With the new studio release from Stryper, No More Hell To Pay, (US release date November 5th) we can officially say that yes, "The Yellow and Black Attack" are back!

 

The 12 track release starts off with a little bit of a darker sound then the Stryper of yesterday, but there is no mistaking the still beautiful, melodic voice, of the never aging Michael Sweet.

 

In the opening track Revelation you are instantly mesmerized by the dualing guitar sounds of Oz Fox and Michael Sweet, with the familiarity of their orchestra like playing it gets your Stryper motor reving.

 

Next on the list is the title track No More Hell To Pay, this is will make the yellow and black fans happy! To us this screams classic Stryper. The powerful lyric writing on this release is something to behold.

 

Skipping down to track 4 you hear a more than appropiate cover of Jesus Is Just All Right, made famous by the Doobie Brothers, Stryper definitely puts their own hard rock spin on it. Making you tap your feet and bang your head at the same time.

 

Our favorite track on the whole release is track 5, The One. Probably what you would call the ballad of the bunch, the whole song wraps you in a mystical vibe, enveloping you right away with a warm hug. With what sounds like a haunting choir of angels singing in the background, it leaves you with goosebumps wanting more.

 

Continuing onto track 7, Marching Into Battle, you hear the phenomenal drumming of the fantastic Robert Sweet. Once again the lyrics take you into the song where you feel yourself marching along side the troops, with a sheild held tight in front of you for protection.

 

Track 9, Sticks and Stones, is also enchanting with the chourse being the very familiar, "sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me so..."

 

Track 10, Water Into Wine is probably the most haunting visual of this release. The lyrics provide such imagery that it leaves you shaken. Such a heavy guitar driven riff complete with heavy lyrics, "He turned water into wine. He made the blind man see. He cast devils out, into swine. He came to set you free." It shows you that not only is Stryper on their game, it shows us that they have surpassed it!

 

Stryper fans will be more than pleased with this, but so will the masses. The lyric writing alone will draw you in but the collaboration of the music will make you stay. An album that will enrich any metal heads collection.