Gather around me, children, and I’ll tell you a story.
Once upon a time, in the world of heavy metal music, there was a time when the lambs dared to lay down with the lions, and such a dichotomy was not only just accepted, it seemed to be appreciated. Where once the two worlds were polar opposites of each other, they now lived together in a fragile – and, it turned out, temporary – unity.
I can only be talking about the salad days for Christian metal band Stryper. Their 1986 album To Hell With The Devil was a milestone, as it became the best-selling Christian metal band, a position they would hold for about 15 years. It marked the first time they broke into the top 40 of the Billboard album charts, peaking at number 32. (Their follow-up release, In God We Trust, would also peak at number 32.)
Coming off the horribly bombastic Soldiers Under Command, it seemed like Michael Sweet and crew had learned from some of their mistakes. Oh, they were still a hair metal band that over-relied on ballads. They still wrote songs that espoused their religious beliefs – okay, anyone who expected them to release an album of Mercyful Fate covers was simply delusional – but sometimes knew how to turn a phrase so it could relate to a romantic partner. And they still wrote some songs that were more corny than an Orville Redenbacher factory. But, To Hell With The Devil is a noticeable improvement.
Once again, let’s put this out there: any criticism is not geared towards the band’s religious views. You know what to expect when you put this in the CD player; to complain about an overtly religious message is akin to complaining that water is too wet. Any praise or criticism is aimed at musical performance or songwriting… nothing else.
That said… from the opening instrumental “Abyss (To Hell With The Devil),” it seems as if Michael Sweet and crew can do very little wrong. Sure, his falsetto shrieks on “To Hell With The Devil” sometimes feel like overkill, but between that, the MTV hit “Calling On You” and “Free,” it’s a solid start for Stryper.
The first major stumble comes with the syrupy ballad “Honestly”. Look, I get it: it was a hit on MTV and on the radio. And I do acknowledge the lyrics are written in such a way that one person could take it as an homage to God, and another towards a woman. I’ll give Stryper kudos for that; it’s a clever twist. But, for a hair metal band, such a ballad sounds out of place. Following it up with “The Way,” which sounds like a Soldiers Under Command reject, doesn’t do them any favors.
And then, there’s “Sing-Along Song”. No… I just… no… please… turn this shit off. Next track, please.
“Holding On” helps Stryper to recover fairly quickly, and again the lyrical style resembles the dichotomy that was heard on “Honestly”. You know deep in your mind that this is a religious song, but your heart suggests it could also be a love letter to a woman. “Rockin’ The World” is only weakened by a less-than-stellar chorus; the body of the song is actually quite powerful. If only they didn’t choose then to slam on the musical brakes with yet another lugubrious ballad. At least “All Of Me” is mercifully short, clocking in at just over three minutes, but it does seem to negate some of the progress that Stryper had made. “More Than A Man” tries to close things on a powerful note. Musically, it succeeds; lyrically, not as much (and it has nothing to do for its religious message).
So where does this all leave To Hell With The Devil? I know my colleague Sean McCarthy won’t share this opinion… but it’s not terrible. Granted, it’s not a great album – not with the rather simplistic drum beats that Robert Sweet seemed to rely on song after song. Not with the reliance on ballads, even if they did help pay the bills by getting them extra media exposure. But it is a serious improvement over the even more pediant songwriting and performances on Soldiers Under Command, and suggests that, indeed, there was a place at the table for Stryper in the late ’80s, just like there were places for Poison, Winger and Motley Crue.
I’m not saying that To Hell With The Devil is an album I’d find myself listening to on repeat any time soon. I’m just saying that – heaven (or hell) forbid – it wasn’t a terrible effort in terms of songwriting and performance. If one can put aside any religious bias for about 40 minutes, you might come to the same conclusion.
