In a recent chat with the What Else? With Corey Mann podcast, Michael Sweet reflected on whether Stryper’s new LP has a different sound.
When asked about the changes in the sound, the frontman replied:
“We haven’t changed our sound. That’s the whole point, is not to. We still have the same sound. We try to modernize it here and there and add little twists and turns along the way to unexpectedly surprise you, but we’re still Stryper. You still hear the new album, any song on the new album, and go, ‘That’s Stryper.’”
Stryper Tried To Stay Relevant
The singer revealed that he wrote a pop-like song for the upcoming record:
“The signature sound, guitar tone, production, all the stuff you expect is there, but we always try to incorporate just little things that are different. And we definitely went back purposely, I went back as I was writing the album, and wanted to give people something a little more poppy, so I wrote the song ‘Grateful’. It’s kind of like our modern-day version of ‘Calling On You’ or ‘Always There For You.’”
Sweet also said the band has become heavier over time:
“People were complaining we didn’t do enough of that. But we’ve definitely gotten heavier as we’ve gotten older, and I don’t think that’s a bad thing. It’s not forced. We’re not trying to do it. It’s just a natural progression. And we’re really happy with where we’re at as a band. But no, we have not changed our sound, other than just trying to still be relevant in 2024 and not sound like 1986.”
Sweet’s Earlier Statements On The Record
Michael talked about the direction of Stryper’s next album in an interview with Canada’s The Metal Voice, too. He said:
“I think what it’s always been in the past 10 years, 12 years. It’s kind of similar to the last album and the album prior to that. But this album has some different twists and turns to it. And you have to hear it to understand that.”
The vocalist added:
“When I was writing the songs, I wanted to make sure the choruses kind of went from — the verses might be in a minor chord, a little more on the darker side, and the choruses go to a major chord, a little bit more on the lighter side. Not lighter, but happier side— more major, melodic, more of an anthem, sing-along kind of thing. Then when it comes back to the verse, boom, it darkens up a little bit. You hear more of that kind of stuff.”
Stryper’s new album, ‘When We Were Kings’ will arrive on September 13, 2024. It will be a follow-up to 2022’s ‘The Final Battle.’