A Quick History of '80s Christian Rockers Stryper

Stryper is an American Christian metal band that formed in Orange County, California, in the early 1980s. The band’s lineup consisted of Michael Sweet on vocals and guitar, Oz Fox on guitar, Timothy Gaines on bass, and Robert Sweet on drums.

Stryper gained popularity in the 1980s with their signature yellow and black spandex outfits and their unique blend of heavy metal and Christian lyrics. They released their debut album, “The Yellow and Black Attack,” in 1984, which was a success and established them as a prominent band in the Christian metal scene.

Their follow-up album, “Soldiers Under Command,” was released in 1985 and went on to sell over half a million copies, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Top Inspirational Albums chart. Stryper’s success continued with subsequent albums such as “To Hell with the Devil” (1986) and “In God We Trust” (1988), both of which went platinum.

The band faced some criticism from the secular music industry for their Christian beliefs, but they continued to gain a devoted fanbase throughout the 1980s. They also faced some controversy for their use of Christian imagery and themes in their music, which some felt was too heavy-handed.

Stryper’s popularity waned in the early 1990s as the musical landscape shifted, but they continued to release albums and tour throughout the decade and into the 2000s. They disbanded in 1992 but reunited in 1999 and have been active ever since, releasing new music and touring regularly.

Overall, Stryper remains an important band in the history of Christian rock and heavy metal, and their influence can still be heard in the music of many contemporary Christian metal bands.

Here are some of the key moments in Stryper’s history:

1983: The band is formed in Orange County, California by Michael Sweet, Oz Fox, Perry Richardson, and Robert Sweet.
1984: Stryper releases their debut album, Soldiers Under Command. The album is a commercial success, reaching number 34 on the Billboard 200 chart.
1986: Stryper releases their second album, To Hell with the Devil. The album is even more successful than their debut, reaching number 16 on the Billboard 200 chart.
1988: Stryper releases their third album, In God We Trust. The album is another commercial success, reaching number 12 on the Billboard 200 chart.
1990: Stryper releases their fourth album, Against the Law. The album is a commercial disappointment, failing to reach the top 20 on the Billboard 200 chart.
1993: Stryper goes on hiatus.
2003: Stryper reunites and releases their fifth album, Reborn.
2005: Stryper releases their sixth album, Asylum.
2009: Stryper releases their seventh album, Murder by Pride.
2013: Stryper releases their eighth album, No More Hell to Pay.
2015: Stryper releases their ninth album, Fallen.
2018: Stryper releases their tenth album, God Damn Evil.