No More Hell to Pay

Description

No More Hell to Pay is a studio album by the American glam metal band Stryper, released on Frontiers Records in November 2013. The album was produced by band member Michael Sweet. Featuring a pop-metal cover of “Jesus Is Just Alright”.

After a career spanning four decades, Christian metal’s best known ambassadors return with yet another full length recording. Following a couple of collections that featured mostly reworked material and covers, the 12 new tracks here certainly reflect all that made Stryper popular in the late ’80s. From the outset, twin guitars battle along with layered harmonies which were such a feature of the band’s classic sound. Add to this a vocalist in Michael Sweet who seems to have lost none of his power when screaming in overdrive and you have the main ingredients of a real crowd pleaser. Although their visual timekeeper may be a little less flamboyant, Robert Sweet still maintains a solid beat throughout the album setting up what could be described as the long awaited followup album to the seminal ‘To Hell With The Devil‘. Full of the same trademark riffs and themes but with an assurance and effortless class that comes with experience this set shows that there’s still plenty of rock fire in the veteran band. The title track is a pounding classic that feeds into the lightning pace of «Saved By Love» with its strongly harmonised sections. The cover of the Doobie Bros hit «Jesus Is Just Alright» is a real success with its throbbing swagger and solid rock beat. This is classic Stryper and is sure to delight their many fans. It also has the potential to draw a raft of new followers too, despite the minor quibble that at times it can sound a little dated. [Ian Webber, Cross Rhythms, December 2013]

I’ll start by saying that No More Hell to Pay is a very welcome return to the type of two-pronged guitar attack that the band employed on To Hell with the Devil. In fact, this record is imbued with a philosophical heaviness that the previous album could not quite muster. That isn’t to say that Stryper has suddenly become esoteric. No, the new record traverses themes and concepts similar to those they explored on their earliest work, yet with a maturity won from years of triumphs, and not a small amount of trials. This may seem a little odd, but the recent records that No More Hell to Pay most reminds me of are the most recent releases by Ashley Cleveland and Derek Webb: Cleveland because both she and Stryper recorded albums of cover versions of music that was elemental to their musical identities, before making albums of new music that took the lessons learned from their reminiscences and made their best records. Webb, because he and the band both harkened back to their own career high point for inspiration for their current releases. From the glorious, chordal harmonics of Oz Fox’s guitar assault, to the thundering drumming of Robert Sweet, right down to the retum of the arch-angel on the album’s cover, the new disc pays homage to To Hell with the Devil even as it displays just how far the band has traveled in the 26 years since that record was made.

«Revelation» opens with a typically ornate Fox guitar figure before adapting a mid-tempo yet heavy groove anchored by Robert Sweet and Tim Gaines, one of the most overlooked thythm sections in Christian music. The song speaks ominously of a work of The Lord that is “coming after you.” The rest of the record makes it clear that revelation is redemption in the form of grace. «The One» makes it clear where that grace comes from. With a sweet (pun intended) vocal and laconic, bluesy guitar fills, this track is the closest thing to a ballad or radio track on the entire record. The rest of it is borderline brutal, in a totally, melodic, Stryper kind of way.

It is hard to believe the band can release it’s most rocking record when the band members are all well into their 50’s. Even more remarkable is just how little wear and tear is evident on the still startling voice of Michael Sweet. While not soaring to quite as many stratospheric yowls as on past works, Sweet quickly reminds us what a remarkable instrument he was blessed with. «Legacy» begins with one of his patented wails as the band then beats the track into submission. Later, Sweet echoes the earlier wail and then one-ups himself as he climbs a step higher.

The band is in fine form throughout, but for me, Robert Sweet has always been an unsung hero, as his drumming continues to defy easy description. It should tell you something that drummers from bands as diverse as Jesse Sprinkle and Steve Hindalong have long talked of their admiration for Sweet’s ability. Check out «Marching Into Battle» for a brilliant example of the deftness with which Sweet wields his sticks, whether it be the martial drum rolls of the chorus of the syncopated, tom heavy pattern of the verse.

No More Hell to Pay may not be the type of record that we usually review here in CM, but I will tell you . . . this record shows a, lets face it, legendary band in the annals of Christian music at the top of their game fairly late into their career, a strong “Legacy” indeed! [Shawn McLaughlin, Christian Musician, November/December 2013]

> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/no-more-hell-to-pay/1544936675)

CD tracklist:

01. Revelation – 4:31
02. No More Hell To Pay – 4:53
03. Saved By Love – 3:07
04. Jesus Is Just Alright – 5:10
05. The One – 4:11
06. Legacy – 4:15
07. Marching Into Battle – 4:45
08. Te Amo – 4:06
09. Sticks & Stones – 4:10
10. Water Into Wine – 3:42
11. Sympathy – 4:02
12. Renewed – 4:21

Note: Also released as a Limited Edition 12-inch vinyl double LP.