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Fallen (Stryper Album)
''Fallen'' is the sixteenth release and the eleventh studio album by the Christian metal band Stryper, produced by the frontman Michael Sweet and released on October 16, 2015. Background ''Fallen'' is an album featuring the band's signature sounds and style on mostly original songs and one cover song, unlike several of their previous albums which covered their own songs (2013's ''Second Coming'') and covers of others' works (2011's ''The Covering''). However, the sound of the album is heavier, but still retains the band's melodic pattern. Five singles from the album have been released per month, "Yahweh", "Fallen", "Big Screen Lies", "Let There Be Light", and Stryper's second Black Sabbath cover, "After Forever". Critical reception Awarding the album four stars from '' HM'' magazine, Charlie Steffens wrote, "another wonderful album from some of rock and roll's best songwriters." Andy Argyrakis, giving the album four stars at '' CCM'' magazine, said, "Arguably the most game-changi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Stryper
Stryper is an American Christian metal band from Orange County, California. The group's lineup consists of Michael Sweet (lead vocals, guitar), Oz Fox (guitar), Perry Richardson (bass guitar), and Robert Sweet (drums). Formed in 1983 as Roxx Regime, the band soon changed their musical message to reflect their Christian beliefs, and the band's name was also changed to Stryper. They went on to become the first overtly Christian heavy metal band to gain acceptance in the mainstream. In 1983, they signed with major label Enigma Records and released their debut album '' The Yellow and Black Attack''. In the mid-1980s, Stryper enjoyed their most successful period beginning with the release of ''To Hell with the Devil'', which achieved platinum sales status. Stryper went on to release two more gold albums before disbanding in 1993. In 2003, Stryper came out of retirement for a reunion tour and subsequently signed a multi-album contract with Big3 Records in 2005. In 2013, they signed ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
After Forever (song)
"After Forever" is a song by English rock band Black Sabbath. The song was released on their third studio album ''Master of Reality'' in 1971, the lyrics were written by Geezer Butler while the music was written by Tony Iommi. History The lyrics of the song "After Forever", written by Geezer Butler, a proclaimed Catholic, focus entirely on Christian themes. Although the album jacket credits Iommi alone as the composer of this song (including lyrics), the ''Black Sabbath Black Box Set'' refutes the album jacket credit and gives credit to this song (along with "Orchid" and "Embryo") to all four band members in keeping with their wishes to remain a democratic band. At the time, some such as religious and conservative groups viewed Black Sabbath as Satanists (which the band had consistently denied) due to their dark sound, image and lyrics, with occultism and horror as a recurring theme. "After Forever" was released as a single along with "Fairies Wear Boots" in 1971. Covers * "Af ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Oz Fox
Richard Alfonso Martinez (born June 18, 1961), better known by the stage name Oz Fox, is the lead guitarist of the Christian glam metal band Stryper. Martinez' high school friends called him ''Oz'' in honor of Ozzy Osbourne due to his ability to emulate the vocals of Osbourne while playing Black Sabbath covers in his pre-Stryper days. He was recruited by the Sweet brothers in 1983 to form what would become Stryper. As a founding member of the band, Fox recorded and toured with Stryper until the band's first break up in 1992 but has since rejoined the band. Background Fox was born on June 18, 1961 in Whittier, California, to Richard Joseph Martinez and Jessie Maria Martinez. Having been influenced by artists from many styles of music including country, Fox's style can best be described as having been heavily influenced by the style pioneered by Eddie Van Halen; Fox would often warm up by playing Van Halen's "I'm The One" note for note before Stryper shows. He joined the LA guit ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Robert Sweet (musician)
Robert Lee Sweet (born March 21, 1960) is the drummer of the Christian metal band Stryper. He and his brother Michael founded the band as Roxx or Roxx Regime. Robert became known as the "Visual Time Keeper" for his wild drumming and captivating drum kits. Unlike most drummers, Sweet faces in the direction of stage left or right while playing, not straight ahead, so that the audience can see him and not have their view of him obscured by his drumkit. He began using a sideways setup in 1978 as a way to enhance his showmanship and connect with the audience. Sweet also played a key role in the visual direction of the band itself as well as being a significant contributor to the group. Sweet's interest in drumming began in early childhood. He cites a stop at a club during a trip to Las Vegas when he was 10 years old as a defining moment. A blue sparkle Ludwig drum set caught his attention and he "fell in love". Sweet attended Pioneer High School in Whittier, California. During high s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Geezer Butler
Terence Michael Joseph "Geezer" Butler (born 17 July 1949) is a English musician and songwriter. He is best known as the bassist and primary lyricist of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath. He has also recorded and performed with Heaven & Hell, GZR, and Ozzy Osbourne. Butler was the bassist of Deadland Ritual, which has since disbanded. Early life Geezer Butler as he is known by, adopted the nickname "Geezer" at an early age. "It came because when I was at school, my brother was in the army, and he was based with a lot of Cockneys. And people in London call everybody a 'geezer.' t meansjust a man — like, 'Hello, mate.' It's just like somebody calling you 'dude' over here (In the United States). In England, it'd be 'geezer.' So my brother used to come home from leave from the army, and he'd be going, 'Hello, geezer. How are you, geezer?' So because I had looked up to my brother when I was about seven years old, I'd go to school calling everybody a geezer. So that's how I got ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bill Ward (musician)
