The album kicks off with the one of the most metallic tracks that Stryper have ever put together in my opinion. Transgressor, which also acted as the album's lead single, is not that different from the core sounds of Stryper's other recent albums - but it sounds a bit tougher overall. It builds from a rolling drum groove, but when the main riff kicks in and Michael unleashes a great high-pitched scream the song gets underway proper - and it proves to be a fast-paced track that very much borrows from the US power metal scene of the 1980s. Robert's drumming throughout is fast, and often relies on lots of double bass patterns, whilst the riffing of Michael and Fox is a good mix of knotty rhythmic patterns and big, ringing power chords. This high-energy backing provides a great bed for Michael's vocals, who sounds as good as ever here. His voice has certainly got a little grittier over time, but his range is still intact - and there are a number of screams throughout that could shatter glass. The band's approach to hooks remains, too, particularly during the big chorus - which remains fast-paced, but is packed with big vocal harmony vocals and some vocal lines which are easy to latch onto. As such, the song is a real album highlight for me - and it is also one of the best overall songs from the band's recent crop of albums. Nothing on the album is ever quite as aggressive as Transgressor, but the high quality is maintained by the mid-paced chug of See No Evil, Hear No Evil. The pace of the album's opening has been stripped away here, and the track is instead a heavy, groove-based piece with a stomping Robert drum pattern throughout and plenty of guitar lead breaks which see Michael and Fox teaming up for some old-school twin guitar leads. Despite the change of pace, there is still a heaviness throughout. The drums have a real kick to them, and Richardson's bass is quite high in the mix - adding plenty of rumble. The guitar tones used throughout are quite dry, too, which adds to the heaviness - although the melodic lead breaks cut through the toughness to add some trademark hooks. The chorus is packed full of hooks, too, and it is one of the album's most memorable moments for me thanks to Michael's vocal performance and the use of harmonies throughout. Same Old Story is similar, but it opens with a riff very reminiscent of early 1980s Judas Priest - and overall feels a little more hooky. The pace and overall arrangement is carried over from the previous song, but the track on the whole is more melodic with subtle vocal harmonies used throughout and the fact that some keyboards have been used to add some depth. There are shades of the band's classic 1980s albums here, and the song feels warmer than the previous couple of numbers overall - largely due to the layered approach to the production. Another big chorus draws the listener in, too, with lots of 1980s-esque hooks built into the arena-ready arrangement.
Heart & Soul moves towards a more bluesy classic rock sound, and opens with a main riff that is quite John Sykes-esque. This forms the basis of the track, and the verses groove along thanks to the riff - with the choruses slowing the pace and going for a more epic approach. The song sounds quite similar to the sound forged on Second Skin (which I reviewed here), the debut album of Iconic - a hard rock project that Sweet was a part of. It definitely feels more organic than is typical for Stryper, but the ballsy nature of the main riff helps the track to feel at home on the album - and the song also allows for a more bluesy approach to the song's guitar solo section. Near moves away from the organic sound of Heart & Soul and instead goes for a more melodic approach which very much harks back to the band's 1980s albums. Most of the songs on the band's older albums would likely sound like Near if they were recorded now - as there is a sheen to the track but the production is not overly sugary. There are prominent keyboards used throughout, though, which brings the 1980s to mind, whilst the verses are slower and built around clean guitar arpeggios which allows Sweet to showcase the smoother side of his voice nicely. There is grandness to the song as a result of the keyboards, and this is also emphasised by the big, Queen-esque vocal harmonies that are used throughout. The vocal arrangement is bigger than is typical for Stryper, but it works well, and a great guitar solo section showcases the melodic playing of Michael and Fox. Out, Up & In moves back to the punchier sound that was established earlier on the album - but the song feels more anthemic and upbeat that something like See No Evil, Hear No Evil. The song is less heavy overall, but the punch is retained - with Robert's drumming driving everything and creating an anthemic groove. The bass has less rumble