Stryper - The Yellow And Black Attack
Released July 21, 1984
Enigma Records

Track List:
Loud 'N' Clear (Michael Sweet) – 3:34
From Wrong to Right (M. Sweet, Robert Sweet, Oz Fox) – 3:51
You Know What to Do (M. Sweet, R. Sweet, Fox, Tim Gaines) – 4:47
C'mon Rock (M. Sweet) – 3:46
You Won't Be Lonely (M. Sweet) – 3:43
Loving You (M. Sweet) – 4:15

Stryper rose from the ashes of a band called Roxx Regime - a band put together by Michael and Robert Sweet. The brothers had been vets of the LA club scene having played in the LA Club Scene. The brothers had been raised in Evangelical Christianity and left the club scene when they decided to follow their early upbringing in Christianity. The brothers decided to start a new band with a Christian message and called the band Roxx Regime. They went through a number of guitarist (according to some sources, one was a certain CC DeVil) until Oz Fox joined up. Tim Gains was added on Bass. The band recorded a demo (to be reviewed later on!) and then change their name to Stryper, which they based on a passage from the Bible.

The band was signed to a new, smaller label, Enigma, The record label didn't know they where a Christian Metal band when they where signed, finding out when they read the lyrics to the songs. Instead of pulling a coke-sniffing, big label move they decided to do a small pressing of the album and see how it did. It sold well for an EP on a small label and Engima let Stryper do what they wanted to at this point and realized they can sell Christian metal (and eventually signed Barren Cross and Guardian, which didn't sell as well as Stryper)

They band decided to dress up like bumble bees in yellow and black, with the yellow and black being warning signs. The Evangelical world didn't react too kindly to Stryper - calling them "Wolves In Sheeps Clothing", "Playing the Devil's music", "Only pretending to be Christians to have a gimmick to sell albums". Some churches even protested their concerts! They called them "shameful" because they had "hair like women and wore makeup". I could go on and on with the BS thrown at Stryper......

Stryper hit the studio with a tiny budget to record their six-song EP, "The Yellow And Black Attack", named after their outfits. The album was released to an un-suspecting world. The album would be re-released in 1986 with a different mix (I will get to that one later!). The album is chock full of kick-a$$ solos, awesome riffs, shredding solos and Michael Sweet's incredible vocal range. Michael Sweet and Oz Fox together both play Lead Guitar, having the twin-guitar attack of many Metal bands, yet as a 4 piece instead of a 5 piece since Michael can sing his a$$ off. The lyrics where straight forward "Jesus died for you" lyrics, staying away from Chick Tract type BS yet still in your face enough to get the message across. The music is just fantastic. Since Stryper had their own sound from the beginning, they weren't a "clone of so and so Metal band" that would affect many of the bands that came after them. They best way to describe their sound is LA Glam with a heavier edge. Their musical roots where in 70's and early 80's hard rock/metal (U.F.O., Iron Maiden, Van Halen, Black Sabbath, KISS, Scorpions, Etc). They also added harmonies to the vocals as everyone in the band but Robert Sweet can sing.

It's hard to pick out the stand out track as every track is good and makes you want to hear the next album to see where they go musically. This is album is a must have for any Stryper fan or Christian metal fan. The original release is long out of print and was replaced by a different mix on the re-release. If you can, track down the original release on album or find MP3's that someone made. Since I only have the original on cassette, I listened to Cliffy's remaster of the album (from vinyl) - he did a great job!

I am looking forward to reading your comments on the Stryper thread!

YELLOW & BLACK is, and always has been, my favorite Stryper disc. They were at their most "raw" and hardest-rocking here.

When I first heard this EP it was somewhere around '85 and SOLDIERS...had already been released, but I hadn't heard much of the band yet. I had a buddy named Dave whose cousins (or as he called them, his "poor relations") from North Carolina would come out and visit his family for a week or two every summer. He didn't get along with them very well but we were all about the same age, they were metal fans and so was I, so if I went over to Dave's house to hang out, his cousins and I would try to out-do each other about our knowledge of obscure metal bands... I usually won those battles. (Haha.)

