Stryper‘s cover version of the Black Sabbath classic “After Forever” can be streamed below. The song is featured on Stryper‘s new album, “Fallen”, which will be released worldwide on Friday, October 16 via Frontiers. The CD was tracked at SpiritHouse Recording Studios in Northampton, Massachusetts.
During an interview with Cryptic Rock, Stryper lead vocalist and guitarist Michael Sweet was asked for his opinion on the current Christian metal and rock scene. “I do not really keep up with it,” he replied.
“I come from a different school of thought and I do not like all the labels. I do not like being referred to as a Christian rock band.
“We are not a Christian rock band; we are a rock band comprised of Christians.
“Just like any other rock band out there, you have rock bands that are comprised of drug addicts, you have rock bands that are comprised of Satanists, and you have rock bands that are comprised of Catholics, like Slayer.
“Black Sabbath [bassist] Geezer Butler [wrote] the song ‘After Forever’, which is about Christ, but they were not labeled a Christian band. Actually the opposite; they were labeled a dark, almost at times a Satanic band, and they are not.
“My point is that I just do not like all the labels.
“If you are going to label a band a Christian band, then you got to label all the other bands.
“If U2 is made up of members that are Catholic, then are they going to be called a Catholic rock band?”
He continued: “I do not know where the label ‘Christian rock band’ came from. It is hard for me to wrap my mind around it… It instantly puts you in a box. When they put you in a box, it limits what you are put on this earth to do.
“I just feel like it does limit the band. Some people misinterpret that as saying that I am ashamed of my faith or I am running from my faith. I think the exact opposite. We never ran from our faith, we have always been the most full Christian rock band that is comprised of Christians the whole time. We have never held back a punch.”
Sweet added: “People certainly cannot say that we deny Christ or our faith, but I just do not like being called a Christian rock band. We are a rock band.
“I have been trying to break down that theory for a long time now, although I do not think I ever will. There is a genre of Christian rock and I guess that will always be.”
In other news, Ulterium Records are proud to announce the release of a limited 2LP gatefold vinyl edition of the upcoming Stryper album “Fallen”. A deal was inked with Frontiers Records and the release dates are set to November 13th for Europe and December 4th for North America. The edition is strictly limited to 1554 copies worldwide. 389 copies comes with white discs and 1165 copies with standard black discs. Read more here.
Tracklist:
01. Yahweh (Stream)
02. Fallen (Stream)
03. Pride
04. Big Screen Lies (Stream)
05. Heaven
06. Love You Like I Do
07. All over Again
08. After Forever
09. Till I Get What I Need
10. Let There Be Light (Stream)
11. The Calling
12. King of Kings
Weblinks: Website / Facebook / Twitter
Audio below: ‘After Forever’