Stryper - Fallen

Stryper - Fallen (Frontiers) 2015

1. Yahweh (6:21)
2. Fallen (3:46)
3. Pride (4:33)
4. Big Screen Lies (4:29)
5. Heaven (4:20)
6. Love You Like I Do (3:53)
7. All Over Again (3:51)
8. After Forever (5:52)
9. Till I Get What I Need (2:42)
10. Let There Be Light (4:32)
11. The Calling (3:55)
12. King of Kings (4:13)

I had thought that "No More Hell To Pay" (2103) was a solid Stryper record and the best they had recorded since they had reformed. "Fallen" goes above and beyond and is definitely the best album they have recorded since they reformed and may even be their best album ever. The album has everything you'd want from a Stryper record; heavy riffs, dual-guitar leads, pounding rhythm section, high-pitches screams, and big, memorable hooks. "Fallen" is the Stryper album that grabs you by the jugular and doesn't let go until the last note of the last song, "King of Kings". Quite frankly Stryper have cranked up the intensity, making this the band’s heaviest album to date.

"Fallen" is Stryper’s eleventh studio album, and like their recent efforts, and like most of their recent releases was produced by the band’s frontman Michael Sweet. The sound is still somewhat polished, but without robbing the band of their heavy sound. The album starts off with a 1-2-3 knock-out punch combination. "Yaheweh", "Fallen" and "Pride" are heavy rockers with killer hooks, those heavy, over-driven rhythm guitars, the awesome vocal harmonies and some of Micheal Sweet's finest vocals since the 80's. He lets loose on some of those high pitched yells, but it's his singing voice here that really takes the cake. He sounds as good, if not better than he ever has. Also, the raw screams in the choruses of "Fallen" and "Pride" are something we haven't heard from Sweet since 1990's "Against the Law". Micheal's vocals are powerful and instantly recognizable. “Yahweh" begins with an A capella choir part before launching into full-throttle power metal mode. The track was co-written with Clint Lowery of Sevendust fame, and at just over six minutes, is their longest song ever. "Fallen" starts off with the recognizable Stryper over-driven guitar sound.

Follow up track "Big Screen Lies" takes the intensity down only slightly. This song has a bit more swing and groove in comparison to the slightly more straight-forward heavy metal of the first three tracks. "Heaven" is one of those melodic rockers that Stryper have always done so well while “Love You Like I Do” has the anthemic qualities and style of their classic 80's material. The band also take a stab at Black Sabbath's "After Forever", the second Sabbath cover they have recorded in their career. The song is a statement about how heavy this record is when this song isn't even the heaviest song on the album. Some may sneer at the choice of a Sabbath cover but before looking down pious noses, listen to the lyrics of the song and see if it's not quite fitting for this record.

Of course It wouldn’t be a Stryper album without a ballad, and “All Over Again” is that ballad. While the song takes on a more modern vibe, it's actually a better ballad than the sickly sweet ballads such as "Honestly" and "Together As One". Honestly you can envision "All Over Again" being a huge hit back in the day, with an solid message, a sing-along chorus and the melodic backing “ooooohs.”

With well over three decades in the music business many may think that Stryper could never compare to who they once were, no less top their biggest selling releases from the 1980's. After all time ravages voices and robs playing abilities, right? Not here. Much like Jesus changing the water into wine and saving the best wine for last, Stryper like a fine wine have saved some of their best for last. "Fallen" is simply a great record.

I have heard that this kicks ass. I might have to get interested in Stryper again.

Good review..however I still think No More Hell To Pay is slightly better than fallen...fallen has some great stuff on it and some classic riffs but it just didn't grab me the way the previous album did....my favorite album since they reformed however is the covering...

Great review, Ult. I was blown away by this on first listen and it has got me binging on the Yellow and Black again. Much like Saxon, these guys keep getting better and heavier. I hope to see them again this year.

Good Review Ult! I believe it's their best since they reformed. NMHTP was good but this is even better. Love the heaviness of the album. It's right up there with Soldiers!

Great review!! Just got this one in the mail today.

Nice review! Saw the CD at the store today and picked it up.

Only got to listen to the first couple of songs on the way home, but the title track is a monster.

I tried to get it at best buy but they were sold out. I guess people are liking it!

Been sampling it on youtube...it's pretty strong. It's creeping into my "buy" zone.

2103?

I have to disagree with the review. I dont consider it their heaviest or the best thing theyve done since reforming in 2003. I find Big Screen Lines Hokey at best.

Some news outlets are saying this...

