On one occasion in 1984, I resisted the temptation of the devil. Sometime in late August, TCN Hot Rock premiered a Christian heavy metal band on its radio programme. The deejay stated that the band they were playing called themselves 'headbangers for the Lord' and that very much intrigued me. So, on that particular Sunday morning, personal history was made as this was my introduction to the now very famous Christian heavy metal band Stryper.
I can't remember which one of the six songs from their debut EP, "The Yellow and Black Attack" was played on that morning but what I do remember was that I very much liked what I heard. To me, Stryper could hold their own with their secular counter parts in every way. This album has everything a metalhead could ask for. Some crunching power riffs that come through straight away on the opening track and continue all the way to the end. All the vocals on the album were truly amazing and I had a lot of praise for the singer, I didn't know his name at the time. Of course there was a tight rhythm section but in most cases for me, especially back then was how good the lead guitar was. Well, I don't think anyone could debate me if I say that Oz Fox belongs up there among his great guitar peers. The best thing about "The Yellow and Black Attack" is that you get all of those ingredients on each one of the six songs on it.
One thing I have stated over the past three decades was that with many heavy metal bands, they start out hungry for success and that raw hunger is expressed on their initial demo or even the debut album, some beyond that. That hunger is definitely there on this album. They might have been singing and playing their hearts out here and the result was that the music could be capable of turning stones into bread.
The problem Stryper had with both Christian and secular audiences was that no one knew how to take Christian heavy metal. Christians had always branded metal Satanic and some thought that the fusion of Christianity and heavy metal to be sacrilege. As for the heathen, many were put off by the threat of Jesus lyrics. One critic referred to them as "Quiet Riot singing Jesus music." That's more of an insult for Stryper than to Quiet Riot. Stryper doesn't sound like them at all to me. True, Stryper proudly sing about their love for their Saviour but having listened to this band so many times in three decades, I have never found myself wanting to go back to the fold.
Personal note: I was a Born Again Christian during my teenage years of the 1970s but all it did for me was mess my head up more than any drugs or music ever could. However, I don't begrudge anyone who has spiritual beliefs and if they want, I would happily listen to Stryper with them.
Track Listing:
- Loud 'N' Clear
- From Wrong to Right
- You Know What to Do
- Co'mon Rock
- You Won't Be Lonely
- Loving You
Stryper[/caption]Michael Sweet- lead vocals, guitar
Oz Fox- lead guitar, backing vocals
Tim Gaines- bass, backing vocals, keyboards
Robert Sweet- drums
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqhPVWPllY4
They didn't know it back then but Stryper laid down the foundations that built the bridge between the gulf of Christianity and heavy metal with this, their debut EP, "The Yellow and Black Attack." From here, Stryper would go onto bigger and better things and whether or not you were a Christian or heathen, their music would touch the metal souls of many metalheads.
Next post: Chicago 17
To buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com
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