New Stryper Song "Take It To The Cross"

The issue I have with the chorus is that it's just shouted with no attempt at melody. Even at their heaviest, Stryper made sure to have good melodic choruses.
Edit: Now that I think about it, it reminds me of the choruses on Metallica's St. Anger album, "Purify" in paticular. Still, the verses are good, so it does have that going for it.

I thought it was great, although I just listened to it on my small TV so can't comment on the sound issues!

WildWorld wrote:The issue I have with the chorus is that it's just shouted with no attempt at melody. Even at their heaviest, Stryper made sure to have good melodic choruses.

This and that it's just the title repeated over and over.  We all know Michael Sweet can write better lyrics than that (even the verses prove it).

I like how heavy it is and I like how it's accented with harsh vocals.

WildWorld wrote:The issue I have with the chorus is that it's just shouted with no attempt at melody.

Bingo!

exo wrote:After 5 listens....this is essentially Children of the Grave mashed up with a random Fight track, and honestly, the arrangement is just NOT good and the hope I had that it'd grow on me has waned significantly.

I'll appreciate the attempt at something new even if I'm not necessarily fond of the result.

Also, the first 4 listens were out of a phone speaker, that last listen was with the phone plugged into my car stereo......and I IMMMEDIATELY understood the production complaints.

I want to like it but it ain't happening. This is probably the only Stryper song after "The Reign" that I would happily press skip on. Mind you there is a huge catalogue of songs so a misstep here and there is expected. 

I really think it is time that Stryper uses an outside producer. This song needs serious bottom end which is lacking.

You can download the track on itunes and Amazon. Unfortunately, it does have the one minute of ambiance at the beginning. 

As for the production, I have noted that Fallen was a bit high on the treble/drum cymbals, but yeah this could really use some bass. The guitars also have a high tone even when chugging.

Is this really the final mix? It's like a demo version.

Apparently, the harsh vocals were performed by Matt Bachand (guitars, backing vox) of Shadows Fall......and it was annoying fed 6 weeks back and we all somehow missed it was a "thing"...LOL

http://bravewords.com/news/stryper-new-album-to-feature-death-metal-guest-vocals-by-shadows-fall-guitarist-matt-bachand

I have mixed feelings about this one.

What I like:
- The heaviness...haven't heard Stryper this heavy, maybe ever
- The lyrics...excellent!
- Lots of reverb on the drums - they're getting closer and closer to that big 80's drum sound that I love
- Wililngness to experiment
- The growls at the end - I think this is awesome, and I don't even like death metal

What I don't like:
- The guitars are buried in the mix
- The chorus is just awful
- The distortion on the second half of the guitar solo
- The 1:20 ambiance in the beginning (please, oh please let this be a separate track on the CD)

I'll give the rest of the album a chance on Spotify, but based on what I've heard with this song, I will not be running out and buying it the day of release like I did NMHTP and Fallen. That makes me sad. But hopefully the rest of the album will be better. There were a few songs on those last two albums that I'm not too keen on, too. Few albums can be perfect. If the rest of it is good, I'll buy it.

Wow!!! I just read each comment on this thread and I am simply stocked!

I just didn't realize it would be a love or hate song (much more hate than love).

I am actually impressed by the song and it is the best stryper song I've heard in ages. I was sick tired of them trying to do the same kind of song over and over again.
It was about time to do something diferent.
The only complaint I can understand is about the chorus verse being repeated over and over again, but Stryper was never a good reference in lyrics for me. In Stryper cathalogue, there are a few good lyrics, many lyrics that are "ok" and a few awful lyrics.
That said, when it comew to Stryper, I don't have great expectations about the lyrics and this one is fine for me.

My comment was based on a first listen. I will listen to it a few times more and try to check the production, the bass and every

I like that they are doing something different as well.

I agree the chorus was abrupt at first, but I like it
I can see it growing on me, I just think it might get annoying after awhile, with how much it is repeated already

The growl vocals are interesting, they are not bad, but they are not as major as I thought they would be, they really played it down, to not alienate too many fans, which I get

Overall, good song, gonna pre-order, but definitely just a average modern Stryper song, in terms of replay-ability

I look forward to this! Glad they're staying heavy and experimenting.

I saw this over on CHM (go figure )

I realized it had'nt been posted here yet

Temple of Blood wrote:Awful!

 
LOL!

Classic ToB reaction.

The tune should be serious but the “chorus” makes me LAUGH every single time. BUT if I had to choose between this and a crappy ballad (ex: All Over Again) I choose THIS.

After a couple more listens I don't dislike it as much as I originally did.

Mmmmm, Chicken in the Crust.

I love the way Sweet uses his voice. He is still great singer and age doesn´t seem to bite it.

But... the chorus is a total turn off for me. I usually love when bands are stepping outside of their comfort zones, but this isn´t working.

But this is just one song from the album. I´d love to hear more.

I was just thinking about how most of you grew up with a so-called metal gods band whose one of its most popular song has nothing in the choruses but repeteadly saying "breaking the law".

Now you criticize Stryper for doing the something similar.

Can someone explain this???

Thiago-Brazil wrote:I was just thinking about how most of you grew up with a so-called metal gods band whose one of its most popular song has nothing in the choruses but repeteadly saying "breaking the law".

Now you criticize Stryper for doing the something similar.

Can someone explain this???

Grew up during that timeframe, I didn't like 80's Priest until 2007, still prefer the Ripper era to anything prior to Painkiller, and out of the 80's stuff, my favorite album is Turbo.  Heresy, I know....


I think most people are complaining about the EXECUTION of the chorus, rather than JUST the repetitive nature of it.

exo wrote:

Thiago-Brazil wrote:I was just thinking about how most of you grew up with a so-called metal gods band whose one of its most popular song has nothing in the choruses but repeteadly saying "breaking the law".

Now you criticize Stryper for doing the something similar.

Can someone explain this???

Grew up during that timeframe, I didn't like 80's Priest until 2007, still prefer the Ripper era to anything prior to Painkiller, and out of the 80's stuff, my favorite album is Turbo.  Heresy, I know....


I think most people are complaining about the EXECUTION of the chorus, rather than JUST the repetitive nature of it.

Repetitive is sometimes good or bad, sometimes it makes it super catchy

This chorus is already slightly annoying for me, without it being repeated a bunch of times

Anyway still a good song

Thiago-Brazil wrote:I was just thinking about how most of you grew up with a so-called metal gods band whose one of its most popular song has nothing in the choruses but repeteadly saying "breaking the law".

Now you criticize Stryper for doing the something similar.

Can someone explain this???

At least Breaking the Law's chorus flowed naturally with the rest of the song. This song sounds like it's going to build up to a dramatic chorus, then you get something that sounds like it belongs on Metallica's St. Anger album (only with real drums).

On first listen, I do NOT like that chorus.

exo wrote:

Thiago-Brazil wrote:I was just thinking about how most of you grew up with a so-called metal gods band whose one of its most popular song has nothing in the choruses but repeteadly saying "breaking the law".

Now you criticize Stryper for doing the something similar.

Can someone explain this???

Grew up during that timeframe, I didn't like 80's Priest until 2007, still prefer the Ripper era to anything prior to Painkiller, and out of the 80's stuff, my favorite album is Turbo.  Heresy, I know....


I think most people are complaining about the EXECUTION of the chorus, rather than JUST the repetitive nature of it.

Spot on to the last commenter

 This song sounds like it's going to build up to a dramatic chorus, then you get something that sounds like it belongs on Metallica's St. Anger album (only with real drums).

It's not that bad!