My tribute to Type-O Negative is happening soon, but before that can begin there’s one thing that must be done, and that’s my annual Easter blog post! 2017 was an overview on Christian Metal icons Stryper, 2018 was a funny day that celebrated the obscure Grim Reaper, and last year was a review of Tourniquet’s first album (Who were Christian Metal legends in their own rights). With 2020, I think it was appropriate that I go back to Stryper once again, and we have an interesting album today. Turning 30 years old in August, the particular release came at an interesting time. It came at a time where old styles were going out of fashion, and Stryer’s faith would be ultimately broken. So enjoy some Easter chocolate, and take a look at my review for the band’s only 90s release, Against The Law. Let’s begin.
Background
By the time of In God We Trust in 1988, Stryper were on top. Their unique brand of Hair/Power Metal, coupled with their less dogmatic brand of Christianity, made them a standout in the metal community. However, with success of their 4th album, they may have gone down a little bit too far on the pop path, as that was the chief criticism at the time (Alongside over-production & looking even more Glam as other criticisms). On top of that, the continuing badgering & harassment from the PMRC & various major televangelists really dampened the band’s spirits. Once it reached 1990, the band finally had enough! They had enough of Christianity, and they were tired of being considered a niche band. So, they threw it all aside, and decided that it was perhaps a good idea to go back to their roots. Considering that this was a few short years before the arrival of Grunge, this move was sort of bold of them, and it was due to this tough time for Stryper that Against The Law was made.
Released on the 21st of August, 1990, Against The Law was the most shocking album Stryper had ever released at that time. There was no yellow or black iconography, no Isaiah 53:5 symbolism, and perhaps most strikingly, there was no sign of Christianity anywhere to be found on any song (Although they did still look at things with a Christian worldview sometimes). In the place of what was missing, their songs became more about Rock ‘N’ Roll & relationships, and their imagery was more leathery than the spandex suits they wore during the 80s. In comparison to pretty much everything beforehand, Against The Law sold rather poorly. Perhaps to the surprise of no-one, this was partially because of rumors from both mainstream & Christian media that the band’s music was moving towards a more mainstream sound as their Christian faith waned. In the nearly 30 years since Against The Law was released, it has simultaneously become one of the most reviled and beloved Stryper albums to have been released, and it seems that this won’t change anytime soon.
Basic Description
A portal to the past.
Let’s get one thing out of the way: this is not the Stryper you know. This is an anomaly within the Stryper discography. There’s no yellow & black anywhere, there’s no Isaiah 53:5 on the front of the album cover, and perhaps most significantly there is no sign of Christianity to be found across the entire record (Although there is the Christian worldview I mentioned above). At the end of the day, Against The Law is a look at the very beginning of Stryper’s career. A look at when the band weren’t yet of the Christian faith, and instead were just a typical Hair Metal band of the early 80s. Granted, the band didn’t have the look of a Hair band, but they still had the soul of one despite the times. I’d argue that Against The Law is probably what Stryper would have stayed as if they pursued the Hard Rock/Hair Metal route that Roxx Regime originally was. Definitely an interesting album because of this.
Best Track
Like I said back in 2017, the title track and Caught In The Middle were the best tunes on Against The Law. Both songs are simple, pure, hard-hitting Hard Rock/Heavy Metal tracks that can get stuck in your brain for a while. It is jarring at first for more faith-minded listeners to note the lack of a Christian viewpoint, but I think it’s refreshing that these two songs (and by extension the album as a whole) don’t have that. Regardless, the instrumentation & vocal work are top notch as always for Stryper, and that quality isn’t lacking on these two tunes.
Against The Law
Caught In The Middle
Worst Track
Also like I said back in 2017, Against The Law’s only fault is the lack of religious imagery & ideology. Again, this is really a fault that only Stryper’s more religious fans would take an offense to. I can easily see why Christians who loved this band at the time would call the group a sellout, but if they took their time to research what was going on, I think they would ease up somewhat in their persecuting.
However, if I wanted to be nitpicky, I would theoretically say that Against The Law’s only other fault is that it might be a bit on the long side in comparison to everything else that came before. Thanks to the adoption of the then new CD format, an additional 20 minutes was able to be put on the album, and thus the record is a beefier experience. Again, this would be only be a point that the most nitpicky of people would point out, as I actually like the fact that Against The Law is a bigger release. It lets the band show off more of their past selves, and I for one am thankful.
Other
If you’re curious about listening to this album, then click on the link below:
Against The Law
Overall Impression & Rating
Against the Law is an odd album for Stryper. If you don’t count the Roxx Regime demos, then this record really is the only black sheep of the bunch. It has the classic Stryper quality, yet there’s none of the band’s typical imagery & religious flavoring anywhere to be found during it’s running time. It is odd at first to not hear any mention of God or Jesus, but this album is the only real time that fans can listen to what the band once was. For me, it’s a nice gateway into the past, and I for one enjoy looking back at what was.
Against the Law gets a 9.5 out of 10.
So that concludes my annual Easter tradition. Despite the plague that still has a grip over everything, I hope all of you are having as best of a day as one can have under these circumstances. Until next time, take care!
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