I guess that long hiatus of the 90s into the millennia was enough to last their career, because here we are, less than a year since their quite enjoyable Christmas album with another batch of Stryper songs. With such frequency, I wonder whether this is quantity over quality or a wellspring of late-career inspiration. The answer may be in no small part to Michael Sweet’s precarious situation with thyroid cancer. A couple of years ago, a part of his thyroid, a gland that straddles the vocal chords, was removed in the hopes of removing the cancer. With the other side showing signs of slow cancerous growth and the precarious geography close to the vocal chords, it threatens the future of the voice of Stryper, one of their defining characteristics.

In addition, due to scheduling issues, this particular album was recorded backwards, starting with guitars and then recording the drums later. Adding to the situation, Michael had to record all guitars for the album due to Oz Fox’s health. With all of this trouble, one might think that the devil didn’t want this album to happen. Will this derail the Stryper train or will they deliver another mighty record?

“Throne of Thorns” is classic Stryper: bold Christian-based themes, pinpoint classic heavy metal riffs, blood pumping guitar solos, tasty drum work, and Michael’s timeless voice. As expected, the album is conceived of as a whole, where listening in a single sitting produces best results. For a band that excels at refining over exploring, this album stands uniquely in the latest stretch of albums with songs that resonate better with me, making this the version of Stryper I like best.

They likely were not going to write a stinker, but they also needed to be aware of getting into a rut by writing the same material. Whether it is inspiration from life’s hardships or the backwards recording process, the chemistry works better than before. Where “When We Were Kings” showed heavier riffing with a melancholic retrospective nostalgia, “Throne of Thorns” shows a shift to the melodic that complements Michael’s voice well with bold lyrical convictions while retaining a darker setting.

The variety of songs and their order is the album’s greatest strength, making the album a fun listen top to bottom. There are the speedy tracks in “I’m Alright (I’m Okay)” and “Beautifully Broken,” the heavy songs in “Here In Your Heart” and “Carry The Flame,” the anthemic “Falling” and some mid-tempo songs sprinkled throughout to vary the pace and keep things interesting. The ballads stay away from cheese territory where “Waiting For You” is a smoldering song written from God’s POV as He waits for us and “Ashes To Roses” is an enjoyable lighter song that breaks up the prevailing dark mood.

Two elements that I particularly enjoy is Robert’s drum work and the guitar solos. It might just be me, but I think that the drums were better than prior outings and provide excellent energy. Maybe this is because he is playing along with the guitars when recording instead of a soulless click track. The guitar solos have a bit of playfulness to them that makes the extended solo sections quite enjoyable and unique to each of the songs.

There are a couple of favorites I want to touch on. “I’m Alright” being the fastest track has a natural appeal that picks me up and showcases a quite tasty guitar solo and Robert’s drum set brutalization. “Carry The Flame” has a grooving heaviness that contrasts dark verses with bright hopeful choruses. The circle of fifths chord progression provides the foundation for some baroque sequences in the solos. But my favorite is “Shadowbreaker.” It is a fireworks finale, boldly proclaiming Jesus as the breaker of shadows with punky energy and a tempo-changing development section that winds into the final flourish.

With that, “Throne of Thorns” shows more of that bold Christian identity they are known for. Not that “When We Were Kings” was totally devoid of spiritual meat, but this current offering speaks to my soul. Add to it the great, even if made backwards, energetic performances, I may be a fan of Stryper yet! I was skeptical when I heard hyperbole from the band of this being the greatest Stryper record, but having spent no little time with it, I am beginning to believe it.

Rating: 9.0/10

Written by Sean Bailey

Track List:

1. Throne of Thorns
2. Here In Your Heart
3. Falling
4. I’m Alright (I’m Okay)
5. Waiting For You
6. Carry The Flame
7. Hollywood
8. Beautifully Broken
9. Ashes To Roses
10. Alone Again
11. Shadowbreaker

Stryper is:
Michael Sweet – lead vocals, guitars
Robert Sweet – drums and vocals
Oz Fox – guitars and vocals
Perry Richardson – bass and vocals

Release Date: September 25, 2026

Record Label: Frontiers Records

Discography:
1984: “The Yellow and Black Attack”
1985: “Soldiers Under Command”
1986: “To Hell with the Devil”
1988: “In God We Trust”
1990: “Against the Law”
1991: “Can’t Stop the Rock” (Compilation)
2003: “7 Seven the Best of Stryper” (Compilation)
2004: “7 Weeks : Live in America 2003” (Live)
2005: “Reborn”
2006: “Extended Versions” (Live)
2007: “Greatest Hits – Live in Puerto Rico” (Live)
2007: “The Roxx Regime Demos” (Compilation)
2009: “Murder by Pride”
2011: “The Covering”
2013: “Second Coming” (Compilation) [review]
2013: “No More Hell to Pay” [review]
2015: “Fallen” [review]
2018: “God Damn Evil” [review]
2020: “Even The Devil Believes” [review]
2022: “The Final Battle”
2024: “To Hell With the Amps” (Acoustic) [review]
2024: “When We Were Kings” [review]
2025: “The Greatest Gift of All” [review]
2026: “Throne of Thorns”

Social Media: Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Spotify

Videos

Ashes To Roses (Official Lyric Video)

Here In Your Heart (Official Music Video)

I’m Alright (I’m Okay) (Official Lyric Video)