The Yellow and Black Attack! (CD - 1984)

Personnel: Michael Sweet (vocals, guitar); Oz Fox (guitar, background vocals); Tim Gaines (keyboards, background vocals); Robert Sweet (drums); Christopher Currell (programming).

Audio Mixer: Jim (H. M.) Faraci.

Recording information: Amigo Studios, Los Angeles, CA; Clover Recording Studios, Hollywood, CA.

Illustrator: Tom Utley.

When church leaders were accusing heavy metal of encouraging Satanism, Stryper set out to prove that metal and hard rock could be used to promote Christianity. The southern California band was viewed with suspicion by both ministers (who refused to believe that Christianity and metal were compatible) and fellow headbangers -- and yet, Stryper managed to sell millions of albums to both Christian and secular audiences. Stryper's first release, The Yellow and Black Attack!, showed the rockers to be along the lines of Def Leppard and Quiet Riot musically, but not lyrically. On such likable cuts as "You Know What to Do," "Co'Mon Rock," and "Loud 'n' Clear," Stryper managed to promote a religious message without being preachy. While the uptempo songs are decent, the ballads are hard to take. In fact, "You Won't Be Lonely" and "My Love I'll Always Show" are about as unbearably syrupy as it gets. ~ Alex Henderson minimize