Published on Nov 10, 2003
Only recently have I come forward and publicly declared myself
to be a “recovering Catholic” – something which has totally
disappointed my mother, who is very religious. It’s almost as if I
had come home and declared I wanted to become a high priest in the
Church of Satan.
Yet I think not all hope is lost for me. I still believe in God,
though I have my own opinions about what the hereafter has in store
for us. I still pray – although I don’t do it often… and,
no, my prayers aren’t for a divine revelation of six numbers for
Lotto.
And possibly the most telling sign of all: I still like
Stryper.
I can’t help it, really. Sure, Michael Sweet and company were
camp even in their heyday. Though they weren’t necessarily the
first religious metal band out there, they were the most notable,
both for their music (which swung between sappy ballads and
semi-metallic leanings) and for their yellow and black stage
costumes. Oh – and let’s not forget their penchant for throwing
Bibles out into the audiences at their shows.
But one thing about Stryper which I appreciated, even when I was
practicing my Catholic faith, was that Stryper could be religious
without being preachy. Their debut mini-album
The Yellow And Black Attack! serves as proof of this – and,
surprisingly, still sounds fresh nearly 20 years after it was first
released.
Granted, drummer Robert Sweet usually kept a rather simple
rhythm chugging out from his kit, and guitarist/vocalist Michael
Sweet often seemed to rely too heavy on the falsetto vocals. But
there was some serious musicianship behind the brothers Sweet,
guitarist Oz Fox and bassist Tim Gaines, and they didn’t have to be
cramming a religious message down your throat either.
The opening track “Loud ‘N’ Clear” is solid proof of this, even
with subtle religious overtones placed in the lyrics. Likewise,
“You Know What To Do” is a powerful number which carries a pretty
solid musical punch to it. Even the ballad “My Love I’ll Always
Show” is pleasing — having a feeling like it is a love sonnet
you’re lucky enough to eavesdrop on.
If there is one weakness that Stryper shows on
The Yellow And Black Attack!, it’s the lack of real powerful
lead guitar work from either Fox or Michael Sweet. Yes, there are
some real tasty lines interspersed throughout the album, especially
on “Loud ‘N’ Clear,” but for a heavy metal band, Stryper seemed
more concerned with laying down the rhythm without going to the
flash. Let’s face it: in 1984, metal was all about flash and image,
as well as guitar solos which could peel paint. As much as I sit
back and complain about how some songs don’t have a strong enough
rhythm section, I know that me complaining about not enough leads
may seem a little hypocritical. So be it.
Admittedly, it has been a long time since I have listened to any
of my Stryper albums — and I don’t really know what motivated me
to dust off
The Yellow And Black Attack! at this particular time. I do
know, however, that I’m glad I did get a chance to rediscover it,
as well as what made me want to listen to Stryper in the first
place. It was all about the music – music which still sounds good
today. And if someone gets an inkling to pick up a Bible and start
reading because of their songs, all the better to Stryper.