The Covering CD
5
5
2
2
Best Stryper Album Since "To Hell With the Devil"
Holy smoke!!! From the get-go, this album is full of non-stop guitar shredding, explosive drum-playing, and over-the-top rock vocals by Michael Sweet. Oh yeah, Tim Gaines is back on bass & also sounds phenomenal. In fact, the band sounds tighter than ever musically. What sets The Covering apart from the last two Stryper albums is the sheer all-out energy and intensity of the music. âÂÂSet Me Freeâ starts out with an incredible drum intro by Robert Sweet and jumps into a high-velocity, guitar driven tempo that sets the pace for the rest of the album. âÂÂBlackoutâ slows the pace down by about a milli-second and finds Michael belting out the lyrics at the top of his lungs (or close to it). As a side note, is it possible that MichaelâÂÂs voice is even better now than it was 26 years ago? For anyone who may have thought Michael couldnâÂÂt hit the high notes he did back in the 80s, THE COVERING will put that debate to rest. Getting back to the music though, âÂÂHeaven and Hellâ is maybe the best song on the album. This song has it all: a huge rock-chorus anthem, serious bone-crunching guitars and guitar riffs (thanks to Oz Fox), and MichaelâÂÂs voice sounds commanding, edgy and dark. I could listen to this song over and over. Without going into the rest of the album song-by-song, IâÂÂll mention a few highlights. âÂÂHighway Starâ is maybe just as good as Heaven and Hell. Michael continues to amaze, from the high (I mean REALLY high) piercing vocals at the beginning of the song to the literal screams of the chorus: âÂÂI love it! I need it! I bleed it!â The song also features some retro keyboard sounds and a keyboard solo that rocks just as hard as the guitars do. âÂÂOver the MountainâÂÂ, âÂÂGodâ (the lone Stryper original), and the Zeppelin classic âÂÂImmigrant Songâ are also among the best songs on The Covering. âÂÂCarry on My Wayward Sonâ is also a great song, although I still prefer the original by Kansas. FYI, Robert sounds absolutely amazing throughout this whole album! For some reason he didnâÂÂt record with the guys on MURDER BY PRIDE, but his playing on The Covering is as energetic as ever. One last thing, if the fact that Stryper is covering a bunch of âÂÂpaganâ rock bands causes anyone to question their faith, check out the liner notes from the CD: âÂÂThanks to. . . Jesus for your covering, your faithfulness, your forgiveness, your mercy.â (from Michael) â and, âÂÂThanks to. . . our Lord and Savior Jesus of Nazareth the Christ Resurrected!!!â (from Oz). The song âÂÂGodâ is also one of the most convicting Stryper songs ever, reminding us of the life-and-death message weâÂÂve been entrusted with as Christians, and the severe consequences if we do not share the Gospel with those who need it: âÂÂHearts are weeping, souls are keeping on ice/spirits dying, wickedness wonâÂÂt suffice/those who cared, they stop and stare at the wall/doing nothing, watching prisoners fall. . . God, have mercy on us for we know not what we do/God, dark and blinded we are burning without you.â All in all, this is an amazing album. I would daresay itâÂÂs StryperâÂÂs best album since âÂÂTo Hell with the Devilâ and the guitar playing and guitar solos are easily among the best IâÂÂve heard in years (in either the Christian or âÂÂmainstreamâ market).
February 26, 2011
rocking for jesus
the devil cant have it all and stryper proves it a must have cd for any rock fan and a must for a stryper fan
i have been a fan for years and they rock and love jesus
stryper will rock the hell out of you !!!!!
February 16, 2011
Limited Time Price
Welcome to Christianbook.com! Sign in or create an account
Cart
0 items
Checkout
We now accept PayPalfor ALL orders
![more information about 7 Weeks: Live in America, 2003, Compact Disc [CD]](http://g.christianbook.com/g/display/c/cd6621x.gif "more information about 7 Weeks: Live in America, 2003, Compact Disc [CD]")
![more information about Day of Fire, Compact Disc [CD]](http://g.christianbook.com/g/display/c/cd73824.gif "more information about Day of Fire, Compact Disc [CD]")
