Stryper - Murder by Pride review

Quote :

The quintessential Kings of 80's (Christian)
Glam-Rock have returned with the long-awaited follow-up to 2005's
Reborn, Murder By Pride.
As a quote on Michael Sweet's home page
reads, "More guitars, more solos, more screams" sums it up quite
nicely. But if you just hear that quote, your missing a great deal.
Sure enough the new LP is full of amazing screams, technically accurate
solos, and strong rhythm section, but Murder By Pride is also filled
with inspiration.

Murder By Pride is Stryper's second
full-length release of new material since their controversial
unstryping on Against the Law. I was expecting another solid effort in
the vein of Reborn, but what I recived was much more than that. Murder
By Pride is likely to be the best album from a come-back band this
year. The production is loud and in-your-face, Michael Sweet's high-end
is very close, if not exactly as it was in the 80's, and the band seems
tighter musically and closer lyrically than it has ever been. Stryper
have created a cohesive, relevant Rock album in the face of all of the
responsibilities of grown-up married people with children, the baggage
of an 80's has-been come-back band, a family member facing cancer, and
the modern-world's (and the church's) totally out-of-step understanding
of what living like a Christian is. It is so much easier to be a metal
band when you have no attachments to worry about and can gallivant all
over the world making havoc. Some would not have had the strength or
courage to take on a come-back, let alone pull it off, but Stryper
deliver on Murder By Pride and they are the better for it.



The
new album, set to be released early this year has seen much delay due
to lead singer, Michael Sweet's wife's battle with cancer. It is a
mature album, from veteran rockers, but it is a timely album that is
brimming with excellence. One might expect an album of this nature to
be filled with well, filler, but each song has a purpose and a loud,
melodic purpose at that. "Murder By Pride" is perhaps the most
forward-thinking song on the album, recalling sounds reminiscent of
somewhere between GN'R's new track "Chinese Democracy" and classic
Metallica. The song has the anthemic, stadium rock sound that gets you
charged-up, but is very tight and well executed. I absolutely love the
dual-guitar solos. Stryper's dual-guitar solos are such works of art
that have never been out-done in Metal. The harmonic extent and mastery
that Michael Sweet and Oz Fox have together would be near impossible to
duplicate. It's as if the solos themselves were another member of the
band. No true Stryper album would be complete without them, but they
aren't just tacked on, they are integral, meaningful members of the
songs.

My Favorite tracks from the album have to be "Murder By
Pride", "Everything", the riveting, driving, "4 Leaf Clover", and the
re-make of "My Love (I'll Always Show)". I usually discourage bands
from remaking a classic song that has already been done well, but in
this case Stryper have executed it in such a way as to make it seem
like a completely new song, and it is a win. "Alive" dips into a little
bit of modern high-budget Sunday Church music, not too unlike the many
Praise and Worship groups popping up lately. The rest of the album
should be welcome tracks to many that have known Stryper for years and
new fans alike. I would expect to hear any one of these songs on the
radio and perhaps even climb up high on the Christian charts. The
Boston cover "Peace of Mind" was released on June 17, 2008 as the lead
single. Murder By Pride also features some guest appearances by Boston
founder, Tom Scholz, and Kenny Aronoff, one of the world's best session
drummers. Due to family reasons, the "visual timekeeper", Robert Sweet
calls in Kenny to man the machine. Murder By Pride was recorded at
Spirithouse Records, mixed by Danny Bernini and will be released on
Big3 Records.



"I got the idea of the title "Murder By
Pride" from seeing pride consume dreams, goals and many times, lives.
We all deal with pride and it can be crippling, so I wanted to write a
lyric and a theme that would be a constant reminder of that." ~ Michael
Sweet
Lyrically, the album charges deep into the hart of what the
modern church should be thinking about, humility. Not only can pride be
crippling, it is the very thing that Jesus points out as the
"Unforgivable Sin" in Mark 3 and Matthew 12. Certainly it must have
took quite a bit of humility for Stryper to return to music after
high-rolling it in the 80's and 90's with their huge cross-over
successes, To Hell with the Devil and in God We Trust, and return in
modest style to smaller clubs and less-than-ideal airplay and
distribution, but I am glad they are back. They were missed. They were
needed. Stryper's fans are sure to appreciate Murder By Pride.



Pick up the lead single, "Peace of Mind" on iTunes now.
Official Stryper site.