Anyway, during one particular visit one of the cousins had brought along a dubbed tape of YELLOW & BLACK and sez to me "You heard of these guys yet? They're a Christian metal band. Weird huh?" ...I had to admit that it was, because of course, that combination was pretty much unheard of at the time. So we listened to that tape a bunch of times during their visit, I dug it a lot (even though I'm not Charlie Church by any means) and after they headed back home I bought my own copy at the local record store. I still have that cassette to this very day.

Eventually, this album got the "deluxe reissue" treatment a few years later (when Stryper hit the big time with THWTD) but I never liked that version at all; it was nice that they included "Reason for the Season" as a bonus track but I hated the extra ballad they tacked on, hated the slick remix they gave the original 6 songs, and the new cover. I refused to buy that version and stuck with my beat up ol' tape for many years afterwards. I eventually downloaded a pretty decent rip of the original version so I could make my own homemade CD-R but I SO wish they'd re-release the original version/mix/cover on a "real" CD one of these damn days.

I am sure that I had the reissue of this album, because I bought this album after I had already owned 'Soldiers Under Command' and went back to pick it down the road.

My first impression was a bit disappointed because I was comparing this release to their second album which IMO had better songs and better production.

On its own merit I think it is a very good album of its era, I am not a major fan of Stryper, but I felt musically these guys had more talent then most of the bands that had similar sound from the L.A. scene.

What stood out to me was of course Michael Sweet's vocals, the guy had and I am assuming still does have an incredible range, and at the time I was not used to pop metal vocalist who could sing that high. Oz Fox is a good guitar player and it sounds like the man spent alot time woodsheeding to his UFO, Queen, Michael Schenker Group and Ozzy/Randy era.

I have to admit when I first picked up their first album it had to do with the novelty of metal band singing Christian lyrics, I was the guy who loved Venom and Slayer, which was about as extreme as metal got back then, and to hear a bunch of guys that came out of the same scene of those coke sniffing bastards Motley Crue, it almost seemed like these guys came from another planet.

I didnt get into Stryper until I became a christian in 1993, but they were one of the first bands that my new friends got me into. I aquired all of their albums in a very short time, except for ATL, I was told it wasnt any good (wrong!) so I didnt get it until about 3 years later.

As for this one, it's great. Raw heavy debut album still sounds good today. A few months ago I found a blue vinyl LP of it and it sounds awesome! It isnt my favorite Stryper album but I wont agrue with anyone who says it is because this album has some great qualities on it that they lost along the way as they became bigger and better.

Love it! The original mix of the Y&BA is raw, crunchy LA heavy metal. You summed it up pretty well, "The album is chock full of kick-a$$ solos, awesome riffs, shredding solos and Michael Sweet's incredible vocal range."

I have several copies of this original mix. Three different LP versions; 2 with the original misprint cover (1 yellow vinyl, 1 black vinyl) and then the subsequent re-pressing with the cover art corrected. Also have it as an expensive Japanese CD.

I didn't get this Lp until waaay later, since I didn't get into them until around "To Hell...." This albums has some cool tunes.

I also didn't buy this until way after Soldiers Under Command and perhaps even To Hell With The Devil. I just happened to stumble across it in a local used vinyl store that stayed open for about a year only!! I remember being so psyched to find the original cover art. The differences between the original vs the reissue thingy was unbeknown to be at the time. I didn't find out about that until after I sold the vinyl version, and replaced it with the CD reissue.

I never read or heard of Stryper til 'Soliders Under Command' and I did not buy 'The Yellow and Black Attack' til after I had already bought (as new releases ')To Hell with the Devil' and 'In God We Trust'.

For some reason, where I lived it was not an easy album to get ahold of, then suddenly it became readily available but I had no idea the cover was different or that they remixed the album.

Stryper - Soldier Under Command
Released May 15, 1985

Track List:

"Soldiers Under Command" (Michael Sweet, Robert Sweet) – 5:03
"Makes Me Wanna Sing" (M. Sweet) – 2:51
"Together Forever" (M. Sweet) – 4:03
"First Love" (M. Sweet) – 5:43
"The Rock That Makes Me Roll" (M. Sweet) – 4:56
"Reach Out" (M. Sweet, R. Sweet) – 5:21
"(Waiting For) A Love That's Real" (M. Sweet) – 4:36
"Together as One" (M. Sweet) – 5:01
"Surrender" (M. Sweet) – 4:28
"Battle Hymn of the Republic" (Julia Ward Howe, M. Sweet) – 2:36

Enigma Record was surprised at the success Stryper had with their EP and sent them to the studio to record their first full length album. This time, Enigma gave them a bigger budget and that afforded them the services of Michael Wagener (Name an 80's Metal band and he probably had a hand in at least one of their releases) as producer.

