Regular session player Paul McNamara provides all sorts of keyboards as he usually does, and his playing is perhaps a bit more prevalent this time compared to the last album due to the more AOR-influenced sound present on Throne of Thorns. Kicking off with its title track, the 11-track album mostly puts its best foot forward. A big drum barrage opens things up, before a juddering, mid-paced riff takes over. The riff sounds a little awkward at first, as it feels like it should be faster, but once the groove settles the song's vibe takes hold - and the strong, strutting feel continues through a punchy verse backed by a hollow, booming drum sound. Michael sounds as good as ever vocally. He has essentially lost none of his power over the years, but has likely gained some grit to sound every better than he did in his prime. Big harmony vocals back what is quite a simple chorus, with synths filling the gaps, and the song is built on a pretty typical arrangement that holds few surprises. A melodic guitar solo comes later on, which is perhaps a bit less shredded than Stryper's solos can be - but it is lengthy and full of melody, building on some of the chorus hooks heard elsewhere. A later chorus rendition which is just backed by drums is a slight surprise, though, and the song is hooky and powerful despite the slightly jarring start. Here in Your Heart is another mid-paced song, but the opening riff feels much more confident and appropriate right from the off - and there is almost a Ronnie James Dio or Tony Martin era Black Sabbath sound to its overall groove. The riff is slightly doomy but moves with real purpose - and it backs a snappy verse, which sees Michael singing in a more urgent manner than may be expected given the overall pace of the riff. There is a pleasing energy to the song, then, and the hooks build towards a chorus which changes tack and presents a strong AOR front. The chorus is much more lush compared to the rest of the song - with some prominent keyboard stabs and layers of 1980s vocal harmonies. It is a sweet and easy-on-the-ear moment that sticks in the brain from the off - including some of the band's 1980s heyday in amongst their heavier, modern sound. The guitar solo section is snappier this time, fitting in with the song's overall focus on hooks. Going for something of a groovier approach, Falling opens with a swinging riff backed by some percussive, tom-led drumming - and from the off there is more of a 1980s swagger that was not present during the opening couple of numbers. A simplified version of the hooky, Dokken-esque chorus is laid out early on - whilst the verses are a bit more typical of the band's core sound with strong guitar riffing over hard-hitting drumming. Vocal harmonies are utilised a bit more during the verses this time, though, giving more of the song a lusher feel - which continues via the expanded chorus with its stadium-filling sound and smooth hooks. A lengthy guitar solo section later includes some harmony guitar melodies, still creating the impression of two guitarists despite there being only one, before something more shredded and high-octane takes over. I'm Alright (I'm Okay) picks up the pace, and is essentially the album's first fast-paced, energetic number. The main guitar riff is pretty typical of the band's approach on recent albums, with fast-moving notes and a weighty bass presence - whilst the energy of the verse vocals contrasts the hanging guitar chords generally employed in the background. Subtle vocal harmonies build towards another strong chorus, which utilises something of a call-and-response approach - with vocal harmonies and raw lead vocals trading lines back and forth. Despite the more melodic approach, the song remains hard hitting and fairly heavy - with some of the shreddiest guitar playing on the album up to this point during the solo section.
Waiting for You returns to something more mid-paced, with another big drum intro - but instead of a big, riffy opening, a more melodic, slow-moving guitar lead takes over, which is soon doubled as the bass rumbles away beneath it. This slightly sparser feel continues on throughout the verses, and there is certainly a power ballad vibe throughout. It would not be a Stryper album without at least one big ballad, and this track somewhat delivers on what would be expected - despite the guitar tones still being pretty tough-sounding overall. There is a rawness to the backing of the verses, then, which allows Michael's heartfelt vocals to largely stand out - whilst keyboard melodies pop in and out, before taking on a more prominent role during an arms-in-the-air chorus. It might not be the most emotive ballad, and the guitar tones may remain a bit too tough for the song to reach its full potential, but there is still plenty to like about the piece. Carry the Flame ups the heaviness again, going for more of a tough mid-paced sound. Robert's drumming is a bit more interesting than is sometimes the case, though, with more emphasis on double bass patterns. He does not really lay into his bass drums, playing them at speed, instead he lays down some kinetic double bass grooves that give the song a real swing - and that sit nicely behind the simple guitar riff that drives everything. I really like the overall swing of the piece, but the chorus is not one of the album's strongest in my opinion. This is a shame, as with a better chorus the song might have ended up being one of the album's highlights. The chorus is certainly not bad, but the loud, Queen-like wordless backing vocals are a bit distracting - and this might have been a song where toning