Album drops Oct 21st
Stryper has announced The Final Battle will be released on October 21st via Frontiers Music Srl featuring their new single “Transgressor.” The track follows the successful release of first single “Rise To The Call,” and second single “See No Evil, Hear No Evil.” This new album was produced by front man Michael Sweet, continuing the band’s unprecedented latest career streak of releasing arguably the best albums of their multi-decade career.
The Final Battle sees the band growing heavier while also maintaining their trademark melodies, virtuoso guitar playing, and air tight rhythms. The album will be released on CD, 2 LP, and digital formats, with multiple limited edition color variants of the LP available, along with exclusive merch drops on the band’s website and Frontier’s website.
The Final Battle was crafted during the most challenging time of the band’s career. But rather than let the adversity get them down, the band accepted these challenges and channeled it into writing some of the greatest songs of their storied career.
“Transgressor is a ride like no other,” Sweet says. “You take off at 100 MPH and it doesn’t let up until the very last note. It’s definitely one of our heaviest songs yet we wanted to incorporate melody and structure. We’re really excited about this one and we can’t wait to perform it live!”
Last month, the group postponed much of its fall 2022 tour dates to spring 2023 due to economic circumstances and “other issues.” Bus and labor shortages along with gas prices were cited as the main factors of their decision. Shows resume on September 25th in Wichita, KS with the September 29th show in Dallas being live-streamed. Details are forthcoming.
The band recently completed a Kickstarter campaign to begin working on a Netflix style official documentary that dives into the Christian rockers’ 35 years together. The crowd funded campaign surpassed its goal of $200k and the band can now start creating the 90-120 minute film. Stryper promises to “go MORE IN-DEPTH, include MORE ORIGINAL MUSIC, and create the definitive, authorized film dedicated to the stories of Stryper and the best fans in the world, YOU!”
When it comes to groundbreaking bands in the metal genre, Stryper is renowned for their distinctive brand of “heavenly metal,” extraordinary crossover success, and venerable endurance. The group ascended to prominence in the 1980s with Billboard Top 40 hits like “Calling on You,” “Honestly,” and “Always There for You” and has maintained a global fanbase since. Stryper’s career album sales exceed 10 million worldwide, including 1986’s multi-platinum release To Hell with the Devil. The band also made history when it notched two songs simultaneously on MTV’s Top 10 with videos “Free” and “Honestly.” While Stryper is known for their Christian faith, their decades plus career in heavy metal has made them much more than just a Christian metal band. Sure, that is part of who they are, but at the end of the day, they are simply a long-running and well respected heavy metal band with a late-career rebirth that has proved their enduring talent and musical skills are well intact.
Today, some 37+ years after emerging from the southern California nightclub scene, Stryper continues to record, tour and perform for loyal fans around the globe. With three original members including brothers Michael Sweet on lead vocals and guitar and Robert Sweet on drums, Oz Fox on guitar and newest bandmate, seasoned bassist Perry Richardson, formerly of Firehouse, the group finds itself creating their finest, most powerful music yet.
CD | 2 LP
1. Transgressor
2. See No Evil, Hear No Evil
3. Same Old Story
4. Heart & Soul
5. Near
6. Out, Up & In
7. Rise To The Call
8. The Way, The Truth, The Life
9. No Rest For The Wicked
10. Til Death Do Us Part
11. Ashes To Ashes