The result of hiring Michael Wagener paid off - the record sounded like it belonged right with the other LA bands. Rumors persist that Michael Sweet butted heads with the producer, but I am happy with the results.

Stryper built upon their EP, keeping the riffs, licks and soaring vocals. Aside from a better budget and some songs that are better than the first release (IMHO), the band added two things. First, the lyrics where more in your face about God. Second, Stryper added something else they would become know for - the big, huge power ballad (they actually added two).

Overall, this is a better album than the EP. The album kicks off with the title track which they still play to this day and it is one of their best tracks. They kick into all out praise and worship with Makes Me Wanna Sing. Together Forever bings out the mid paced rocker, but I could do without the "doo wopps" which IMHO are cheesy.

The first full on ballad, First Love, shows up next. It's an OK song....The Rock That makes Me Roll kicks thing back into Metal territory and ends side one - which is how I listened to this album over and over and over back in the day, cassette!!!!

Reach Out kicks off side two and moves right into Michael Sweet's first "no screwing until the ring" track, "waiting for a love that's real". "Together As One" is the next power ballad which I have heard too many times in my life to ever want to hear again. "Surrender" heads back into metal territory and is another one of the best tracks Stryper have ever written. The albums closes with Stryper's version of 'Battle Hymn Of The Republic" which they would use to open concerts with throughout their career.

The album would earn Stryper their first Gold award. Stryper really kicked it up a notch on Soldiers and this is a must have album for fans of music from the LA scene!!!!!

I bought this album as a new releease and this was the first Stryper album I owned. I had seen their videos on our local UHF station, that played metal videos from 4 to 7 PM everyday, and also the fact that they were 'Christian' metal band made me curious and I took a plunge and bought the album because I thought it was such a novelity being a Christian metal band. I had heard of Petra, but they were not heavy and I thought they sucked and would rather listen to the devil's music then that sh!t.

'Soliders Under Command' was a good album and one that spent alot of time on my turn table, I did not care for the ballads, and the actual meaning to the lyrics "Waiting for a Love That's Real' was lost on me, I had no idea this was an early proponet of the true love waits movement that was still years away from kicking off.

I have not owned or listened to this album close to 15 years now but back then I used to enjoy it and liked most of the tunes with the exception of the ballads.

Soldiers Under Command (the song) is, and will always be, my favorite of Stryper's. That song just kicks tail up and down the street. By the strength of that song,I bought this as a new release on cassette. We played this alot at our parties up in my garage. The Christian slant to them was new and different but nobody cared. The music just was that good. I think I may still have the cassette somewhere but I haven't listened to cassettes in so long I'm not even sure what happened to them. At any rate,the band never topped this even though they became super popular to the masses further down the road.

Man, I loved SOLDIERS UNDER COMMAND back in the day. I bought it on vinyl back in '85, still have that copy even though the grooves have all been worn out of it.

I upgraded to a CD copy about two years ago and at that point I hadn't heard the record in over a decade, I still dig it but have to admit that bits n' pieces haven't aged particularly well. I never did like "Together Forever" (that little "dooo-wop, wop-wah-oooo" breakdown in the middle is particularly silly) and the ballads "Together as One" and "First Love" are just .... ugh.

The rest, though, is '80s Hair Metal of the highest order. I especially dig the title track, "The Rock That Makes Me Roll," "Surrender," and "Reach Out," all of which still rip today.

SOLDIERS was when the buzz on the band started, I still rank YELLOW & BLACK as my absolute fave but still prefer SOLDIERS to a lot of what came afterwards....

This was the album that I actually discovered Stryper and it is still my favorite of the Stryper catalog. "Surrender" is incredibly heavy and is the song that made me a fan. The title track is arguably Stryper's defining song.

The opening riff to "Makes Me Wanna Sing" has a striking resemblance to Iron Maiden's "Wicker Man". Both have a bit of a similarity to Judas Priest's "Running Wild".

