As part of their 40th anniversary celebration, we spoke with one of the most unique figures in Christian hard rock and metal: Stryper. With a career defined by loyalty to both their message and their sound, the band is not only celebrating four decades of history but also looking enthusiastically toward the future. We talked about their musical evolution, the challenges they’ve faced, their plans for Spain, and the powerful meaning behind their latest work, When We Were Kings. Here’s the full interview.
David Aresté
M.S: First of all, thank you so much for taking the time to speak with us. It’s an honor to have you on our website. How are you doing? How are you handling these special days of celebration for your 40th anniversary?
Everything is going well, and we’ve enjoyed celebrating 40+ years as a band. The tour went exceptionally well—we did an acoustic tour as well as two legs of an electric tour. It was very successful, and it was great to see all the people come out.
M.S: Throughout your career, you’ve been pioneers in blending heavy rock with a message of faith. How have you managed to maintain that authenticity and connection with your audience over the years?
We just continue doing what we do and try to be real—what comes from the heart, not something structured. I think if you write from the heart and soul, it will touch people. Versus if someone else is writing it, or AI is writing it, that’s not coming from the heart and soul of the person singing the song. So I think as long as you continue to do that, you’ll create great music that touches millions of people around the world.
M.S: What have been the biggest challenges you’ve faced over these 40 years as a band, both personally and professionally?
My biggest challenges have always been trying to continue on in a world that is the polar opposite of what we are and what we stand for. Jesus is certainly not popular in metal, and he’s not popular in the world, for that matter. So because of that, it’s been an uphill battle, so to speak. But it hasn’t slowed us down or deterred us in any way. We continue doing what we are called to do, and it’s amazing to see what has happened through the years.
M.S: Regarding your upcoming concerts in Spain, what can the fans expect from the shows? Are you focusing your setlist on presenting your latest album, or will it be a retrospective of your greatest hits from these 40 years?
To be honest, I don’t have the setlist planned out yet. I’ll be working on that over the next few weeks, but we’ll do our best to put together a setlist that is exciting and includes all the songs the Spanish fans want to hear. It’s long overdue for Stryper to perform in Spain, so we are really looking forward to this.
M.S: Regarding your latest album, When We Were Kings, what themes does this album explore that make it different from your earlier sound?
While I was writing the album, I was purposely trying to take it back to the ’80s without sounding dated. That’s very tricky to do. It’s important to combine the past with the present—otherwise, you can become irrelevant very quickly. We’re trying not to do that. So I purposely tried to write choruses that are a little more anthemic and that people can sing along to.
M.S: The title When We Were Kings carries a powerful message. What does it mean to you, and how does it reflect where the band is at this point in time?
I often bring up the past in conversation—reminiscing about how great things were and everything we accomplished. We talk about this in the best of ways, not negatively. So I thought it would be fitting to write a song about that. That’s how When We Were Kings came to be.
M.S: Is there any particular song from the new album that you feel is especially important or representative for you, and why?
I really like “Betrayed by Love” personally. I like the fact that it’s a little darker, lyrically and musically. It would probably be described as a ballad, but I see it more as a power ballad with edgy guitars and a nice chunk to it.
M.S: After 40 years, how have your composition and recording processes evolved over time? Have you noticed any differences in the way you work now compared to your early years in Stryper?
The process is pretty much the same for me as it’s always been. It’s usually a song per day. I start writing a few weeks before we’re supposed to start recording, and it works out beautifully. I like working under pressure, and I don’t like having a lot of songs to choose from. So if there’s something I don’t care for, I’ll just move on and create something else in the moment. It seems to work for us, and our last five or six albums have been very popular. People seem to like what we’re doing now, so I guess I won’t try to fix what isn’t broken.
M.S: Regarding upcoming projects, what can you share about what’s next for Stryper after this anniversary? And speaking of tours, will we see you in Spain soon on a club tour, something you haven’t done in 14 years?
Well, we have a lot planned. We’re talking about doing a Christmas album, and we’ll be recording a brand-new, all-original studio album in January 2026. We have a lot of touring coming up this year, and I’m also releasing a solo album. So there’s a lot planned. I love to be busy, and I love that I can still do what I was born to do. It’s such an honor.
M.S: In previous interviews, we’ve asked you about the possibility of reissuing your early albums on vinyl. Is there any progress on that?
We’re still working on obtaining all the rights to be able to do that. We’re definitely planning on releasing these albums in the future, and we’ll certainly keep everyone posted once we know more.
M.S: Finally, thank you so much for your time—it’s truly a pleasure talking with you. For those who have followed Stryper all these years, what message do you have for your most loyal fans on this 40th anniversary?
God bless Spain, and we cannot wait to see you all. We’ve been counting the days, and it’s been way too long since we’ve been there. We love you, and we are blessed to be able to come once again. It’s going to be an amazing show.
David Aresté