal Band, they are colossal fans of Heavy Metal and Hard Rock’s roots. The Covering offers up the stylistic depth of Stryper, a Heavy Metal aptitude that they have bestowed upon songs that many of us old and new school Metalheads find uncompromisingly sacred.
From Iron Maiden to Kansas, with the Ronnie James Dio era Black Sabbath in-between, Stryper doesn’t need to wear their influences on their sleeves… they cover them with the upmost Heavy Metal reverence on The Covering. It is with much applause from this Classic Rock admirer, that a much prominent hit from the catalog of Sweet is exposed for it’s timeless Rockin’ sheen. Set Me Free is credibly set free with Stryper’s trademark Arena style vibe, acknowledging Sweet for their rightful place among Rock legends. Michael Sweet never wavers vocally throughout The Covering, he only makes each song rise with their power and energy that they originally were christened with by their creators.
As stated by me so often in the past, nothing beats the original. However, when done with acute and painstaking care, an album of cover songs can Rock my world and leave me appreciative and begging for more when done the Stryper way. How difficult can it be to cover a Scorpions song? Klaus Meine’s vocals alone are so unique and identifiable it’s simply scary. If it were up to me, I would never mess with trying to cover a Scorpions song… only Stryper did just that. On Blackout, I cannot control the enthusiastic feeling that devours my senses, as Michael Sweet belts out the lyrics to this classic Scorpions song. The only thing I can say about the cover of Highway Star is: holy Metal does Stryper embellish this song with impressive guitar driven prowess! And it’s built on speed!
Any tried and true Metalhead will come down with a serious case of ostrich bumps up and down their body, as the psych-you-out adrenaline bursts within like a volcano, each time they hear Heaven and Hell by the Ronnie James Dio fronted Black Sabbath. Stryper may never exceed those heavenly supercharges of Heavy Metal ecstasy that I feel from the original Heaven and Hell… only Stryper does come close. It may be that this song means so damn much, to so many of us, coupled with Stryper’s anointing Heaven and Hell with their approval of influence, that in turn triggers such an ignited feeling within my Metal soul. I’m certain the late Ronnie James Dio is smiling down, from above.
Over The Mountain is yet another super Heavy Metal classic from a legend of legends… Ozzy Osbourne. No, Oz Fox nor Michael Sweet are going to out-do the late Randy Rhoads on guitar, nor will Michael Sweet become an instant sound alike to Ozzy either. The Metal point is, this is Stryper simply covering a song with a sincerity that heavily seeps through their music in an uncanny way, which at the end of the Metal day cannot be ignored or denied. When I can catch myself singing along to these covered classics from Heavy Metal’s storied past, the realization sets in that Stryper has done good. Damn good too.
Carry On Wayward Son from an ultra-influential band like Kansas is untouchable right? Well, Stryper touches it and fires up their version with the heightened emotion it was always meant to release. If there is one song on The Covering that doesn’t smack it down for me, it’s Stryper’s version of The Immigrant Song by the infinitely legendary Led Zeppelin. Yes, some classics are best left untouched and Led Zeppelin is a monumental band to cover, regardless of the song. It just comes across as Stryper not staying true to the original hardness of The Immigrant Song, any slight watering down of such a classic will stand out and scream at me in a millisecond. Where’s Great White when I need The Immigrant Song covered?
The lone original song on The Covering, as I mentioned earlier is God. Whoa, this song is super saturated with emotion and can easily be looked upon as one of the most inspiring songs Stryper has ever written and recorded. It’s ostrich bumps time folks… and God is a candidate for Michael Sweet’s finest vocal performance of his very own legendary career. I found myself playing this song the most since I’ve obtained The Covering from Best Metal Buddy and Metal Researcher… Scott Coverdale. Yes, Scott has given The Covering his highest of Metal praise and understandably so. Stone’s Message to Stryper: God is one “heck” of a song and The Covering is one hell of an album. Metal be thy name.
I’m pleased as a fan, that Styper has shown the world that they do have Hard Rock and Heavy Metal influences that are not of the flower garden variety. What else would any Stryper or Heavy Metal fan expect? Michael Sweet has his affiliation as a member of Boston and the Heavy Rock family tree does extend outside the lines of the Christian genre for Stryper. These guys are human, just like me and you, they are not martyrs sent to us from the Vatican. This is a band that has been influenced by some of the most iconic acts in the Heavy Rockin’ land and The Covering proves it. Stryper will always be a Christian Metal Band and I sincerely respect that. I also respect the fact that Stryper has taken this path down Hard Rock and Heavy Metal roots lane and covered some of the greatest songs of Rock Music’s history.
