Stryper frontman Michael Sweet recently addressed a significant revelation about the band’s upcoming eighteenth studio album, Throne Of Thorns, confirming that guitarist Oz Fox does not appear on the record.
Sweet explained that health issues prevented Fox from contributing to the album. He ended up playing all the guitar parts himself as a result.
“Well, I’ll tell you, just because I just did an interview for [a media outlet from] Italy, and they asked me the question directly. They said, ‘Oz did a great job on guitar on this album.’ And then they said, ‘What’s your favorite solos that he did?’ And I postponed the interview, ’cause it was a written e-mail interview, and I called Oz and I said, ‘Hey, man, we better talk about this, ’cause I’m gonna start getting questions and whatnot,'” Sweet said.
Sweet then went on to detail the nature of Fox’s health struggles and how they impacted his ability to perform.
“But basically, on this album… Oz had problems with his blood pressure and regulating that, and it really affected his pitch and his hearing, and he wasn’t able to play. He wasn’t able to play, and he was having trouble at rehearsals with Robert [Sweet, Stryper drummer and Michael’s brother], and Robert came and pulled me aside and said, ‘Hey, Mikey, I just wanna warn you, Oz is having some trouble.’ And I said, ‘Oh, gosh, okay,'” he continued.
Sweet described stepping in to cover all guitar duties on the album, making it a first for the band.
“And then when it came time to track guitars for Oz, and sure enough, he wasn’t able to do it. So, I’m basically playing all the guitars on this album, which is a first. It’s different, and maybe that’s part of the difference in the sound, or maybe not. Who knows? But I tried really hard as a guitar player myself to make it sound like two guitar players, with the style of sections and adding harmonies here and there, coming in and out, doubling, and I really tried my best to make it sound like Stryper sounds,” Sweet said.
He also noted that an official statement from the band, including a response from Fox himself, is expected before the album’s release.
“So, there you go, guys. We’re gonna release a statement, and Oz wants to, obviously, explain and add to that down the road very soon, before the album comes out. But I just wanted to let you guys know that that’s the situation with this,” he concluded.
Throne Of Thorns is set to arrive on September 25.
Fox’s blood pressure condition is not a minor inconvenience. It is the kind of health challenge that can quietly and severely disrupt a musician’s ability to function at a professional level. The situation sheds light on just how debilitating unregulated blood pressure can be, particularly for a performer whose craft depends on precise motor control, sharp hearing, and consistent physical coordination.
High blood pressure is widely regarded as one of the most serious and underestimated health conditions a person can face. It is often called a “silent killer” because it can cause significant damage to the body — including the heart, kidneys, and sensory systems — without producing obvious symptoms until the harm is already done. For a guitarist like Fox, whose livelihood depends on fine-tuned hearing and physical dexterity, the condition’s impact on pitch perception and motor function would be especially devastating.
Uncontrolled blood pressure is also known to affect the inner ear and auditory processing, which directly explains the pitch and hearing difficulties Sweet described. Fluctuations in blood pressure can alter fluid pressure within the ear, leading to distorted sound perception and difficulty distinguishing tones — a critical impairment for any musician, let alone one expected to deliver precise guitar work in a studio environment.
Beyond hearing, blood pressure instability can make routine physical tasks unreliable and even unsafe until the condition is properly stabilized. This context makes it clear why Fox’s struggles at rehearsals were serious enough for drummer Robert Sweet to flag the issue directly to Michael. It was not a matter of off days, but of a health condition actively interfering with Fox’s ability to perform.
Fox, who was born on June 18, 1961, has been a cornerstone of Stryper’s sound since the band’s formation in the early 1980s. His absence from Throne Of Thorns marks a notable first in the band’s history. While Michael Sweet has done his best to fill the void, the situation underscores the very real human cost that serious health conditions can impose on artists and their creative output. The band has indicated that Fox intends to speak publicly about his condition before the album’s September 25 release.
