Stryper is one of those bands that is a once in a lifetime gift to the world of metal. So good, yet so underrated. The underdog that gets absolutely no recognition. Maybe it’s because their lyrics spread the message of Christ? I personally have zero issues with that. In fact, I think it’s beautiful in this world where so much of today’s music glorifies those exact virtues Christ himself came to warn the world about.
Their music is inspiring, leaving you energized with a positive message whether you are religious or not. Their message strikes at the very core of our human experience, spreading a message of salvation. The amazing talent these four men posses can not be understated, and it keeps getting better with every studio release.
Of course, when they hit the stage during the hair band era of the early 1980s, their strategy was fairly straightforward. Let’s market ourselves as a Christian metal band in direct opposition to the popular bands that were steeped in promoting everything but Christianity. It gave Christian teens who liked the energy of metal something to rock out to that fell in line with their moral values. Simple strategy, but one bound to be fraught with complications.
Many think it was all just a gimmick at the time, but forty years later, these guys have stayed true to their beliefs, their message and are still rocking out.
For one, who could argue that Michael Sweet is not one of the greatest vocalists in the genre, right up there with the likes of Rob Halford, Bruce Dickinson and yes, even the great Ronnie James Dio. He has even been compared to Dennis DeYoung, formerly of Styx, fronting a metal band. Their similar vocal styles and range are uncanny. And I haven’t even mentioned his lead guitar skills or the fact that is the primary songwriter for the band.
The other lads in the band are no slouches either, providing the blazing metal riffs and tight rhythm section that forms the unique sound that is Stryper. These include brother Robert Sweet, drums and percussion; co-lead guitarist and backup vocalist Oz Fox; and former Firehouse bassist Perry Richardson who also adds to the harmonic layers of the band’s vocal sound.
From Roxx Regime to Stryper
The band hailing from La Mirada, California, started out as Roxx Regime when brothers Robert and Michael formed the band in the early 1980s along with bassist Eric Johnson. Before Oz Fox joined, Doug Aldrich of Dio and C.C. DeVille of future glam metal band poison, had each been members.
They band signed with Enigma Records as Roxx Regime in 1983 based on a demo of seven original songs the band recorded and solicited to the label. The label liked what they heard but suggested they change their name. Bassist Tim Gains came up with the name Stryper based on a Bible verse from the Old Testament, Isaiah 53:5 “by his stripes we are healed”.
Their debut EP, The Yellow and Black Attack, was released in July 1984, followed by their first full-length album, Soldiers Under Command, in 1985. The band’s breakthrough came with their 1986 release, To Hell with the Devil, with the single Honestly hitting twenty-three on the Billboard Hot 100. The album went platinum in 1988, selling one million copies. Their follow-up album, In God We Trust, did not do as well but still managed to also reach gold status in 1988.
Their last release before breaking up for the next fifteen years was 1990s, Against the Law. This album was a complete one-hundred-eighty degree turn from the success they had built up over the past seven years. They dropped the yellow and black motif for black leather. Gone was the band logo and religious themed lyrics. This was a back to basics metal album, stripped down and sounding more like commercial metal of the time.
Back Together
After putting the band back together in 2000, they released Reborn in 2005 after Michael Sweet, who had been signed to Big3 Records to put out a solo album, convinced the label to make the release a Stryper album instead. The album featured the original lineup except for Tim Gaines. They released Murder By Pride in 2009 and the Covering in 2011, a collection of cover songs from classic bands such as Black Sabbath and Kansas. The Covering saw the return of Tim Gaines who would go on to perform on the next four albums.
To get back the rights to their earlier material, the band released Second Coming in 2013, which was a re-recording of fourteen songs from their first three releases and included two new original tracks. That same year, they signed a new contract with Frontiers Music Srl and released No More Hell to Pay.
Their 2018 release, God Damn Evil, stirred up a bit of controversy, as some Christian retailers refused to carry the CD. Even the major department chain store, Walmart, refused to stock it. Bassist Perry Richardson, who was officially announced as the newest member of the band in October 2017, did not perform on the album due to scheduling conflicts. They have since released three studio albums with Richardson on bass.
They put out a Christmas album in 2025 called The Greatest Gift of All, with some classic Christmas standards along with some original tracks based on the meaning of Christmas.
The band has sold over 10 million records worldwide, not bad for a band with a Christian message. They not only appeal to the Christian metal crowd, but they also have a lot of support and respect in the mainstream metal community as well.
The band is currently in the studio as of January 2026, tracking their next masterpiece scheduled to be released sometime later this year. This will be their seventeenth studio album.