* For more info on STRYPER, just click on the link below:
Michael Sweet – lead vocals & guitar
Robert Sweet – drums
Oz Fox – guitar & vocals
Timothy Gaines – bass & vocals
Set Me Free – (Sweet)
Blackout – (Scorpions)
Heaven and Hell – (Black Sabbath)
Lights Out – (UFO)
Carry On Wayward Son – (Kansas)
Highway Star – (Deep Purple)
Shout It Out Loud – (KISS)
Over The Mountain – (Ozzy Osbourne)
The Trooper – (Iron Maiden)
Breaking The Law – (Judas Priest)
On Fire – (Van Halen)
Immigrant Song – (Led Zeppelin)
God
LONG LIVE STRYPER.
Stone.
On June 28, 1988, Stryper released the studio album – In God We Trust, on Enigma Records. Man, I can never get enough of Stryper… the inspirational lyrics get me pumped for certain, still this Christian Heavy Metal Band flat out – ROCKS, for me. Always There For You has that contagious something… many somethings, happening for my psyche, it’s been that way since this song and album came out, it’s fine with me. Check out the video for Always There For You below!
The BIG NEWS in the Stryper camp is they will be starting to record soon – AN ALBUM OF COVER SONGS! Lead vocalist and guitarist, Michael Sweet, posted this interesting/exciting news on February 18, 2010 on the official Stryper website, click here to read all about it: Stryper – Official Website
Michael Sweet states, on the official Stryper website: “As you may know, Stryper’s about to start recording a new album of cover songs from bands that influenced us musically growing up.” Michael Sweet also states, on February 15, 2010, (as seen on the official Stryper website: “We grew up listening to many different styles of music and there is a list of bands that influenced us throughout our musical education. Bands like Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Scorpions, Van Halen, UFO, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Queen, Kansas and many others, helped to shape our sound and make us who we are today, musically speaking.”
It will be a real Metal treat to see what the definitive song choices will be for this upcoming Stryper – cover song album! I know I will be eager to find out!
Michael Sweet does mention on the official Stryper website: “I’ve decided to periodically release the specific songs we will be recording via my twitter account. Please take a moment to join me on twitter and be the first to know the songs we will be covering for this upcoming album. This will be the only place we’ll be releasing this information.”
*Here is Michael Sweet’s twitter link: http://twitter.com/michaelhsweet
LONG LIVE STRYPER!
Stryper – “To Hell With The Devil” was released on October 24, 1986. I already was an avid listener to Stryper and their brand of Christian Heavy Metal Music when this album came out. I had purchased their album “Soldiers Under Command”, (released on May 15, 1985), within months after it’s release, therefore I already took a liking to Stryper. I always have been and forever will be, diversified with my adoration for Metal music. I hate sounding like a broken record by saying… if I have said it once, I shall say it again… I listen to all Hard Rock and Metal Music genres. The songs on this album are exquisitely inspirational, they are enormously melodic and yes… commercial 1980’s Heavy Metal. It is the power that comes across to me, from these songs, that makes this Stryper album my all time favorite. Anytime any religion plays a role within the framework of a Heavy Metal band and their lyrics, it is better left up to the individual listener, to make the choice if this is what they want to embrace. In my Metal opinion, it is all about personal preference and interpretation, when it comes to any specific form of music. I will still play this album and benefit from the Heavy Metal and lyrical contents that are found within.
I remember buying this album at Strawberries Records & Tapes, in a very expensive town in very expensive Connecticut, back in 1986, of course. I snagged this album up within the first month of its release. I wound up with the limited front cover version of “To Hell With The Devil”, (see album cover image below as to what I mean). The image of the album cover, at the beginning of this post, shows the current front cover being used for “To Hell With The Devil”. I am not trying to sound cliche by stating, “To Hell With The Devil” is one darn cool, feel good Heavy Metal album. For me, this album really is a mood changer… an album that sends me directly into a good mood vacuum. One thing is for certain, I never felt I had to be a saint to in order to listen and get into the Heavy Metal thunder of Stryper.
This album I originally bought back in 1986, fell victim to being sold by me years later. Crazy as this sounds, I ventured into a local thrift store last Autumn of 2008, on one of my Metal prowls… and I found “To Hell With The Devil” with the limited front album cover as well. I stood inside this thrift store and felt as if I was imagining things… here was an album I most regretted ever letting go and it was the limited version staring right at me. This album beckoned me to bring it home and give it a turntable spin once again. I state quite often my Metal finds, they do happen more frequently than not, I will not complain. Believe me when I say, this copy I found at the thrift store is in mint condition – it came with the semi-hefty price tag of fifty cents. As I drove away from this thrift store, with this Stryper album placed on the passenger front seat… I looked down upon it, thinking some funny thoughts.
