LOL Stryper fans be crazy, well Christian music fans in general are crazy

Michael Sweet posted on Facebook and he said exactly

If there was a "Big Four" on the Christian side, what bands would make the lineup? Here's my picks: Stryper P.O.D. Switchfoot Skillet Music - Would you see this show?

Out of the nearly 1,000 replies so far, here are some of the first

Stryper, Petra, Sweet Comfort Band, MercyMe

Stryper, Bride, Petra, Guardian

Barren Cross, Deliverance, Stryper, Skillet

Stryper, Bride, Disciple, Bloodgood

Stryper, Barren Cross, Whitecross, Petra

Stryper, Guardian, Petra, Whitecross

LOL, seriously people? Half these bands are not active any more! It is very clear from Michael's post that he is talking about bands that are active NOW.

One thing I've noticed about Christian music fans is that we live IN THE PAST. We act like our favorite artists from literally decades ago are still active and on tour. Even bands that have not been together for many years are treated like present day artists.

People need to be open to new stuff is all I'm saying. Don't get stuck in a rut!

You're right! Most of those bands no longer tour or no longer exist!

And while I'm on a stryper rant, I will mention this. There was some discussion in a stryper Facebook Club recently, where someone mentioned some new heavy metal music I think it was some metalcore. One of the responders and his buddy chimed in that it was complete junk not music and not worth listening to. I thought to myself about the hypocrisy of that statement and that they now sound like the adults did when these guys were teenagers listening to stryper in the 1980s. That's what every adult said that it was junk worthless and not worth listening to.

We all need to step out of our box.

I'm not saying that we all have to like the new stuff, there's stuff that nobody likes. However we should try and show some respect.

That's why I don't usually post a lot of new metalcore cause there are not many fans left here of it on this forum, I understand living in the past, as I still wish a lot of bands that broke up like 10 years ago were still around but they are not


Anyway, I remember back in like 06, Revolver Magazine posted that the big 4 in metalcore at the time were: As I Lay Dying, Underoath, Demon Hunter, and Norma Jean

They dubbed it the "Holy Alliance"

All four vocalists actually got together for a cover shoot




Now, though I could not tell you who would even be a part of a big four now

I almost find it funny now to think that 1/2 of the Holy Alliance, really isn't/wasn't that "holy"

One was doing cocaine at the time, and one goes on to get arrested for trying to murder his wife

Shows that no one is perfect

I am happy to see that Underoath will be coming back this year though, only miracle left to happen is AILD

I guess if I was going to go with current bands, I'd pick Stryper, Theocracy, Galactic Cowboys, and Living Sacrifice.

I think the top 4 power hitters in Christian metal today, regardless of genre/style, and regardless of my preference, are Stryper, Demon Hunter, August Burns Red, and Theocracy.

If I had to pick a top 4 heavy metal show in a more traditional vein, I'd want to see Bride (new album coming!) as opener, then Theocracy, then Deliverance, then Stryper as headliner.

If I wanted to see a hardcore/metalcore show, it'd be Gideon (as opener), followed by Those Who Fear, then Saving Grace, with Sleeping Giant as headliner. (EDIT: changed lineup)

Personally I would rather see 2 bands - Stryper and Judas Priest! That would be awesome!

stevegarveyfan wrote:I guess if I was going to go with current bands, I'd pick Stryper, Theocracy, Galactic Cowboys, and Living Sacrifice.

I'd buy a ticket right now!

I disagree. When it comes for a big four, it would come to my mind the best bands ever in christian metal. Regardless their recent activities.

Where is it writen that he asks only about active bands?? He might wanted to question about active bands, but he didn't. It was his mistake. There's no reading between the lines in this case.

Not to mention that almost every band listened above is doing some concerts once in a while, so why not quote them?

What could be read between the lines is: 

He asks about big four, what is basically a reference to the biggest thrash bands based on US. (metallica, Megadeth, Anthrax and Slayer)

So, if anyone asks me about a big four, I would say:

Deliverance, Tourniquet, Vengeance Rising and Ultimatum, maybe.

See, that my list has got only thrash bands.


In case we are not talking about thrash metal, I would, at least, think of four bands of the same style. Since this question came from Stryper facebook, I would say:

Bloodgood, Saint, Sacred Warrior and Stryper


What made me laugh was Michael Sweet's list:
Stryper P.O.D. Switchfoot Skillet Music


Really??? 
I mean, Really???


What does Stryper has to do with the other bands?
I never met a Stryper fan who is also a Switchfoot fan.

I don't think many people live in the past in Christian music, most don't even know there is a past. We are the select few.

