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Of all the Stryper albums-all thirty-plus years of them-I don’t recall hearing anything like this. It all starts with “Yahweh,”-in more ways than one. The vocals give me goose bumps. I can list several Stryper songs right now that make me emotional, even after hearing them many times, not the least of which is “Honestly,” “Lonely,” and “Two Bodies (One Mind, One Soul).” My emotional reaction just got deeper.
Compared to their previous CD, No More Hell to Pay, it seems like the emphasis is more on the lyrics, who they are as a band, their roots. While I do love No More, Fallen seems to pull out all the stops with everything about Stryper, including song intros. It’s obvious in the song titles: “Yahweh,” “King of Kings,” “Heaven,” and “After Forever.”
Was it intentional for that conclusion of “Fallen” to be that way? “Love You Like I Do” is the same way. Some of the song intros have sound effects that to my knowledge I had never heard before in any of their songs.
In “Pride,” I heard Michael’s voice in a way I never had. The many ways Michael sings and shouts-and in that high note! That was the grittiest I had ever heard! And I love it. I wonder how he would sound live with this song. All I can say is: bring it, brother!
I know they’ve also done some secular covers, such as those of Journey, Ozzy, and KISS. I also know Stryper has a sound all their own. But when I heard “Love You Like I Do,” I heard the Scorpions in the intro. What brought a smile to my face was the stacked harmonized backup vocals they are well-known for. The ones in “Let There Be Light” did the same thing.
Stryper
Fallen
(Musicstore)
Written by: Julia Pope
9 out of 10
“Till I Get What I Need” is a very motivating and inspiring. Having read Honestly, I know it’s an autobiographical song about Michael, as noted in the opening line. I was intrigued, needless to say. With some hard-driving guitars all through the song, I can crank this song up in my car, especially on my bad days. Other Stryper songs that I have been known to have at top volume in my car are “The Way” and “Free.” This has now been added to the list.
In a nutshell, Fallen is to prove in the best way, and beyond, to fans, that Stryper has done anything but that. Although this isn’t a “greatest hits” album, they integrate sounds from the 80s with some great things they have just for this CD.
Julia Pope, HMS
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