Jimmy Kay and Alan Dixon recently spoke to STRYPER’s frontman Michael Sweet on Sept 4 2020. Topics in the chat include a rundown of the tracks on the new album The Devil Even Believes, (via Frontiers). Sweet’s reaction to a controversial album review (here) recently posted online and details about an up and coming in studio live album that the band will be releasing in the coming weeks.
Tell us about the new album
“We are really excited and you guys know me I get excited about every release. Sometimes I get jabbed a little bit for saying every new release is the best. I really 100% believe and feel in my bones that this is our best album and there are so many reasons why. It’s not just because of the music or the production but because of the times we were recording it in and it’s our first album with our new bass player. Everyone knows that Oz (Fox) has some health issues and we were all able to overcome. Just so many reasons why I feel that it is our very best. Then when I listen to it as a whole and the way it flows, I think it’s got all the perfect qualities for what everyone expects. One person wants more 80’s and they get it with the song ‘Invitation only’. One person wants more heavy they get it with ‘Blood from Above’. One person wants mid tempo they get it with ‘Do Unto Others’. They want a ballad they get it with ‘This I Pray’. We kind of put everything in there to please everyone and you never please everyone but this album is going to come the closest.
Tell us about the live in studio recordings that will be coming out soon
“I will tell you what we did during the pandemic, since we could not go out and play. We flew the guys out here and quarantined for a few weeks then we went into the studio and we recorded for On Demand which people will be able to rent and or buy new album in its entirety playing it from start to finish and it is killer. Live in the studio and it’s killer. We had seven cameras and it will be coming out in the next 6 weeks. And then we did To Hell With The Devil at the same time from start to finish, every song. There will also be footage of us talking about the songs. We did that to offer people the live experience of this new album. When you listen to it , it sounds like you are listening to a record. So it’s studio audio quality and video but it’s live.”
“Even The Devil Believes” track listing: 01. Blood From Above 02. Make Love Great Again 03. Let Him In 04. Do Unto Others 05. Even The Devil Believes 06. How To Fly 07. Divider 08. This I Pray 09. Invitation Only 10. For God & Rock ‘N’ Roll