down some of the harmonies and 1980s trappings might have actually worked in the band's favour. Hollywood is another pretty mid-paced track, but it feels much more muscular overall - with a fairly slow-moving riff that sounds like another that Tony Iommi might have come up with in the late 1980s. It is one of the strongest riffs on the album in my opinion, and I like how the band shake things up by occasionally harmonising with it, whilst the simplified version that backs the verses is suitably heavy without getting in the way of Michael's excellent vocals. He really belts this song out, and I think that some of his best vocals come during a chorus which is suitably anthemic in a Def Leppard-esque manner. The chorus has that cinematic, somewhat slow-moving feel that was a regular approach during the 1980s - with the layers of vocal harmonies and keyboards adding a sweeter edge to the tune. A high-octane guitar solo with some choice shredding is also welcome, and I like the mix of speeds and approaches taken here - which make the song one of my favourites on the album overall. Picking up the pace, and opening with a lone drum pattern, Beautifully Broken goes for something of a more energetic approach overall. Given the more AOR-influenced approach taken here, there are fewer fast-paced songs than is typical on a modern Stryper album - so it is nice to see the band speed things up somewhat here, even if the overall pace still feels pretty controlled overall. This is no thrash album, then, but there is a punch to the drumming and a bit more of an urgency to Michael's vocals - over the top of some snappy power chord riffing. These verses are fairly hard-hitting, then, although they end with some varied vocal harmonies fading in and out - which give way to a chorus that slows things down and goes for a bit more of an anthemic sound. This is one of the songs that stood out from the off, and it remains a bit of a favourite.
Ashes to Roses reins in the band's tougher side, and is built around one of those classic AOR guitar patterns that nearly every 1980s rock band used at least once - but is hard to describe. Picture the more hard rock-orientated version of Whitesnake's Here I Go Again (the radio-mix Dann Huff played guitar on, not the one on most versions of the 1987 album, nor the original version from Saints & Sinners) and the sort of riff I mean will be understood. This song is essentially that riff made into a full song - with somewhat laid back verses, despite the guitar chug, and floatier overall melodies. There is just much more of a smoother approach taken throughout. The keyboards are pretty present, providing more of a main instrument approach rather than just sitting in the background, whilst the guitars feel less powerful - despite setting the overall tone. The chorus is another strong one, and for those who wanted a bit more of a look back to past on this album this song should tick a few boxes. Alone Again is somewhat similar overall, although a bit more of a toughness creeps back in. It is not an especially heavy song, but there is a bit of a strange approach taken during the verses - especially vocally. The chorus is typical of the album's core sound, with big harmonies operating once again in a call-and-response approach with Michael's rawer lead vocals - but the verses have a bit of a darker tone that is at odds with the largely upbeat nature of the album. Michael sings the verses in a bit of a lower register than is typical, and there is a grittier edge to his delivery at times - which almost sounds spoken on occasion. The song is a bit different overall, then, despite possessing one of the best choruses here. Overall, though, I think the contrasting sections work well together, with the mix of light and shade a welcome change from Stryper's overall positivity - despite their crunchy, metallic approach. Those who wanted a bit more of their typical metallic crunch, too, will be pleased as the album reaches its end, as Shadowbreaker, the final number here, picks up the pace and delivers a barrelling heavy metal anthem more akin to the tougher sound of the band's previous album. It is a rare foray into a pacier, more energetic sound on this album - with Robert's drumming fast-paced and including the occasional double bass drum flurry, whilst the riffing is snappy and kinetic, whipping up plenty of energy. Due to the pace and toughness throughout, this was another song that stood out to me from the off. The energy of the riff and the driving metal attitude spoke to me early on, and it remains a favourite despite it having some of the most overtly religious lyrics on the album. The chorus remains pretty melodic, with the band's trademark harmonies, but it is faster than most of the choruses here - and there is something truly anthemic about it, with Michael's vocals sounding a little rawer in places despite him utilising his upper register. He ends the song with a high-pitched scream, too, bringing the album to a high-octane close following another lengthy solo section. I have enjoyed all of Stryper's recent albums and this one is certainly no different. It is hard to say which are the better efforts as I have found them all enjoyable - and they are often all quite similar. The songwriting here is strong, and Michael has managed to compensate for Fox's absence with plenty of excellent guitar solos. Stryper are showing no signs of slowing down, and I imagine that in 2028 I will be reviewing their next album.
The album was released on 25th September 2026 via Frontiers Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Throne of Thorns.
