Back in Full Strength - A Review of Stryper's The Final Battle

After the lacklustre predecessor Even the Devil Believes, Stryper makes a significant step forward with its thirteenth studio album The Final Battle. The songwriting sounds sharp and focused, Oz Fox's guitar play sounds reinvigorated after some serious health scares, new bassist Perry Richardson sounds perfectly integrated this time around and brothers Michael and Robert Sweet lead the band with much drive. This excellent chemistry is crowned by a dynamic, organic and vibrant production that should please genre fans.

The record starts on a strong note with enthusiastic, heavy and precise opener ''Transgressor'' that convinces with steady upper mid-tempo rhythm section, playful melodic guitar sounds and high-pitched vocals that are executed with genuine passion and technical perfection. This song should make for a particularly strong opener for upcoming concerts and has the potential to stand the test of time in Stryper's impressive discography.

Even though Stryper doesn't move one iota away from its traditional heavy metal style, this record still manages to sound fresh, inspired and relevant. This is also due to the fact that this timeless record doesn't include any weak spots and offers highlights throughout. ''Out, Up & In'' for instance wasn't even chosen as a single but manages to sound absolutely focused in four energetic minutes and is crowned by catchy vocal lines making for an irresistible chorus that will stay on your mind upon first listening to it.

Stryper even manages to make songs with somewhat predictable lyrical topics and seemingly boring tropes sound great. ''Till Death Do Us Part'' might qualify as the record's hidden pearl as it combines liberating mid-paced heavy metal musicianship with a more accessible, catchy and melodic side that should also please hard rock fans and even open-minded pop aficionados.

The only element one could point out negatively is the record's lack of innovation, novelty and risk. The Final Battle is a Stryper record by the numbers but while the band sounded tired and uninspired on the immediate predecessor, this new output here sounds energizing and hungry. Traditional heavy metal and commercial hard rock fans alike should give this album a few spins and note that the American Christian heavy metal pioneers still have a lot to say and are everything but on a downward spiral at this point in their career.

Final Rating: 80%