Stryper - Murder By Pride Track Listing

1. Eclipse of the Son (4:04)
2. 4 Leaf Clover (3:42)
3. Peace of Mind (3:59)
4. Alive (3:36)
5. The Plan (3:10)
6. Murder by Pride ((3:17)
7. I Believe (3:43)
8. Run In You (4:15)
9. Love Is Why (4:07)
10. Mercy Over Blame (4:07)
11. Everything (4:26)
12. My Love (3:14)

http://rockisland.forumotion.com/the-storm-chamber-f6/stryper-murder-by-pride-review-t4835.htm

Can't wait to hear this one!!!!

thejokeriv wrote:

Can't wait to hear this one!!!!

+1
I am so psyched up over this new CD it's ridiculous!

i want this as well!

libertynjustice wrote:

i want this as well!

Welcome, LNJ! When's that new album due out?

Why do I feel I already know what this is going to sound like? I believe ToB's use of "solid" would fit this release.

kmorg wrote:

Why do I feel I already know what this is going to sound like? I believe ToB's use of "solid" would fit this release.

Why do I sense that "solid" in your book might be a less than satisfactory result?

I will definately check it out.

7thSaviour wrote:

kmorg wrote:

Why do I feel I already know what this is going to sound like? I believe ToB's use of "solid" would fit this release.

Why do I sense that "solid" in your book might be a less than satisfactory result?

We had a discussion here earlier about the word solid describing an album. And ToB felt that solid was a copout word for mediocre. Or perhaps an album that left you somewhat indifferent. The album is good, but not spectacular.

Thanks, Kmorg! That's about what I thought. I don't think this album will be a copout, though.

I don't expect this to be a great album, but at least this will be better than reborn. I will get it anyways

I really liked the new song they released on their Myspace page! I also heard their Boston "Peace Of Mind" cover and loved it!

Well, Reborn was less then solid in my book so solid is a step forward.

REBORN didn't deserve to be called "Solid." Hell, it was barely even semi-solid.

It was a Mike Sweet album with the Stryper name slapped on it and i'm not slagging Mike, if that's what he wants to do, fine. I just don't like it.

TheNazgul wrote:

It was a Mike Sweet album with the Stryper name slapped on it and i'm not slagging Mike, if that's what he wants to do, fine. I just don't like it.

You're right, it WAS indeed a Michael Sweet solo album with Stryper stamped on it. It was good for what it was, but it clearly wasn't a classic Stryper disc. Reborn 8/10

7th, I don't know what criteria you use to come up with those # ratings but REBORN doesn't deserve anything higher than 2/10 IMO.

Fat Freddy wrote:

7th, I don't know what criteria you use to come up with those # ratings but REBORN doesn't deserve anything higher than 2/10 IMO.

First of all, I am a raving Stryper/Michael Sweet fanboy, and you ought to know that by now. Secondly, I seldom rate anything below an 8/10 simply because I don't own(or continue to own) anything I consider less than 8/10. Understood?

For the record, Yellow And Black Attack 5/10, which I don't own in CD form. It sounds terribly dated and faded.

7thSaviour wrote:

For the record, Yellow And Black Attack 5/10, which I don't own in CD form. It sounds terribly dated and faded.

I disagree - great album!!! The remix sucks, but thanks to Detuned, I have MP3's of the original LP

7thSaviour wrote:

For the record, Yellow And Black Attack 5/10, which I don't own in CD form. It sounds terribly dated and faded.

It may sound a little dated but I'd take it over REBORN any day of the week and twice on Sunday.

Have I mentioned lately that I thought REBORN totally blew hairy goat sac? Yeah, I think I might have.

Nothing about blowing hairy goat sac was discussed, but you are definitely right!

I think the production is rawer, cleaner, and clearer on Reborn than on YABA. It sounded like they recorded that album in a garage somewhere. Reminds me somewhat of St. Anger in that regard. By the way, I'd rate St. Anger a paltry 2/10.

7thSaviour wrote:

I think the production is rawer, cleaner, and clearer on Reborn than on YABA. It sounded like they recorded that album in a garage somewhere. Reminds me somewhat of St. Anger in that regard. By the way, I'd rate St. Anger a paltry 2/10.

Well, the album was recorded in 84 and on a limited budget and the songwriting was WAY better than st anger!