William Thomas Ward (born 5 May 1948) is an English drummer. He was a co-founder and the original drummer for the heavy metal band Black Sabbath. Ward helped found Black Sabbath in 1969 alongside bandmates Ozzy Osbourne (lead singer), Tony Iommi (guitarist) and Geezer Butler (bass). Biography Early years and Black Sabbath Bill started to play drums as a child, listening to the big bands of the 1940s; his early major influences were Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich and Louie Bellson. Later he was influenced by drummers such as Larrie Londin, Bernard Purdie, Joe Morello, Keef Hartley, Hughie Flint, John Bonham, Ringo Starr, Jim Capaldi and Clive Bunker. In the mid-1960s Ward sang and played drums in a band called the Rest, before he and guitarist Tony Iommi played together in a band called Mythology, and upon that band's dissolution joined vocalist Ozzy Osbourne and bassist Geezer Butler, who had previously played together in a band called Rare Breed. The new band called themselves Earth, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ozzy Osbourne
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne (born 3 December 1948) is an English singer, songwriter, and television personality. He rose to prominence during the 1970s as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath, during which period he adopted the nickname "Prince of Darkness". Born and raised in Birmingham, Osbourne became a founding member of Black Sabbath in 1967, and sang on every album from their debut in 1970 to ''Never Say Die!'' in 1978. The band was highly influential on the development of heavy metal music, in particular their critically acclaimed releases ''Paranoid'', ''Master of Reality'' and ''Sabbath Bloody Sabbath''. Osbourne was fired from Black Sabbath in 1979 due to alcohol and drug problems, but went on to have a successful solo career, releasing 13 studio albums, the first seven of which received multi-platinum certifications in the US. Osbourne has since reunited with Black Sabbath on several occasions. He rejoined in 1997 and helped record the group ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tony Iommi
Anthony Frank Iommi () (born 19 February 1948) is a British musician. He co-founded the pioneering heavy metal band Black Sabbath, and was the band's guitarist, leader and primary composer and sole continuous member for nearly five decades. Iommi was ranked number 25 in ''Rolling Stone'' magazine's list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time". On his last day of work in a sheet metal factory, as a teenager, Iommi lost the tips of the middle and ring fingers of his right hand in an accident, an event which crucially impacted his playing style. He briefly left Black Sabbath (then known as Earth) in 1968 to join Jethro Tull, but did not record any material with the band, and subsequently returned to Black Sabbath in 1969. In 2000, he released his first solo album '' Iommi'', followed by 2005's '' Fused'', which featured his former bandmate Glenn Hughes. After releasing ''Fused'', he formed Heaven & Hell, which disbanded shortly after the death of Ronnie James Dio in 2010. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Clint Lowery
Clint Lowery (born December 15, 1971) is an American musician, songwriter and producer, best known as the lead guitarist and backing vocalist of the rock band Sevendust. He has also played in Dark New Day and Still Rain, and served as the touring guitarist for Korn and Seether through most of 2007 and 2017, respectively. In 2008, he decided to work on new music as a solo artist, and the name of the project was titled Hello Demons Meet Skeletons. Lowery wrote and recorded a six-song EP while off the road with Sevendust, just for a week. He played every instrument on the CD, which was produced by his brother Corey Lowery. The EP, ''Chills'', was released in October, followed by a tour at the same month. He would also later release two more EPs with HDMS. Also his fourth and last EP, '' Choices'', was released in 2013. In summer of 2012, Lowery went on to form a band, Call Me No One, as lead vocalist and guitarist alongside Sevendust bandmate Morgan Rose. Their first album was rel ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
No More Hell To Pay
''No More Hell to Pay'' is the fifteenth release and tenth studio album from Christian glam metal band Stryper, produced by band frontman Michael Sweet and released on November 5, 2013 by Frontiers Records. The album garnered positive critical reception from music critics as well as commercial success. Background ''No More Hell to Pay'' follows up the band's earlier 2013 release, ''Second Coming'', on which the band performed new renditions of many of its old songs. Front-man Michael Sweet produced ''No More Hell to Pay'' and wrote eleven of the twelve tracks. In an interview with MetalExiles, Sweet stated that in writing the album, the band tried for a heavier sound reminiscent of Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, and Van Halen. Style and lyrics The classic sound on ''No More Hell to Pay'' is similar to the band's sound from its peak in the 1980s, but features a new maturity and grittiness. At CCM Magazine, Andy Argyrakis described the album as equal parts aggressive and melodic with m ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
HM (magazine)
''HM Magazine'' is a monthly, digital and print on demand publication focusing on hard music and alternative culture of interest to Christians. It is headquartered in Houston, Texas. The magazine states that its goal is to "honestly and accurately cover the current state of hard music and alternative culture from a faith-based perspective." It is known for being one of the first magazines dedicated to covering Christian metal. The magazine's content includes features; news; album, live show and book reviews; culture coverage and columns. HM's occasional "So and So Says" feature is known for getting into artists' deeper thoughts on Jesus Christ, spirituality, and politics. History In 1985, Doug Van Pelt started ''Heaven's Metal'' as a fanzine. It was Van Pelt's friend who would later place a classified ad in the 100th issue of ''Kerrang!,'' a British magazine focused on covering rock musicians and bands. During that time, Christian Metal as a genre began to gain more attention ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
CCM Magazine
''CCM Magazine'' is a twice-monthly online magazine focusing on contemporary Christian music, published by Salem Publishing, a division of Salem Communications. History ''CCM'' was first published in July 1978, as a printed magazine. It has been owned by Salem since 1999. On January 16, 2008, Salem announced that the April 2008 issue would be the final printed issue of the magazine, which would continue in an online-only format. When the magazine was first published, it was called ''Contemporary Christian Music'' and covered that music genre. The name was later shortened to ''CCM'', which was still an acronym for "Contemporary Christian Music". For a short time, the magazine changed its name to ''Contemporary Christian Magazine'' (keeping the "CCM" but broadening the scope) but then ultimately went back to ''Contemporary Christian Music'' (''CCM''). Then in May 2007, the name's meaning was changed to "Christ. Community. Music." The editor explained that the term "contemporary ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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