Review STRYPER ‘The Final Battle’

One of the first white metal bands were Stryper. The California-based group started in the 80s and there were several things that made them the talk of the town.

First, there were the yellow and black striped stage clothes and the fact that a band threw bibles into the audience was also rather unusual. Calculated or not, both actions brought Stryper some attention. But what is often forgotten is the fact that the quartet didn’t need all these side effects, because the guys had a lot to offer musically with albums like ‘Soldiers Under Command’ and ‘To Hell With the Devil’. However, the flow of the band slowly ebbed and in 1993 they finally parted ways.

In 2005 Stryper came back with ‘Reborn’ and actually the second era of the band was more extensive than the first phase. A total of eight long players were released and now with ‘The Final Battle’ a new disc has received heavenly blessings.

Stryper do what they do best – well-made melodic metal that goes straight into your mind the first time you listen to it. The quartet doesn’t really surprise with innovative moments. Rather, it is the tradition that is polished to a new shine.

The work on the new album took place under not quite easy circumstances, since Oz Fox had to battle a brain tumor while Michael Sweet had problems with a detached retina. Since this all took place during the pandemic, one can speak of real battles that both band and band members went through.

But now to ‘The Final Battle’. The album has its roots in 80’s melodic metal and these days the guys revive this period. Songs like ‘Same Old Stars’ are perfect representatives for a genre that had its first peak 30 years ago. This also includes the stomping ‘Heart & Soul’ and the speedy ‘Rise to the Call’. Things slow down with ‘No Rest fort he Wicked’, a song where the band reduces pace before the mainstream is catered for anew with ‘Till Death Do Us Part’, after ‘Near’ has already successfully aroused emotions.

‘The Final Battle’ is an album that lives of the spirit of days gone by. Along with modern production techniques, Stryper have managed to capture the sound of the earlier days and at the same time not come across as antiquated. If you like well done, but not really inventive melodic metal, you will surely enjoy this album.