This might be my favorite Stryper album as well. While I like the thicker and wider (and some might say slicker) production on THWTD slightly more than this album, the songs from "Soldiers" from the first to the last are the best in their catalog.

Soldiers Under Command was the first Christian Metal album I ever heard and loved. This album would start me on the path to being a music junkie

For that reason alone this album is the most significant album i own

I got a mp3 copy of the original mix remastered by Cliffy through here a few years ago.... not sure what his source was, but it sounded great!

Stryper - The Yellow & Black Attack
Released August 10, 1986 Re-release (remixed)

Track List:

Loud 'N' Clear (Michael Sweet) – 3:34
From Wrong to Right (M. Sweet, Robert Sweet, Oz Fox) – 3:51
My Love I'll Always Show (M. Sweet) – 3:38
You Know What to Do (M. Sweet, R. Sweet, Fox, Tim Gaines) – 4:47
C'mon Rock (M. Sweet) – 3:46
You Won't Be Lonely (M. Sweet) – 3:43
Loving You (M. Sweet) – 4:15
Reason for the Season (M. Sweet, R. Sweet) – 6:30


After the success of Soldiers Under Command (Gold award), Enigma Records decided to re-release "The Yellow And Black Attack" just two months before the release of "To Hell with The Devil". It was decided to remix the album to make it sound "cleaner" and add two additional tracks to make a full length album as opposed to just an EP re-release. The also decided to re-do the cover art and make a crappier version of the cover.

"My Love I'll Always Show" was one the Roxx Regime demo, but Stryper, or most like just Michael Sweet, decided to re-record it as a ballad, cutting the balls of the track. Some of of the lyrics where re-written to make it seem like a love song as opposed as a track about Jesus. The original sounds like this:

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The other tracks was the single, 'Reason For The Season", which was released just prior to "Soldiers Under Command". This is a nice inclusion on the album.

If you had only ever heard the re-mixed album, you would think it is good. But, for those of us that had the original mix, the remix blows goats. I guess the Enigma execs started making money thanks to Stryper and started doing coke like the big wigs at the major labels. I remember listening to the remix when it came out and thinking "this doesn't sound as good." The remix for "Loving You" is so bad, I can't even listen to it anymore! Unfortunately, the original mix has never been released on CD to this day. I wish Stryper would do something about that and re-release the original mix with the original cover!

Unfortunately, the remix is the only way to hear the album on CD. Fortunately, I have a great version of the original ripped from Vinyl (thanks Cliffy!). That is the version I go to when I am in the mood to listen to TY&BA.

The next review will be up a week from Monday as I am heading out for vacation today. See you all when I get back!!!!!

As I stated in my post for the original YELLOW & BLACK release, I already had the first version of the album. I borrowed a friend's copy of the re-issue to hear the added "new" material and didn't care for it, therefore I felt no need to lay out $ for it again.

I've missed out on this,so let me play catch up.

Soldiers will always be my favorite Stryper albumIt was the first one i had and will always be special to me.Songs like Soldiers,Surrender,it just doesnt get any better imo.

YABA,I like it but it was a bit different after hearing Soldiers first.It is more of a stripped down,raw production and i dont think the songwriting was quite there yet

Soldiers: All my early metal discoveries can be credited to my 2 older brothers. And one day they put on a recorded tape for me, and asked what I thought. I loved what I heard. Then they told me that this was a Christian heavy metal band, and I was floored. I couldn't believe it! Finally I had a band that played MY music, and shared my beliefs as well. I thank God to this day for the blessing this band, and especially this album, have been to my life (and thousands of others as well). The music is totally awesome, and back in the mid-80's Stryper shared sound (and stage) with many of the other top secular acts, such as Ratt, Mötley Crüe, TNT and Loudness, to name a few. But Stryper became my absolute favorites. There is not a bad song on this album. And the title track is one of the finest heavy metal songs ever written. Of course you get a ballad or two, but when done as great as these guys did it, those songs only added to the already tasty flavor.

Killer tracks: I truly love all of them dearly.

I'm going to pop in to defend one of the ballads:

"First Love" has a KILLER harmonized guitar solo from Mike & Oz...