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STRYPER
The Final Battle

Frontiers (2022)
Rating: 8.5/10

After all the stick they got back in the 80s, who would have thought that the yellow n’ black attack would still be churning out quality metal decades later? Not me, that’s for sure, but I tip my halo once again in praise of another chunk of sturdy Stryper metal still boasting the mercurial talents of Michael Sweet (vocals and guitar), Oz Fox (guitar) and Robert Sweet (drums), who along with former Firehouse bassist Perry Richardson, who joined in 2017, have crafted another bright, breezy and above all, steely opus.

Upon first listen to The Final Battle I was immediately impressed by the production, the result being crystal clear musicianship that gleans to the point of blinding the listener with its dazzling array of levels. Michael Sweet remains such a potent force in the vocal department; his soaring tones reach spectacular heights while all around him vast walls of metallic fury are constructed.

‘Same Old Story’ showcases a degree of menace in its riffage, but the chorus contradicts such steel as it soars into the ears with an almost sing-along quality before reverting back to that heated groove. As expected, the guitar tone shines as the blazing ‘Transgressor’ comes flying out of the traps in frenzied Judas Priest circa-Painkiller (1990) fashion, while ‘See No Evil, Hear No Evil’ chugs like classic Dio, it’s percussion trudging through the fire before a Led Zeppelin twist then sugary chorus underlines its immense quality.

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a merely good track on The Final Battle, because the combo continues to excel with each track that passes. Steady rocker ‘Out, Up & In’ brings that brooding atmosphere again as the drums and bass thud in tandem, and then there’s the equally stormy ‘No Rest For The Wicked’, another colossal rager that infiltrates the ears like a rhythmic thunder.

‘Rise To The Call’ is another of those hastier retreats, where the combo provides technical efficiency before blasting us with another memorable chorus. And that’s the key here, whatever form each track takes the heaviness is maintained but so are those catchy choruses. ‘The Way, The Truth, The Life’ has an almost Whitesnake level of steaminess in its strut, while ‘Ashes To Ashes’ again channels a thrashing Priest tirade to close the album off.

The Final Battle is simply a remarkable metal opus… let’s hope it’s not Stryper’s swansong.

Neil Arnold

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