Stryper Second Coming 2013

If there is better ideas to do for the old guys in yellow and black stripes, re-record their hit songs is one of them. No kidding and no waiting time, this is it, the Second Coming. It is a re-recording of best of the best hits from Stryper in their earliest three studio albums. Stryper founder Robert Sweet explain that they were inexperienced when did the recording back there in '84 and the recording although capture the spirit was not fully technically well recorded. Considering Stryper was once part of mainstream glam metal scene back there, this idea is easily approved. I don't remember owned Stryper first album, The Yellow and Black Attack (1984) and Soldier Under Command (1985). I rely my memory of Michael Sweet voices in Only To Hell With The Devil and several live recording from them. Second Coming not only fix all the technical flaws in the original recording, but also give Stryper new way to control their own stuff legally. Good news for faithful fans, the idea not included re-arranged but simply superior recording of all hits chronologically order from earliest to the latest, that is included two original new tracks in the end.

Not much to comments on each tracks because this is simple a note per notes re-take on each respective songs. Loud N Clear started the familiar killer riff that helped defined the glam metal of the '80s. In Soldier Under Command, Robert Sweet add in several new hi hat and drum variation in the intro just to distinguished it from the original. After 30 years of singing, Michael Sweet sounds no major changes on his voices. Only in the most familiar tunes, To Hell With The Devil, where Michael voices audibly sounds older than the original. The solos are more powerful with the second round of solos come with more aggressiveness although they are notes per notes similar. In The Way, new drum character give more power in this version. The only significant re arrange is in Sing Along Song, this time it is full guitar riff replaced the original keyboard intro. As for More Than A Man I really can't decided which one is better, as the original also contained vintage and rawness guitar tones, as well as the singing originality.

The two original songs, Bleeding From Inside Out and Blackened are easy to fit into the last part as they sounds exactly where Stryper were in the late '80s. Both are hardly a filler or bonus track in this album. Second Coming is a compilation of Christian metal in their peak. All killer riffs and classic tunes. Lead guitarist Oz Fox changes several guitar tones in this version. His fellowship with Michael Sweet is still good the same as thirty years ago. Drummer Robert Sweet of course use all new drum set that sounds richer. Bassist Tim Gaines executed all his ever bass line with one of two new grooves, as in Loud N' Clear.  Stryper are part of glam metal history and if you miss and missed Stryper back there, Second Coming give you the exact original songs with superior recording quality.

Metal Harem class: ********* nine stars out of ten

Stryper - Second Coming 2013
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01. Loud N' Clear
02. Loving You
03. Soldiers Under Command
04. Makes Me Wanna Sing
05. First Love
06. The Rock That Makes Me Roll
07. Reach Out
08. Surrender
09. To Hell With The Devil
10. Calling On You
11. Free
12. The Way
13. Sing Along Song
14. More Than A Man
15. Bleeding From Inside Out
16. Blackened

Band:
Michael Sweet - vocals and guitar
Oz Fox - guitar and vocals
Tim Gaines - bass and vocals
Robert Sweet - drums

Christian Metal Stryper Second Coming album review