Maximum Metal Rating Legend
5 Excellent - Masterpiece. A classic.
4.5-4 Great - Almost perfect records but there's probably a lacking.
3.5 Good - Most of the record is good, but there may be some filler.
3 Average - Some good songs, some bad ones at about a half/half ratio.
2.5-2 Fair - Worth a listen, but best obtained by collectors.
1.5-1 Bad - Major problems with music, lyrics, production, etc.
0 Terrible - Waste of your life and time.

Note: Reviews are graded from 0-5, anything higher or not showing is from our old style. Scores, however, do not reveal the important features. The written review that accompanies the ratings is the best source of information regarding the music on our site. Reviewing is opinionated, not a qualitative science, so scores are personal to the reviewer and could reflect anything from being technically brilliant to gloriously cheesy fun.

Demos and independent releases get some slack since the bands are often spent broke supporting themselves and trying to improve. Major releases usually have big financial backing, so they may be judged by a heavier hand. All scores can be eventually adjusted up or down by comparison of subsequent releases by the same band. We attempt to keep biases out of reviews and be advocates of the consumer without the undo influence of any band, label, management, promoter, etc.

The best way to determine how much you may like certain music is to listen to it yourself.
Band
Stryper
Title
To Hell With the Devil
Type
LP/EP
Company
Hollywood Records
YOR
1986
Style
Power
12/19/2003 - Review by: Frank Hill
Stryper - To Hell With the Devil - 1986 - Reviewed by Nailer

Track Listing
1. Abyss (To Hell With The Devil)
2. To Hell With The Devil
3. Calling On You
4. Free
5. Honestly
6. The Way
7. Sing-Along Song
8. Holding On
9. Rockin' The World
10. All Of Me
11. More Than A Man
Every now and then, I feel the need to go against the flow and do things as a fuckin lark even though my common sense tells me it will be of no gain whatsoever.

I grew up in the 80's, so I knew who Stryper was and when the fuckin opportunity arose to buy their 1986 release "To Hell With the Devil" for a dollar, I thought "Shit, a buck isn't bad for a whim. If I'm going to give all the Satan-lovers an hour of my musical fuckin time, I might as well be open minded and give the Bible thumpers a moment or two, also. Neither one of them really cut any ice with me."

Even though they came out during the alcohol-soaked, sex-fueled 80's, you never heard Stryper talking about partying with Jack Daniels or seen them hanging with star-eyed, band-shagging groupies. Well, you might have, but I'm sure it was to convert them to the viceless side of life. They were the "good guys" in a hedonistic scene where a man's dick was the wellspring of his hapiness, otherwise known as the good old days.

I tried not to laugh when I opened the cover sleeve, but damn, I couldn't fuckin help it. They had the big-ass hair and the pouty look of the other pretty boys of the L.A. glam scene. In addition, Stryper sported yellow and black outfits like racing jumpsuits and spandex leotards...whatever. Pretty comical that they would think it would help bring them success because B. Brian Blair and Jumpin' Jim Brunzell never got to hold the WWF World Tag Team titles.

Satan's little helpers they weren't, but these guys took a big fuckin chance at the time. They were despised by the "real" evil-loving headbangers and not trusted by by their own religious leaders. Still, the 'yellow and black attack' went platinum.

So, how does it stand up musically? These guys weren't too far off from the other poser stuff from the likes of Ratt with a bit of the worst of Air Supply. Of course, every song is about JEEZ-US or has something to do with being a better person. Does it make me so bad that on cold days I pull my car up for hitchhikers then speed off when they get near the door handle? Fuck them, they should be splitting a heating grate with some bum or under a bridge and out of the cold.

Michael Sweet's vocals are smooth, but, at times, are way too fuckin high. My dog started bleeding from the ears and I even had headphones on. The ballads are real hard to take, but a couple songs like "Rockin the World" and "More Than A Man" are listenable. The title track (an answer song to Crue's "Shout At the Devil") has a memorable chorus going for it.

Not being an extreme religious type, it's just hard to sit through 746 references to JAY-SUS, so I tune it out and mentally change the lines.

"To Hell With the Devil"
becomes:
"Where the Hell is Justin Incredible"

"Rockin the world for you, Holy one"
becomes:
"Rockin the world for you, bowling's fun"

Was it worth it? I suppose. I could always use it as a gag gift to my favorite goth for XMAS. Certainly, though, I would pay big money to see a fight between Deicide and Stryper.


STRYPER=Salvation Through Redemption Yields Peace Encouragement and Rightouesness



--Nailer 12.18.03
  • 1 :REVIEW COUNT
    N/A :AVE RATING

ALL REVIEWS FOR: STRYPER
TITLE
DOR
COMPANY
REVIEWER DATE MADE RATING
7 Weeks: Live In America
2003
Fifty Three Five
Ken Pierce6/22/2004
-
7: The Best Of
2003
Hollywood Records
Ken Pierce6/3/2004
-
God Damn Evil
2018
Frontiers
David Loveless5/24/2018
4.5
No More Hell To Pay
2013
Frontiers
Eric Compton2/11/2014
4
Reborn
2005
Big Three
Anthony Burke9/14/2005
-
To Hell With the Devil
1986
Hollywood Records
Frank Hill12/19/2003
-

ALL INTERVIEWS FOR: STRYPER
INTERVIEW INTERVIEWER DATE TAGLINE


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