30 Years ago today THWTD was released...

30 year ago today Stryper's To Hell With The devil was released on this date, October 24, 1986. According to both the Christian and mainstream press back then and even today this is the best selling and most influential Christian hard rock/metal album of all time. This is perhaps the best selling and most influential gospel album over all. According to a recent Michael Sweet interview, it has sold between 5 and 6 million copies.
The singles Calling on You, Free and Honestly were popular on MTV, Much Music and various radio stations. Honestly penetrated the top 40 charts and put Stryper over the top in album sales.
They originating from the LA Sunset Strip club scene in the early 80's at venues like the Whiskey A Go Go and the Rainbow Bar and Grill, similar to how their peers started like Motley Crue, Poison, Ratt, Cinderella and Bon Jovi. With a different message of Christ's love and salvation, the LA metal scene, the press such as Metal Edge Magazine, and both nonchristians and christians started to take notice with this release and the prior release, 1985's Soldiers Under Command.

I really think lives were affected and people were exposed to the gospel because of this album. The churched and the unchurched were all influenced. The heavy metal world/the LA glam metal scene was affected as well because of this album. These 3 groups of people started to take notice of Stryper if they didn't before.

I didn't get this on cassette until late November or early December of that year and my parents bought it for me. I had the generic black cover and I wore that thing out. I played it in my car and at home as loud as I could over and over again which likely caused my speakers in my car and my ghetto blaster to break. I would crank other albums often to.  A neighbor of mine had the angel cover cassette and I asked to buy it off of him or trade and he refused. I now have the Hollywood Records generic cover, the Japanese angel cover and the Michael Sweet Productions/Hollywood Records 2000 angel cover version. This is one of my favorite albums of all time.

Stryper continues to perform the 30th Anniversary of this tour. What memories do you have of this album?

I was turned on to these guys in late '87 and I loved this album. I wasn't allowed to have it (or any metal music) because my parents believed it was satanic. But a friend made me a copy of it, and I loved listening to it over and over. 

The title track remains one of my top 3 favorite Stryper songs ever.

Even though I was a Christian, I remember my buddy in 6th or 7th grade had this cassette.  I had already moved on from hard rock to Metallica so I wasn't really interested in hearing it, but I remember thinking "huh, there's Christian heavy metal?"  That was perhaps my first memory of such a thing existing, even if I didn't get into that scene until later when I heard Lightforce, Deliverance, etc.

I heard it once on youtube. Since it's an essential for me considering my taste in music, I wanted to buy it on CD, but apparently that's too much to ask. This frustrates me, since I really don't like ordering albums on the internet, but want to be able to ask my local CD store to order it for me.

Here's to hoping for a reissue

I remember getting this album and then seeing them for the tour.  They shot the video for "Free" at the show.

Bought this one on vinyl when it was first released. That cover art was perfect for vinyl. Shame they later had the cover changed.

The first time I heard the song THWTD I was at a church youth group rollerskating event.

JUST saw them-- Oct. 29thin Indy---- A -- M -- A -- Z -- I -- N -- G !!!!!!  Such a great band--in every way.

Seeing the 30th anniversary show tomorrow.  Still my favorite title for an album.