Book Review: Honestly: My Life and Stryper Revealed - Michael Sweet

Honestly: My Life and Stryper Revealed by Michael Sweet

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Wow, what a page turner - for me at least. I have been a Stryper fan since finding their first album in the record bin about 3 months after it hit the shelves. I have seen them multiple times in their heyday of the 80's, evening meeting them before and after shows a few times (the photos are on Facebook to prove it), as well as the very first reunion show in 2003 (meeting them before the show again). I have been a fan all through the years of everything the band and individual band members have released. So obviously when vocalist Michael Sweet released this bio, I pre-ordered it immediately. Upon receiving it in the mail, I began devouring it, and finished it quite quickly for my normal schedule.

Book Review: Scott Stapp - Sinner's Creed

I am not one to listen very much to the media, and when it comes to listening to the rock critics and the stories that go around, I rarely give an ear at all. So, I was unaware of pretty much any of the turmoil or controversy in the Creed camp during the day.

I discovered Creed not too long after the first album, but pretty close to the second, so both are close in proximity to my first discovering them. I was almost an instant fan, and out of all of the 90's grunge and alternative bands, they were almost the only one that resonated with me at all.

I was never one to call them a Christian band, but as a Christian myself, I looked heavily to their spiritual lyrics for the positive message I found. So, that aspect made me like them even more.

This book opened my eyes to the whole behind-the-scenes happenings that at the time I could have cared less about. Also discovering the early life Scott had was quite an eye-opener. I felt so sorry for the way he was treated by his step-father in the name of Christianity, and was quite angered at that. So, I could understand a bit of why he turned and did what he did in his later life.

Germán Pascual - A New Beginning

Track listing:

01: Seek the Truth
02: The Wrath of God
03: If the Sky Would Fall
04: Misty Dreams
05: Open Your Eyes
06: I Call for the One
07: Unbroken Wings
09: Come Ease the Pain
10: Fate of the Blind
11: Cancion Con Todos

Release date: 9 October 2012
Label: Nightmare / Sony / RED

Do you remember in 2009, when the amazing band Narnia hit us with the new album Course of a Generation that introduced us to a hot new voice handling the vocal position. Remember how the new band totally blew us away, and then as quick as it hit us, they announced that Narnia was no more. Well, here he is again with a solo release, and let me tell you - it is amazing.

Stronghold - Fortress Rock

Track List:
01. Stronghold
02: Barabbas
03: Dreams and Pretty Pictures
04: No Superstars for Jesus
05: Daybreak's Coming
06: Desert Walker
07: The Called
08: Nobody Owes You Nothing

Reissue Release Date: July 2012
Label: Born Twice Records

Originally Released: 1982
Label: Tunesmith Records

I was not into the Christian music scene when this was originally released in 1982, but it was only a couple years later when I did get heavily involved, and at that time, this release by Stronghold was still on the must-have list of most rockers. So, this reissue brings back many memories of rocking this release on vinyl in the mid-80s.

In the Light - Menchen

Track Listing:
01 Don't Leave
02 Remember My Chains
03 Hole In Your Heart
04 Master Of Destiny
05 The Day That He Died
06 King Or Liar
07 Man Of Pain
08 You're Not Alone
09 Passin' Through
10 Love
11 Crucified
12 King Of Glory
 
Release Date: June 2012
Label: Retroactive Records

Bill Menchen is one of Christians busiest musicians it seems, recording wise at least. He has released so many great projects over the past few years - like reissues of Redeemer, Rev Seven, and Titanic, many of which have had major sections re-recorded to bring them to new life. On top of that, he has continued to church out new music with the bands Seventh Power and most recently Menchen, which is what we have here.

Divulgence - Future Seed

Track list:

01: Introduction
02: Synaptic Tide
03: The Swarm of Eden
04: Cognition
05: Hearts of Decay
06: Forlorn in Distance
07: The Great Deception
08: Rustic Skies

Release Date: May 2012
Label: Bombworks Records

Now, while I am not an all-out extreme metal listener, I do listen to quite a bit of it at times. After a few years of it though, I find that many bands, new and old, start sounding alike. That si great, but it gets a bit tiring when you almost can't tell one band from another. So, wth so many hardcore, metalcore, death metal bands to choose from, I admit, it can become a blur of heavy music often

Crossforce - Rockin' Til the Final Day

Crossforce (demo)
1. Tomorrow Will Come
2. Our Father
3. Smoke Filled Room
4. Out of the Darkness
5. Ready n Waiting
6. Rockin' til the Final Day

Frontline Demo (87)
7. Stompin in the Streets
8. The Call
9. Heavens Door
10. It's Your Life
11. Wait and See
12. The One Who Loves You
13. Weeping World
14. Rockin' til the Final Day (Lost practice session)

Release Date: 6 September 2011
Roxx Productions


Back in the 80's, Christian rock/metal was in it's infancy, and there were so many demo tapes circulating through the underground. So many bands, so many songs, and many got signed, and many great ones for some reason did not. One of the most overlooked band’s of the mid 80’s was Crossforce, and now we finally have a CD version of their excellent demo tape plus much more.

Tony Crider had previously appeared on another excellent demo under the band name Golgatha, which featured Adam Adam Alvarez, who later went and played with Valor. The Valor reissue on CD contained that demo tape, and should be acquired for fans of Tony's vocals. Crossforce had a classic metal style led by Tony’s incredible vocals, having great power and enough grit to make for a great metal singer.