Against the Law
| Against the Law | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by Stryper | ||||
| Released | August 21, 1990 | |||
| Recorded | 1989 | |||
| Genre | Glam metal, hard rock, heavy metal | |||
| Label | Enigma Records | |||
| Producer | Tom Werman | |||
| Stryper chronology | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
Against the Law is the fifth release, and fifth studio album, from the Christian metal band Stryper, released on August 21, 1990 (see 1990 in music). Three singles/video were released for this album including "Shining Star", "Two Time Woman" and "Lady" but received minimal airplay.
This album marked a radical change in the musical and visual direction of the band. Gone were the yellow and black spandex outfits, the bold evangelical lyrics and the familiar yellow-and-black band logo with Isaiah 53:5. In their place were leather outfits, and lyrics more focused on rock n' roll and relationships, although arguably from a Christian worldview. The album was praised by many critics as the band's strongest work to date, but a large percentage of Stryper's Christian fanbase felt betrayed by this unannounced creative metamorphosis, and many of them accused Stryper of selling out their image and message for greater mainstream acceptance. As a result, Against the Law sold poorly compared to the band's previous gold and platinum releases.
"Shining Star" is a heavy metal cover of the classic Earth, Wind & Fire song.
Track listing
All songs by Michael Sweet except where noted
- "Against the Law" – 3:49
- "Two Time Woman" – 3:40
- "Rock the People" – 3:34
- "Two Bodies (One Mind, One Soul)" – 5:17
- "Not That Kind of Guy" – 3:59
- "Shining Star" (Philip Bailey, Larry Dunn, Maurice White) – 4:22
- "Ordinary Man" – 3:51
- "Lady" – 4:53
- "Caught in the Middle" – 3:48
- "All for One" – 4:31
- "Rock the Hell Out of You" – 3:35
Personnel
Stryper
- Michael Sweet – Lead vocals, guitar
- Oz Fox – Lead guitar, background vocals
- Tim Gaines – Bass
- Robert Sweet – Drums
Additional musicians
- Randy "The Emperor" Jackson – Bass on "Shining Star"
- John Purcell – Keyboards
- Jeff Scott Soto – Background vocals
- Brent Jeffers – Drums, keyboards
- Tom Werman – Percussion
Production
- Tom Werman – Producer
- Eddie Delena – Engineer, Mixer
- Michael Bosley – Assistant engineer
- Lawrence Ethan – Assistant engineer
- Buzz Morrows – Assistant engineer, mixing assistant
- Rudy Tuesday – Art direction, design
- Patrick Pending – Art direction
- David Perry – Photography, photo printing
- Ed Colver – Photography
- Neil Zlozower – Photography
- Jeannine Pinkerton – Typesetting
- Kyle Tucy Sweet – Make-Up
- Fleur Thiemeyer – Clothing/Wardrobe
Alternative versions
A limited edition version of the album was also released. It included a 14-minute interview with the band, presumably to explain their radical change in appearance and musical direction.
Title of the album
Tim Gaines said the album was titled Against the Law because it was, "our response to these religious folks who Christ said "They swallow a camel and strain on a gnat."[2] In other words: in response to the criticism from Christians protesting against them.