Style: Christian rock, heavy metal
Label: n/a
Year: 2021
Home: n/a
Members: Michael Sweet ~ vocals/guitar/keyboards
Lou Spagnola ~ bass
Kenny Lewis ~ keyboards
Cordaro Rodriguez ~ keyboards/strings
Peter Vantine ~ strings
Derek Kerswill ~ drums
I remember when Trevor Rabin released his original solo demo of what would be re-recorded as Yes' chart-topping 90125. I can't remember now just how different or the same they sounded, but as a huge Yes fan I went to it like Sherlock Holmes. How much is 90125 actually a Rabin album under a new name? What parts were changed the most? What parts are better? So on. I'm now putting on my Holmes cap again with the release of Michael Sweet's new solo album. First, I'll confess I'm not that familiar with Stryper's music, but generally like the bit I've heard. Yet, I can't remember the last time I heard a Sweet solo album, if ever, so this is a bit of a rarity, a treat & a new Sherlockian mystery. The new solo album Reborn Again is actually not so new. It was recorded by Sweet as a solo album after Stryper came off a few years of sporadic reunion gigs. Playing it for the band, they decided to re-record it for release by the band, under the name Reborn. Released in 2005 Reborn was the first Stryper studio album since 1990 & made the reunion permanent. Though it didn't see the return of bassist Tim Gaines, but introduced Tracy Ferrier from Sweet's solo band who would continue with the group. Now, in 2021 comes the release of the unheard original demos of Reborn ... sorta. Not leaving the past alone these aren't the pure demos, but have been given additions Sweet felt were needed. There's added guitar solos & rhythm parts, high vocal notes, synth parts & an alternative mix of "Passion" alongside the original mix. First, comes the basic question: putting the history aside & ignoring Reborn, is Reborn Again a good album? The second question is: how does it compare? Answering the first question: yes. Very much so. Its a great album that on repeated listens is really good. Know that this is not a demo in any form. There's no clicks or scratches or poorly recorded parts, but a completed finished album professionally mixed. For point of context continuing, I'm going to refer to Stryper's Murder By Pride with the single "4 Leaf Clover", which would follow Reborn. I always enjoyed that album, though I felt at the time it went too much to the heavier side & sounded a bit too much like the trends of the time. I always think of it as having a muddy sound or wall of sound, as the music is so dense like its trying to be Metallica or someone. Reborn Again dials things back a lot. It has the heavy riffs that immediately grab your ears, but the vocals are front & center. It also dials back the dense layers that for me muddied the waters with Murder By Pride. Here the vocals & melodies carry the album over the heavy riffs. Actually, the mix over all is amazingly clean, so Reborn Again feels vibrant in a way Murder By Pride never did for me. The songs have room to breath & all their nuances come out. I'd hire whoever did this to mix my music project. There's also little bits that totally make the album, giving the songs kick & variety. Like in opener "Open Your Eyes" when the drums stop & the guitar solo fades in. Or, "Reborn" where synthesizers bubble over a heavy guitar riff, which is joined by a wah wah part ... & it all magically works. Check out the soaring guitar solo 2 minutes in on "When Did I See You Cry". I've mentioned in past reviews about how songs don't always go into the orbit like I think they are trying for. Take note of this solo. This is the solo those albums are missing. Short & sweet (no pun intended), that fits perfectly & moves the song to the next level. It's not a flurry of notes, but a climb into orbit like a speedy elevator. There's also great powerhouse ballads in "Made You Mine" & "Rain". What catches my ear is the ballad part is all in Sweet's vocals. He's never been a vocalist I ever gravitated to, but the guy can sing, like really sing. While on top of driving riffs there's this push/pull to the song that allows the ballad to breathe, but the songs have their moments to rise up & rock out. There are two versions of "Passion", with one putting more focus on strings & piano than guitars. I really like this version. Now, the big question, which many readers have likely been impatiently waiting for me to get to: how does it compare to Reborn? For this review I listened to Reborn, having never heard it. The first thing I noticed is how it doesn't have the dense sound of Murder By Pride, but is facing that direction & what came next makes sense. Reborn and Reborn Against sound a lot alike. This is without doubt Sweet's creation just re-recorded by Stryper, not re-invented. They are more the same album than not. Having said that I'd rather listen to Sweet's version. It grabs me as more of a unique entity with more room to breathe, while Reborn sounds like a guitar focused rock band. Using "Open Your Eyes" as an example, the new version features a thick upfront rhythm with more in common with Tool than what Stryper. The Stryper version has the same riff, but it has that muddy feel I mentioned earlier. The vocals have also been slightly processed on the Stryper version, but in a way that hasn't held up well over time. The Stryper version feels more like a wall of sound, while the solo one breathes more. The guitar solo by Oz Fox is also double-tracked, but it doesn't really give it any extra push. The double-tracked guitar & tweaked vocals are all remnants of past musical trends that Stryper was obviously trying to grab on to. Reborn Again was re-built away from trying to blend in with music trends & isn't looking for MTV commercial success, so it feels more relaxed & willing to take chances, or be something other than a guitar album by a guitar focused band. It comes across as the more unique product. Reborn Again strips back the songs & then adds not just layers, but accentuation. The solo album comes across less dense & with more intricate parts. Reborn isn't a bad album, not in the least, but it sounds more of its era. Reborn Again lives up to its name with success. I say this is a must hear for Stryper & non-Stryper fans.
