The Front Row Report recently conducted an interview with guitarist/vocalist Michael Sweet of legendary hard rockers Stryper. You can now listen to the chat in the YouTube clip below.Stryper‘s new album “No More Hell To Pay” will be released on November 5 in North America via Frontiers Records. The effort will be made available in two formats — standard CD and deluxe digipak featuring exclusive video content. Produced by frontman/guitarist Michael Sweet himself, the set features some of Stryper‘s strongest and heaviest material ever.
Sweet also commented, “No More Hell To Pay” marks our 30 year anniversary and what a journey it has been! It’s our eleventh studio release since our first album in 1984 [“The Yellow & Black Attack”] and it’s quite possibly our best record to date. Why? It’s everything you might expect from a Stryper record – high octane vocals, layered vocal harmonies, guitar solos galore, driving drums and bass and an energy that hasn’t been achieved since our glory days.
The message is equally as powerful as it offers hope and inspiration to anyone listening. If you’re a Stryper fan, it’ll make you proud to be one. If you’re not, listen with caution as you may actually become one. We’ve been waving the striped flag for 30 years and we’re proud to say that it’s an honor to still be making music with you and for you. The best is yet to come and it’s coming November 5th!”
Stryper is currently playing select tour dates around the nation as a warm-up for an upcoming extensive tour around the release of “No More Hell To Pay”. Please see below for remaining tour dates.
“No More Hell To Pay” will include Stryper‘s cover version of “Jesus Is Just Alright”, a gospel song written by Arthur Reid Reynolds. Mainman Michael Sweet said, “It rivals our cover of Earth Wind & Fire‘s ‘Shining Star’ — riffs!”
“Jesus Is Just Alright” was first recorded by Reynolds‘ own group, The Art Reynolds Singers, on their 1966 album, “Tellin’ It Like It Is”. It was later covered by The Byrds, Dc Talk and The Doobie Brothers.
Regarding the musical direction of Stryper‘s new material, the band’s guitarist/vocalist Michael Sweet told Screamer Magazine: “The song ‘God’, which is on ‘The Covering’; if you took that song along with ‘Bleeding From Inside Out’ and ‘Blackened’ [from ‘Second Coming’],and you put it on the same album, that’s a pretty good indication of where we are going and where we are at right now. But at the same time this album is all its own.”
He added: “Every song has a hooky guitar riff. Everything is in minor keys, so it’s a little darker sounding and a little tougher. It’s definitely our heaviest record and I think people will be pleasantly surprised.
“The people who do like the poppier side of Stryper, like ‘Calling On You’ and ‘Holding On’, this record isn’t going to really give them that. There are a lot of vocal hooks and melodies going on, but it’s a little darker, and a little edgier. To reference, there is less songs like ‘Calling On You’ and more songs like ‘To Hell With The Devil’. It’s more in that vein than the poppier vein.”
Tracklist:
1. Revelation
2. No More Hell To Pay
3. Saved By Love
4. Jesus Is Alright
5. The One
6. Legacy
7. Marching Into Battle
8. Te Amo
9. Sticks & Stones
10. Water Into Wine
11. Sympathy
12. Renewed
Stryper 2013/2014 Tour Dates
09/28/13 Versailles, OH BMI Speedway Arena**
11/16/13 Hollywood, CA Whiskey A Go Go**
11/23/13 Peoria, IL Bradley University Renaissance Coliseum
01/03/14 Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun Casino FREE SHOW!
01/04/14 New York, NY Stage 48**
04/26/14 Akron, NY Braun’s Concert Cove**
Michael Sweet and Oz Fox (special acoustic set)
09/20/13 San Juan, PR Sheraton Hotel
09/21/13 Cabo Rojo, PR Jet Club
10/20/13 North Platte, NE Sculley’s Shooters/Skull Fest**
11/24/13 Richmond, IN The Firehouse
** On Sale Now!
Weblinks: Website / Facebook / Twitter
Lyric video for “Revelation”
Video below “No More Hell To Pay” Samples
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‘Michael Sweet’ Says “I’m Almost 50 Yet I Feel Like I’ve Lived The Life Of A Man Who Is Almost 90″ [Feb. 2013]
‘Dave Mustaine’ Says ‘Michael Sweet’ And I ‘Believe In The Same Jesus’ [Feb. 2013]
‘Stryper’s’ ‘Michael Sweet’ Says Next Studio Album Will Be ‘Really, Really Great’ [March 2013]
Stryper – Second Coming [Album review]
‘Michael Sweet’ On Re-Recording Classic Songs: ‘We Have, In Many Ways, Outdone The Originals’ [April 2013]
‘Stryper’ New Album Title Revealed ‘No More Hell To Pay’, New Tour Dates Announced [May 2013]
‘Stryper’ “It’s Official! The New Record, ‘No More Hell To Pay’, Is Completed”, Tracklist Revealed [May 2013]
‘Michael Sweet’ Comments On ‘Kanye West’s’ ‘I Am A God’ [June 2013]
‘Stryper’ To Film Two New Videos In August, The First Ones Since 1991 [July 2013]
Brand New ‘Stryper’ Song Available ‘Marching Into Battle’ Live In ‘New Hampshire’ [July 2013]
‘Stryper’ Covering Another ‘Van Halen’ Song, Video Available [July 2013]
‘Stryper’ ‘No More Hell To Pay’ Cover Art Revealed, Release Date Nov. 5th [Aug. 2013]
‘Stryper’ Audio Samples Of Three ‘No More Hell To Pay’ Songs Available For Streaming [Aug. 2013]
‘Stryper’ Lyric Video Released For ‘Revelation’, Pre-Order Your Copy Now [August 2013]