Band:	Stryper
Album:	Murder By Pride
Style:	Heavy metal
Release date:	July 2009

01. Eclipse Of The Son
02. 4 Leaf Clover
03. Peace Of Mind [Boston cover]
04. Alive
05. The Plan
06. Murder By Pride
07. I Believe
08. Run In You
09. Love Is Why
10. Mercy Over Blame
11. Everything
12. My Love

Heavy Metal seems to be an almost dead genre of music and instead we live in a era of disposable Metalcore bands and dime-a-dozen Power Metal acts. Too many bands are focused on being brutal, faster, darker, more technical, more evil, etc. and churn out uninspiring and bland albums. The growls and grunts have pushed aside the power house soaring vocals of days gone by. Those handful of Heavy Metal bands left just seem to be recycling their same old songs and fail to create something truly amazing (I'm looking at you Iron Maiden) or go in a totally different direction that just doesn't work (hint, hint, Def Leppard). What happened? I want my Heavy Metal back! And I want something new!

Well my prayers have been answered with (ironically) Stryper. After a decade and a half in silence the most famous Christian Metal act returned with 2005's Reborn which was a good album, but more Alt. Rock and Post Grunge that Heavy Metal. It just didn't feel like the Stryper we all knew (love 'em or hate 'em) and left me wanting the days of To Hell With The Devil. For once a band listened to their fans and did something right with a new album, for Stryper has given us a killer Heavy Metal album, Murder By Pride.

While the yellow and black spandex jumpsuits have been gone for a long time; Stryper is back! All of the great elements of their 80's career are accentuated on this new record. Micheal Sweet brings back his marvelous vocal talents as he soars and screams as good as he did twenty years ago. Oz Fox demonstrates why why he is one of the most underrated guitarists out there as he riffs and solos his way through the album with some rather memorable sections. Bass player Tracy Ferrie and session drummer Kenny Aronoff (Robert Sweet had some family business to attend to) lay down some extremely solid and hard hitting rhythms to keep the train a-rollin'.

If I could sum up this album in one word that word would be 'fun'. These songs have great verses and really catch choruses reminiscent of classic 80's Metal hits. While the best elements of Stryper are brought out in this album, it still retains a very modern feel to it with it's smooth production. I can't seem to get the chorus to "4 Leaf Clover" out of my head as I find myself singing it over and over with out the album playing. One of the highlights of the album is the cover of Boston's "Piece of Mind" which features Boston's own Tom Scholz (note: Micheal Sweet is also the vocalist of Boston after Brad Delp's death a few years ago). As like any great Heavy Metal album there is also the heartfelt ballad included ("Alive") finely placed in the middle of the record. Murder By Pride is just one exciting song after another.

Like all Stryper albums their Christian faith is the predominate lyrical theme here. Unlike past albums, the faith aspect seems almost removed from the songs at first glance. Upon further listen it can become apparent as to what the words are really all about. Following the resent death of Micheal's wife Kyle from cancer, there is a very profound and sincere essence in these lyrics that I have not heard in a long time.

If this album had come before Reborn it might possibly be the best comeback album ever. So if you are looking for an exciting Heavy Metal album this year with great songs and powerful lyrics I couldn't recommend any other album than Murder By Pride.


Performance 8
Songwriting 9
Originality 8
Production 9
Spiritual Relevance 8