Stryper frontman Michael Sweet recently shared an update about the band’s upcoming album recording process. He made bold claims about the quality of their new material in a statement posted on Facebook.
Sweet provided detailed insights into the band’s new recording approach. He expressed confidence about the album’s potential impact.
“So, we’re doing things quite different on this album,” Sweet said. “Usually we all go in together, and we start tracking (Drums) and build from there. This time I came in first and tracked all my guitars (2 stereo rhythm tracks, octave overdubs on choruses, sustainer lines on choruses, extra power chord tracks, low end ‘chug’ tracks, a few clean guitar tracks and acoustic. I tracked them to EZ Drummer programs that are quantized.”
The vocalist outlined the band’s recording timeline. He expressed enthusiasm about the final product.
“I recorded all ‘cues’ for Rob to follow when he tracks and we also tracked all keys! We did all this in just under 4 days,” he continued. “Next? Perry. Bass for 2 days, then Rob & Oz come in on Saturday and we start tracking drums on Sunday. We’ll track Oz’s rhythm guitar in between drum tracks or after BGV’s are done (1/8). Keith and Kendra Pittman will be coming in to help with those and then we’ll finish a few things on 1/10 and 1/11 then we’ll all head home.”
Sweet made particularly bold claims about the album’s quality and potential reception.
“I’ll start singing by the end of January/early February and then it’s mix time,” he said. “I’ll tell you this – this album is absolutely stellar! I know I always say this but I’m telling you – it’s a very special album. The songs are killer and it’s fresh and powerful. This one may very well go down in the history books as our very best.”
“That’s hard for even me to believe but I’m telling you, it’s true,” Sweet concluded. “Wait till you all hear this one. This one will upset even our worst critics. Why? Because they’ll finally have to say something other than ‘Stryper sucks.’ We don’t suck. We never have. Ever! God is good!”
The band plans to complete vocals by early February before moving into the mixing phase.
Sweet’s confidence in the new material comes as Stryper continues to build on their recent momentum in the Christian metal scene.
Angelic Warlord reported that Stryper released their long-awaited Christmas album, The Greatest Gift Of All, on November 21 via Frontiers Music Srl. The 10-song effort includes five original compositions. This demonstrates the band’s continued creative output alongside their upcoming studio album.
The band operates within a Christian metal landscape that has deep historical roots. BMI Event Center noted that Canadian Christian metal group Petra was awarded the GMA Canada Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011. This recognized their pioneering influence on Christian rock and paved the way for bands like Stryper.
Stryper’s upcoming album represents another chapter in their decades-long career. They have become one of the most recognizable names in Christian metal. The band’s willingness to experiment with their recording process, as Sweet described, suggests they continue to evolve their sound while maintaining their core identity.
The recording timeline Sweet outlined indicates a methodical approach to the new album. Each band member will contribute their parts in a carefully planned sequence. This structured process, combined with Sweet’s enthusiastic claims about the material’s quality, positions the upcoming release as potentially significant in Stryper’s discography.