Stryper fans generally probably have no idea what is going on in the current music scene.

Wrong. Although Petra doesn't exist, we still have John Schlitt, Greg Volz, and CPR (Classic Petra Reborn/Revived, whatever)
WhiteHeart may be defunct, but we still have The Union of Saints and Sinners (with ex members of Petra AND Whiteheart) as well as Southbreather (Gersh project) and Gersh/Rick/Gordon from Whiteheart, Whitecross rejoined recently to tour, BRIDE is back doing Snakes Eyes, I mean I can go on and on...

BTW This is what I'd like to see: Stryper, Theocracy, Anything with Christian Liljigren (Narnia, Golden Ressurection, DivineFire) and maybe something like Sinbreed or Affector.

I think it is a given that Stryper fans are crazy, just go to one of their shows and see how people dress.

That being said, when I read "The Big Four", my answer was more about the big four of metal, which most of them don't tour. With his listing, I would not go see that tour, as there is really only one band I really like on that list.

Thiago-Brazil wrote:


What made me laugh was Michael Sweet's list:
Stryper P.O.D. Switchfoot Skillet Music


Really??? 
I mean, Really???


What does Stryper has to do with the other bands?
I never met a Stryper fan who is also a Switchfoot fan.

Havent heard enough Switchfoot to judge, but Skillet and POD are metal (or at least hard rock). Granted, they are all different subgenres, but they still qualify as the same type of music (A Stryper/Skillet tour would actually be pretty cool now that I think about it).

petrafan007 wrote:BTW This is what I'd like to see: Stryper, Theocracy, Anything with Christian Liljigren (Narnia, Golden Ressurection, DivineFire) and maybe something like Sinbreed or Affector.

Sinbreed is not christian anymore

We might as well list pics for both categories

Big Four Of All Time:
Stryper, Tourniquet, Deliverance, Vengeance Rising (technically all 4 are still around in some form or fashion). If it's a top 5 then Betrayal would be in there for me. Would like to fit The Crucified in there somehow too.

Big Four Now (my favorites at least):
Stryper, Phinehas, Death Therapy, Fleshkiller. Ask me a again when the new Tourniquet comes out. They are my favorite band of all time, but I am highly concerned about the new album and how it will turn out.

So the real question is, is the Big Four defined by activity? genre? or both?

Sorry but back in the day the Big Four were defined by, genre and activity

They were the four biggest Thrash bands at the time

So I don't think putting modern bands and classic bands in the same four make sense

Because if we were to say big four classic bands, it would probably be like Stryper, Bloodgood, Saint, and Barren Cross

Modern metalcore big four is more opinion based as there are not any huge Christian bands, anymore like the Holy Alliance were, except August Burns Red who continue to be huge


Either way its impossible to come up with a list because no one will agree, haha

I thought MS didn't like Stryper being referred to as a "Christian" band.

I would much rather prefer seeing them with musical contemporaries. Stryper and Judas Priest would be pretty awesome MikeInFla.

New Creation wrote:Michael Sweet posted on Facebook and he said exactly

If there was a "Big Four" on the Christian side, what bands would make the lineup? Here's my picks: Stryper P.O.D. Switchfoot Skillet Music - Would you see this show?

Out of the nearly 1,000 replies so far, here are some of the first

Stryper, Petra, Sweet Comfort Band, MercyMe

Stryper, Bride, Petra, Guardian

Barren Cross, Deliverance, Stryper, Skillet

Stryper, Bride, Disciple, Bloodgood

Stryper, Barren Cross, Whitecross, Petra

Stryper, Guardian, Petra, Whitecross

LOL, seriously people? Half these bands are not active any more! It is very clear from Michael's post that he is talking about bands that are active NOW.

More importantly, by his picks he's talking about bands that have wide mainstream appeal and will bring in a few thousand people.  None of the other bands people are mentioning had any kind of crossover appeal even when they did exist.

Thiago-Brazil wrote:
What made me laugh was Michael Sweet's list:
Stryper P.O.D. Switchfoot Skillet Music


Really??? 
I mean, Really???


What does Stryper has to do with the other bands?
I never met a Stryper fan who is also a Switchfoot fan.

Based on his picks, he's just asking what the biggest 4 draws would be among Christians currently making rock music who also have gotten non-Christian radio exposure and consequently bring out thousands of people to shows.  So, yeah those bands all make sense in that context.

Chiming in on what Erasmus said, christian metal is not a genre like thrash metal, so Michael's question is a bit strange IMO. Besides, everyone knows that the big four of christian metal are Affector, Gloriam Dei, Northern Flame and Theocracy. Subconsciously, that is.