Review Summary: Uncomplicated heavy metal fun from musicians who know their trade
An intriguing sleeve can still persuade me to investigate a band I know next to nothing about. The artwork for
Throne of Thorns did precisely that, recalling the obscure heavy metal records and NWOBHM covers of the early eighties. Its finish looks a little artificial to me, although the promise of the music beneath it proved difficult to resist. I initially took Stryper for a newer outfit devoted to reviving that era. Their long history and busy recent recording schedule soon put me right. These musicians have spent decades honing their craft and building a substantial discography, and that experience comes through in their playing.
Their mixture of catchy hard rock and heavy metal suits me well and I think you’ll enjoy it too, if that’s what the artwork has led you to expect. There is a swagger to the riffs and massed choruses that recalls Accept’s first three albums, with the voices joining forces to urge the listener to sing along. In addition, some of the melodies edge towards power metal, particularly in the title track and
Here in Your Heart, where I hear a little Helloween. The latter’s chugging guitar and string-assisted chorus illustrate how readily Stryper marry muscular playing to unabashed sweetness.
Waiting for You contributes the sentimentality of an old-fashioned power ballad. Brisk rock rhythms and slower, heavier riffs keep the arrangements from settling into one pace.
Michael Sweet and Oz Fox’s guitar partnership is what I enjoy most. The tone has an eighties flavour, though the effects never become so excessive that they smother their phrasing. Their leads are limber and tuneful, with enough room to develop beyond a quick burst of virtuosity between choruses. They are equally effective at trading leads and laying down crisp rhythm parts.
Shadowbreaker benefits from an extended solo, while Robert Sweet’s double-bass flurries add to its closing charge.
Perry Richardson’s steady bass grooves and Robert Sweet’s drumming underpin the flashier performances. The drumming brings considerable dynamism to the slower material; Sweet’s fills and emphatic kick drum beats prevent the lumbering riffs from turning lethargic. The stomping riff and forceful percussion of
Carry the Flame remind me of Pantera’s
Walk, although the song falls well short of that classic. It does the job if you are after a bit of headbanging.
The communal vocals also bring a hint of gospel to the music. Those big, harmonised refrains have a congregational quality, which is appropriate for a group so forthright about its Christianity. Michael Sweet sings with theatrical gusto, and his performance on the partly acoustic
Ashes to Roses is particularly strong. The lyrics offer encouragement through suffering and urge believers to hold to their faith. That shared concern lends the album a degree of unity, although the religious message may put some listeners off. Stryper have hardly concealed it, so I see little point in holding their faith against them. I would, however, prefer more subtlety in its expression. The emphatic invocations of Jesus can become overbearing, even when I like the tune. A less insistent delivery of the message would help the songs speak for themselves.
The limitation is how little of this enjoyment develops into a lasting attachment. The hooks are effective while the record is playing, yet few make me eager to start it again once it ends.
Alone Again is one of the few songs I am inclined to revisit, its hypnotic quality recalling Megadeth’s more commercial nineties material. Across the album, the polished production and energetic performances do their work, but the writing rarely surprises me. The solos frequently hold my attention more than the songs as a whole.
At just over forty minutes,
Throne of Thorns stops before its exuberance becomes tiring. That brevity is an asset for a record this fond of grand gestures. I am glad the cover persuaded me to listen. Stryper know how to entertain, and their enthusiasm is audible throughout. A good time with some excellent guitar work and a few first-rate solos is a perfectly respectable outcome.
Recommended tracks:
Here in Your Heart
I'm Alright (I'm Okay)
Carry the Flame
Hollywood
Ashes to Roses
Alone Again
Shadowbreaker