The most critically acclaimed album of the band’s 32-year career sells over 10,000 copies in the first week and lands at:
#2 on Top Hard Music Albums
#2 on Top Contemporary Christian Albums
#2 on Billboard’s Top Christian/Gospel Albums
#5 on Top Current Rock Albums
#20 on Top Current Physical Albums
#26 on Top Current Albums
#29 on Top Current Digital Albums
#44 on the Billboard Top 200

Nice to hear!

Addy wrote:

2103?  

I have to disagree with the review. I dont consider it their heaviest or the best thing theyve done since reforming in 2003. I find Big Screen Lines Hokey at best.

Big Screen Lies is probably my least favorite song on the album. I still say it's their heaviest and best since reforming. I thought that "No More Hell To Pay" was pretty heavy as well, but this one tops it IMO. Heavier guitar tones, more intense vocal performance, more upbeat tracks. etc.

What album would you say is better? I probably wouldn't argue with No More Hell To Pay, but Murder By Price and Reborn are weak in comparison IMO, though they all have some strong material.

If we are talking about since reforming in 2003... My personal favorite would be Murder by Pride. The Material just clicked more with me, maybe because of the time period of my life going through the divorce with wife #1 as songs like Run To You and Murder by Pride, and 4 Leaf Clover fed my soul. I even recently gave Reborn another spin and I just cant get into it.  No More Hell To Pay is ok at best definitly better than Reborn, in which I might spin it on occasion for the few songs I Like.

Fallen I would lump into that category too. So in the sense it being better than Reborn, definitely agree. I wouldn't call it their heaviest because the only thing I notice with these 2000s albums is the production quality the drums and guitar are more emphasized. As opposed to To Hell With the Devil and Soldiers Under Command. I believe if they recorded those two albums with today's recording technology and techniques and mixed similarly then I would say those albums would come off as even heavier.  I still Say To Hell With the Devil is their heaviest.

I'm still spinning Fallen, trying to let it sink in so to speak. To let it click, because I love Stryper, I love what they stand for, I got nothing but love for them, So for the last 2 albums to have the effect it has had on me bums me out. As much as I like Stryper, I really do feel Big Screen Lies is very hokey, almost as if they are trying to be controversial or confrontational. Just doesn't seem to be their style. I do like the song Yahweh and the Sabbath Cover After Forever (though I perfer the Deliverance one)

I dont know if the typo made the NLTM site but you have 2103 instead of 2013

I'm not a Stryper fan by any stretch save for Against the Law, and even then I find that to be an album lacking focus. I will say Soldiers Under Command was a pretty inspired riff/song. But they were always far too cheesy and innocuous for me. The worst offender was Michael Sweet--dude is just too clean of a wailer and to this day his past voice has not grown on me.

That said, these past two albums kick ass. The riffs aren't nearly as boneheaded as their early work, yet it is somehow reminiscent. They're not perfect--the ballad on this latest one is horrid, sappy, and derivative. But the riffs are razor sharp and the hooks are wide. I'm very impressed. As for Michael? It's rare for an 'old guard' singer to improve with age but he really has. What he pulls off at the end of Fallen (song) is mind-blowing. Still perhaps too clean for my taste, but enjoyable.

Anyway, Fallen may not make my top ten but it has me impressed and leaves me moved.

Didn't even know they had a new one out.

I thought no more hell to pay was out in 2014!

Fallen is definitely a must-have.

ultmetal wrote:

Addy wrote:

2103?  

I have to disagree with the review. I dont consider it their heaviest or the best thing theyve done since reforming in 2003. I find Big Screen Lines Hokey at best.

Big Screen Lies is probably my least favorite song on the album. I still say it's their heaviest and best since reforming. I thought that "No More Hell To Pay" was pretty heavy as well, but this one tops it IMO. Heavier guitar tones, more intense vocal performance, more upbeat tracks. etc.

What album would you say is better? I probably wouldn't argue with No More Hell To Pay, but Murder By Price and Reborn are weak in comparison IMO, though they all have some strong material.

It's my least favorite song as well, I rolled my eyes and groaned out loud at the lyrics, I disagree that Christians are portrayed as "buffoons one million percent of the time" in movies like the band said, when that's really not the case at all.

I just don't get people who think that all Christians are being "persecuted", as i've seen no real evidence of that myself.  Especially with all the Christian themed films coming out lately.

I still have it in my CD player in my car (i listen mostly to my iphone when driving lol) I have to correct what I say I would lump Fallen a notch or two higher than No More Hell To Pay. Still isnt the epic masterpieces theyve released in the past But I am more apt to put this in my player

Solely for the sake of curiosity I read the lyrics to "Big Screen Lies" and I guess my primary question is...is that it? That's the extent of what you have to say on the subject? Did you spend 5 minutes writing those lyrics? Laughable.

