Stryper
1985 LP: Soldiers Under Command
Label: Enigma Records
Released on May 15, 1985
Style: Glam, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal
Lead Vocals, Guitar – Michael Sweet
Guitar, Backing Vocals – Oz Fox
Bass, Backing Vocals – Tim Gaines
Drums – Robert Sweet
Additional Musicians:
Christopher Currell – symclabier, guitar
John Van Tongeren – bass guitar, keyboard, piano
Linda Mullen – backing vocals
Doris Castenda – backing vocals
Tammy Thomas – backing vocals
Engineer – Michael Wagener
Producer – Michael Wagener
The inspirational verse for this album is 2 Timothy 2:3-4

Tracklist
A1 Soldiers Under Command
Written-By – MIchael Sweet, Robert Sweet
A2 Makes Me Wanna Sing
Written-By – Michael Sweet
Lead Guitar [Solo] – Oz Fox
A3 Together Forever
Written-By – Michael Sweet
Keyboards – John Van Tongren
Lead Guitar [Solo] – Oz Fox
A4 First Love
Written-By – Michael Sweet
Lead Guitar [Duo Solo] – Michael Sweet, Oz Fox
A5 The Rock That Makes Me Roll
Written-By – Michael Sweet
Lead Guitar [Duo Solo] – Michael Sweet, Oz Fox
B1 Reach Out
Written-By – Michael Sweet, Robert Sweet
Lead Guitar [Duo Solo] – Michael Sweet, Oz Fox
B2 (Waiting For) A Love That's Real
Written-By – Michael Sweet
Lead Guitar [Solo] – Michael Sweet
B3 Together As One
Written-By – Michael Sweet
Backing Vocals – Tim Gaines
Bass, Keyboards, Piano – John Van Tongeren
B4 Surrender
Written-By – Michael Sweet
B5 Battle Hymn Of The Republic (Glory, Glory Hallelujah)
Arranged By – Michael Sweet
Backing Vocals – Doris Castenada, Linda Mullen, Tammy Thomas
Programmed By [Synclavier Digital Music System] – Christopher Currell

Stryper was the first real Christian metal band. Hailing from Orange County, California, the group's lineup consists of Michael Sweet (lead vocals, guitar), Oz Fox (guitar), Tim Gaines (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.
Perhaps the most unexpected band to achieve mainstream success within a musical genre most notoriously known for its sex, drugs, and mischievous headline grabbing bands than anything else. Then again, maybe it was all just a brilliant plan to stand out in the middle of a mountain of bands attempting to one-up each other with over-the-top acts of debauchery leaving fans forever debating whether Stryper were or are in fact a band made up of faithful Christians using rock and roll to serve a higher purpose. Regardless of level of musical sincerity, one thing is certain though, when lined up side-by-side with the massive pile of hair sprayed, guyliner smeared, spandex stretched 80’s rockers, what Stryper may have lacked in outrageous acts of gimmickry, they more than made up for in excellent musicianship, performances, and most of all, songs. Soldiers Under Command in its simplest form is just a great hard rock record. Christian ideologies aside, it has just about everything any great ’80s hair metal album is full of including rocking songs, anthems, power ballads, loud guitars, head-splitting drums, over the top vocals, and more. As heavenly a message contained in the metal hymns of Stryper, Soldiers Under Command is first and foremost, one helluva record. Stryper's first full-length album, Soldiers Under Command, released on May 15, 1985, was the band's first gold record. Since their inception in the early ‘80s, Stryper have presented quite an enigmatic musical identity in the realm of traditional heavy metal. Aside from demonstrating one of the earliest aberrations within the genre in being the preeminently successful Christian metal band (with lyrical themes that are perhaps not quite as inauspiciously composed as some usually suggest), Stryper are noteworthy for having albums defined by a blatant polarity between remarkably well-composed metal classics, and severely commercially-oriented, sugary ballads. With their debut full-length “Soldiers Under Command”, this conscious attempt at gaining a wider appeal is manifest in a track list that is undeniably inconsistent, defined by an uncomfortable mixture of excellent, half-decent, and simply cringe-worthy tunes. Thus, for the traditional metal devotee, the listening experience is bound to result in disappointment, particularly since the gleaming moments of sheer musical talent found herein lead one to have faith in a level of potential that is, unfortunately, left unrealized for the pursuit of accessibility.

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