Stryper – God Damn Evil
Apr 24, 2018 CD Reviews
Posted by
Kenneth Wiegman
Stryper
God Damn Evil
Frontiers Music s.r.l
There has been a string of new releases from Stryper over the past few years, and each one of them has carried its own energy. The vitality of the band has been very impressive and now it seems even more so on “God Damn Evil.” It may just be a weakness in my memory, but I do not recall any of the recent releases catching as much as attention as this one. One may think it’s mainly the shocking title at first glance, but if you listen to the project overall, I would say it’s earned adoration.
The new album is 11 songs strong and includes a bit of screamo on “Take it To the Cross,” but more of the traditional Stryper on songs like “Sorry,” “Lost,” and the title track, “God Damn Evil.” I am assuming that the first single, “Sorry,” is derived from some very personal lessons of pride, self-serving, impatient and all those other less-than-stellar qualities of human nature. It is definitely a message worth heading. Lastly, one of my favorites,“Lost,” is a reflection of the general state of society and the depth of our depravity. Aside from the poignant message, its a robust song sonically.
The title track actually sounds really good, and if you take time to process the lyrics it’s a very compelling song. I think one thing it clearly shows is that society has perverted the word “damn” to the point that when it is used in its proper context, it’s unacceptable, but in every day conversation we tend to use the term very flippantly. Overall, It’s a good song that has people talking, so kudos to Stryper for upsetting the apple cart. However, if you would rather just feel all warm and fuzzy inside, there’s a nice little love song called “Can’t Live Without You,” that will help. It also one of the best guitar solos on the album, second only to the thrashing on “The Valley.”
I don’t want to say anything too judgmental, but don’t be so priggish, go on and check the Stryper website (http://www.stryper.com/) for more links to interviews and reviews for “God Damn Evil.” And then give it a fair listen and just enjoy it for what it is; hard-rock bliss.
– Ken W.