S.D. wrote:

Solely for the sake of curiosity I read the lyrics to "Big Screen Lies" and I guess my primary question is...is that it?  That's the extent of what you have to say on the subject?  Did you spend 5 minutes writing those lyrics?  Laughable.

It's just beyond corny sounding, which is the same problem I had with "Not that Kind of Guy" on Against the Law. I don't really mind the music so much on Big Screen Lies, but the chorus just seems a bit too cheesy for my taste, and not cheesy in a fun sort of way like "Loud, clear, let the people hear. Scream, shout, show what it's all about."

ultmetal wrote:

S.D. wrote:

Solely for the sake of curiosity I read the lyrics to "Big Screen Lies" and I guess my primary question is...is that it?  That's the extent of what you have to say on the subject?  Did you spend 5 minutes writing those lyrics?  Laughable.

It's just beyond corny sounding, which is the same problem I had with "Not that Kind of Guy" on Against the Law. I don't really mind the music so much on Big Screen Lies, but the chorus just seems a bit too cheesy for my taste, and not cheesy in a fun sort of way like "Loud, clear, let the people hear. Scream, shout, show what it's all about."

Not sure which member wrote the lyrics but what gets me is how Sweet comes across as an intelligent guy in interviews but you have these Stryper songs that seemed to be written by home-schooling moms for their grade-school children. Sing-Along Song being the worst offender. It's all very shallow--there's no reason these guys could up the ante a bit in their poeticism and go for some substance. They're at least beefing up the music with each album--why not the words?

Also, that ballad is f*cking dumb, and the music video even worse. It's not doing them any favors.

Regardless, still a solid album of damn heavy music that I didn't expect from their corner.

corplhicks wrote:

ultmetal wrote:

S.D. wrote:

Solely for the sake of curiosity I read the lyrics to "Big Screen Lies" and I guess my primary question is...is that it?  That's the extent of what you have to say on the subject?  Did you spend 5 minutes writing those lyrics?  Laughable.

It's just beyond corny sounding, which is the same problem I had with "Not that Kind of Guy" on Against the Law. I don't really mind the music so much on Big Screen Lies, but the chorus just seems a bit too cheesy for my taste, and not cheesy in a fun sort of way like "Loud, clear, let the people hear. Scream, shout, show what it's all about."

Not sure which member wrote the lyrics but what gets me is how Sweet comes across as an intelligent guy in interviews but you have these Stryper songs that seemed to be written by home-schooling moms for their grade-school children. Sing-Along Song being the worst offender. It's all very shallow--there's no reason these guys could up the ante a bit in their poeticism and go for some substance. They're at least beefing up the music with each album--why not the words?

Also, that ballad is f*cking dumb, and the music video even worse. It's not doing them any favors.

Regardless, still a solid album of damn heavy music that I didn't expect from their corner.

Agreed, it sounds way too much like something straight out of sunday school, that's been my biggest issue with Stryper, sometimes they just sound too corny for their own good(though i'll take that over the "turn or burn" lyrics of bands like Rising Vengeance, which I find very off putting to say the least).

I don't mind the lyrics to "Not That Kind of Guy" too much, but "Sing Along Song" is just cringeworthy, it's a song I almost never listen to.

Quote :

"Sing Along Song" is just cringeworthy, it's a song I almost never listen to.

"Sing Along Song" is the worst song in Stryper's catalog, hands down. I can't believe it still occasionally turns up in their set lists all these years later. Barf!!

Fat Freddy wrote:

Quote :

"Sing Along Song" is just cringeworthy, it's a song I almost never listen to.

"Sing Along Song" is the worst song in Stryper's catalog, hands down. I can't believe it still occasionally turns up in their set lists all these years later. Barf!!

It's one of my least favorite songs, but I have to say that when I saw them live, and they played it, I was singing loudly along with the crowd.

deathisgain wrote:

Fat Freddy wrote:

Quote :

"Sing Along Song" is just cringeworthy, it's a song I almost never listen to.

"Sing Along Song" is the worst song in Stryper's catalog, hands down. I can't believe it still occasionally turns up in their set lists all these years later. Barf!!

It's one of my least favorite songs, but I have to say that when I saw them live, and they played it, I was singing loudly along with the crowd.

That's exactly why they keep it going. It's akin to any band getting the band to chant or whatever during a live breakdown. Most likely one of their most popular concert numbers.

But it's still crap lol.

As a Christian and a casual fan of Stryper, I admit they really do have a lot of cheesy songs. The only two songs I really listen to off of their 7: The Best of Stryper album are Soldiers Under Command and In God We Trust.