this time, though, and the guitars are left to create the main drive throughout - with some great 1980s-esque stabbing melodies and riffs. The chorus maintains this vibe, too, with a real shout-along vibe that recalls early Mötley Crüe to an extent - with added high-pitched screams. Rise to the Call opens with a drum barrage from Robert, before a fast-paced riff that reminds me of classic Dokken kicks in to form the basis of the song's verses. As such, it is another song with a big 1980s feel throughout, but the track is much tougher-sounding than Near. It is not as tough as the album's opening, though, and the track is heavy in that old-school 1980s way. It is not just the main riff that is Dokken-esque, as the whole song seems to channel that band's melodic approach - although the big vocal harmonies are very much classic Stryper. The Way, the Truth, the Life reminds me somewhat of See No Evil, Hear No Evil in the sense that the track is another mid-paced, groove-driven piece that has a somewhat tougher overall sound. It is perhaps not as heavy as that earlier song, but there is a similar stomping groove throughout - and the bass once again is turned up to allow a heavier sound to permeate. The main riff is jauntier overall, though, and this also extends to the chorus - which reuses the main riff. It has a bit of a Van Halen feel in my opinion, with snappy grooves and hooks coming together nicely to create something memorable.
No Rest for the Wicked gets back to a much heavier sound, but the overall pace is slowed right down - giving the song a bit of a Black Sabbath-esque feel at times. The main riff is very much out of the Tony Iommi handbook, and it helps to add some of the overt heaviness that has been missing from the album since the opening handful of songs. That being said, though, there is still plenty of melody here. The bigger riff moments are backed by keyboards to give them a more melodic edge, whilst the chorus is once again packed with plenty of vocal harmonies. The chorus is another of the album's most memorable moments for me, and this is likely due to the contrast between its hooks and the hard-driving riff that sits beneath it. This brief flirtation with a doomier sound suits Stryper well, though, in my opinion - and it certainly helps to give the album some more weight following a few more anthemic-sounding pieces. Speaking of anthemic-sounding songs Till Death Do Us Part then goes for a more melodic overall sound, and it seems that the band really wanted to put together something overtly hooky with this one. It is not sugary like the band's 1980s output, but there is definitely a stronger focus on hooks here - so there are very much eyes on the 1980s in general as a result. It is a very catchy song as a result, and the chorus really soars thanks to Michael's majestic vocal melodies and a smooth harmony arrangement that perfectly elevates the vocal hooks. The song's main riff uses some of the chorus melodies, too, which ensures that a consistent theme runs throughout - keeping the song's main hooks in the brain at all times. The solo section is really good, too, and sees a slower, more precise lead style used - as opposed to the band's usual high-octane shredding. The album then comes to a close with the heavy, mid-paced Ashes to Ashes. Robert once again uses lots of double bass drumming throughout the piece, although the pace is never as high as it was throughout Transgressor. This is very much a mid-paced track, but the Judas Priest-esque riffing that was referenced earlier also returns - and the song is rather similar in tone to some of Judas Priest's more stadium-ready pieces of the 1980s. The chorus is very Judas Priest-esque, with some subtle gang vocals adding to the overall heaviness, but the voice of Michael helps to ground the song in the Stryper canon. Judas Priest have always been a big influence on Stryper, though, so it should not be a surprise that some of the riffing here is similar. The hard-driving nature of the song, as well as the anthemic chorus, allows the track to work perfectly as a closing statement, too, and the overall feel of the piece allows the album to end on a bit of a bang. Whilst I think that the last couple of Stryper albums are probably stronger on the whole than The Final Battle, I think that there is more variety on this latest release - and that rewards repeated listens. I think the songs here took longer to jump out at me than they have done on the previous albums, but now I have sat with the album for a while I feel that there is a lot to enjoy here - and it is another solid entry into the band's impressive back catalogue.
The album was released on 21st October 2022 via Frontiers Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Transgressor.
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