My mind was drifting away, astray with thoughts as to why was I fortunate in finding this particular Stryper album? My single favorite Stryper album of all time just so happened to be at this thrift store on this day. The more rare of the two album covers as well, has been returned to my collection of Metal Music on this particular day, for literally pennies. I started to think that maybe I was being rewarded by a higher power, for perhaps some good deeds that I bestowed in the past. Maybe it was just pure luck too. Whichever it may be, luck or divine intervention, the original album cover version of “To Hell With The Devil” will not be for sale by me again. I really am not concerned with its secondary market value anyhow, for me the true value is found within the songs of this album, the enjoyment I derive from the Christian Heavy Metal Band of Stryper.
The musicians of Stryper, as they appeared on “To Hell With The Devil”: Michael Sweet on lead vocals and guitar, Robert Sweet on drums, Tim Gaines on bass guitar and Oz Fox on drums.
This is the original demo of Roxx Regime, from 1983, (“The Roxx Regime Demos”), before they became Stryper. (This CD was released on July 10, 2007). The songs are all excellent, with an unpolished, raw, under produced feel and spirited energy. (This is what really makes the Heavy Metal sound even better, in my Metal opinion). There are seven songs in all on this disc, including one drum solo. These tunes really thump, they have the early 80’s Heavy Metal/Hair Metal sound. “Honestly” is a ballad that really touches off tremendous emotion, the most mellow tune on this disc and a future hit for Stryper. “From Wrong to Right” and “Loud N Clear” are catchy tracks, with a definite early ’80’s Heavy Metal/Hair Metal vibe. “Tank” is a drum solo from Robert Sweet, nothing really fancy – cool to have in the mix of songs just the same. If you are already familiar with Stryper, you will hear and recognize the talented musicianship, a band in their Metal infancy, that would become a premier Christian Heavy Metal band of the 1980’s and beyond.
Listening to “The Roxx Regime Demos”, for me, is listening to a Heavy Metal band that obviously paid their dues and made some excellent, high-spirited music. Consistently melodic, with a great heavy groove, I cannot resist recommending this music to Hair Metal, 1980’s Heavy Metal and Christian Metal fans. This disc definitely puts me in a cheery mood, the lyrics and Heavy Metal gel together perfectly.
“The Roxx Regime Demos” has proved to be a quality purchase for me, plus it is quite the obscure Heavy Metal find as well. This is a definite must for all Stryper fans, fans of ’80’s Heavy Metal should find this to be quite a neat surprise. I did get an opportunity to see Stryper, live, back in the good ol’ ’80’s. It was at the West Hartford Ballroom, in West Hartford, Connecticut. Hurricane, a relatively low-key Heavy Metal band back then, opened up for Stryper that night. The show was cool, what you would come to expect from a Heavy Metal-Hair Metal-Christian Band that played loud. Stryper was in essence, doing the same thing musically that many of the Heavy Metal-Hair Metal bands of the ’80’s were doing… the only key difference was they were using inspirational/Christian lyrics and themes for their songs. I never was turned off by their religious glow, if anything, I was and still am into their brand of Heavy Metal music.
If I have said it once, I will say it a thousand times more – I am into bands that represent all of the Heavy Metal and Metal genres. Quite honestly, the only other Christian Metal Band that I ever saw live was a band called Bloodgood. (They were pretty good too, no pun intended). Bloodgood was an up and coming Christian Metal Band back in – you guessed it – the fired up ’80’s. I actually had an album from Bloodgood, to this day I do not know what happened to it. (I wish I still had it, then I could really blog about their music with some integrity). I do remember Bloodgood being quite cool live, with one song standing out called “The Messiah”.
In Metal summary, sure, Stryper has always been in the Metal Odyssey alliance – bands that I listen to and respect. In my Metal opinion, Stryper has carved out their place in Heavy Metal history, especially Christian Heavy Metal history. Here is an overview of what you will be looking at and/or holding if you get a copy of “The Roxx Regime Demos”: the liner notes in the CD are cool, with 4 pages of credits, a 1 page written background on “The Roxx Regime Demos”, 2 photos of Roxx Regime/Stryper, plus 1 page depicting Roxx Regime/Stryper concert posters & magazine covers from the 1980’s. Roxx Regime/Stryper is: Michael Sweet on lead vocals & guitar, Robert Sweet on drums, Oz Fox on vocals & guitar and Timothy Gaines on vocals & bass.
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