Album Review: Stryper - When We Were Kings
Reviewed by Lana Teramae
First of all, the album cover is quite striking. If that doesn’t say Stryper are a Christian metal band, then who knows what will! They’ve come a long way since the mid ‘80s and to this day, they continue to rock the yellow and black gear almost as well as Bumblebee from ‘Transformers’ does. Fans worried that their previous studio album, ‘The Final Battle’ (2022), would be their final studio album, but thankfully, that wasn’t the case. Stryper prove that they have plenty left to say with their latest release, ‘When We Were Kings’ (2024).
The album was produced by lead vocalist and guitarist Michael Sweet, and mixed and mastered by Danny Bernini and Alex Saltz, respectively. The members that played on the album include the previously mentioned, Michael Sweet on lead vocals and guitars; Robert Sweet on drums and percussion, Oz Fox on guitars and vocals, and Perry Richardson on bass guitar and vocals. Additional musicians include Paul McNamara on organ, keyboards, and moog synthesizers; and backing vocals by Charles Foley and Keith Pittman.
‘When We Were Kings’ kicks off with probably the best song on the album, “End of Days.” It’s a banging track that incorporates thrash metal and power metal elements blended together. It’s heavy, filled with face melting guitar work, pounding drums, and Michael Sweet’s vocals are incredible. Before going further, it’s worth noting that all the members in Stryper are talented musicians. The guitar work is killer, the drums are mean and ferocious, and the lead vocals are superb (very siren-like). The bass could’ve been a little louder in the mix, but nothing’s perfect. The lyrics aren’t heavily Christian-related and in-your-face, which is appreciated. But really, it depends on the listener. With that said, the lyrical content focuses on relatable stuff, in a non-threatening way.
“Unforgivable” leans into the touchy subject of forgiving those that have done wrong or wronged the individual personally. The title track is a groovy, self-reflective track that makes the listener examine who they were before versus who they are now. “Loves Symphony” leans into pop music territory, but the chorus is memorable and catchy. There are a couple of tracks that take the pop vibes too far, but that’s for later. “Raptured” is another track with a great groove and a memorable chorus. “Imperfect World” closes the album on a decent note.
As for the downsides, the opening track, “End of Days,” tricks listeners into thinking ‘When We Were Kings’ is a heavier album than it actually is. It’s still a solid album, but “End of Days” set the bar so high that it was hard for the rest of the tracks to live up to it. While the album is heavy in spots, there’s a lot of melody and commercial stuff in there (and not enough thrash metal stuff from the previously mentioned, “End of Days”). The overly commercial tracks like the power ballad, “Betrayed by Love,” and “Grateful” are too bland, but again, it depends on the listener’s taste. On the plus side, though, the production is great. Not too polished and not too slick; just right. Despite the negatives, for those that enjoy modern Stryper, ‘When We Were Kings’ is worth checking out!
‘When We Were Kings’ will be released on September 13, 2024 through Frontiers Music Srl.
