Michael Sweet was born on July 4, 1963. He is best known as the frontman for
Stryper. That group has sold over ten
million albums worldwide and are known for hits such as ‘To Hell With the
Devil’, ‘In God We Trust’, and ‘Soldiers Under Command’. Their most recent studio album is 2013’s NO
MORE HELL TO PAY. Michael Sweet is now
back with a new solo album entitled I’M NOT YOUR SUICIDE (2014, Big3
Records). Of it, he says: “The title is
about multiple subjects tied together, basically going out to anyone who’s been
bullied or abused in any sense and serving as a rallying point for not letting
someone or a group of people beat you down or take away your value...Musically
and lyrically, this project is a soundtrack to rise above your
circumstances”. Michael wrote ten of the
thirteen tracks alone, and produced the album.
Bill Edwards is executive producer.
The first song, ‘Taking on the World Tonight’, features Tony
Harnell, the lead singer for the Norwegian hard rock band TNT. This heavy metal treat is a song of great
determination: “I can’t sit back and watch my life go by/I’m just not that
type, I won’t back down/Why would I walk when I was born to fly?/If I stop I’ll
lose the winning round/I am a fighter, a survivor/I’ve beat the odds and I want
more/I’m taking on the world tonight/I know it’s dark but there’s a light/It
might be war, a bloody fight/I’m taking on the world tonight”. ‘All That’s Left (For Me To Prove)’is a
melodic rock song that finds Michael strongly committed to a relationship: “The
words we say are weapons of a mass destruction/I don’t want to join the war/Or
see you hurting anymore/So apologetically, I am offering my plea.../I know
you’ve heard it all before/I see you closing every door/So I’ll lay it on the
line/I ain’t losing you this time/No I won’t give up on me and you/And I won’t
let go over time/If it takes me till my dying breath/And that’s all that’s left
for me to prove/No I won’t give up on me and you”.
‘The Cause’ is a pop/rock song with Stryper-like backing
vocals. It reminds us there is more to
life than what we see: “Oh, we have a soul, we have a heart/That we can
show/We’re here for The Cause/Bigger than life/This one we know”. ‘This Time’ features the vocal stylings of
Audio Adrenaline singer Kevin Max. It
deals with the spiritual side of life as well: “This time/I won’t let it slip
away, no/This time, oh my faith will lead the way.../When I rise up in the morning/Faith
will lead the way”.
The title track and lead single ‘I’m Not Your Suicide’ is up
next. It is a pop/rock song written by
Blair Daly and Michael Sweet. Almost
half of abused children consider suicide.
This song is delivered from the perspective of one who has been bullied
and/or abused, and is decidedly pro-life: “I was sanctified, I used to feel
justified/Only to be crucified by you, by you/My life has just begun/I’m
standing in the shining sun/I’m not gonna run and hide, lay down and die/No,
I’m not your suicide/The stones you throw might bruise my bones, my skin/Reap
what you sow, the truth will show in the end/I won’t break under pressure/I
wouldn’t give you that pleasure”.
‘Coming Home’ is an adult contemporary song with strong country music
influence. It reflects on life as a travelling
musician: “I want to tell you sweet girl/I count the minutes, the hours/And the
days I’m not with you-but then there’s/Coming home and thinking bout
tomorrow/When I’ll be holding you/And I’m coming home/A smile breaks the
sorrow/Dark skies are turning blue”.
‘Miles Away’ finds Michael longing for intimacy with God:
“This life’s taken the heart that once beat within me/I’ve said from the start
that You’re gonna save me/But my doubt conceives/That You’re miles away/That
You’re in another place and I’m lost without a trace/What I would do to know
You/What I would give to run to You/I’m crumbling from deep within/These miles
away”. ‘Strong’ is a rock ballad of
great encouragement: “A storm can hit you with fury/And you know that it’s
coming soon/What good does it do to worry/When in the end there’s a sky with a
moon?/In the end there’s a summer with June/Cause you are strong in every
way/Don’t say it’s over now, believe in every day/Your strength isn’t
gone/Don’t say it’s over now/There’s hope beyond this play”.
‘How to Live’ features the talents of Stryper’s Timothy
Gaines and Robert Sweet. It is a
beautiful love song: “You’ve shown me how to live/Encouraged me to try/Inspired
me to give/And reach beyond the sky.../I don’t want to be without you/I could
never see my world without you/I believe God has a plan/That He holds in His
hands/It’s not hard to understand/You’ve shown me how to live”. Next up is a decent cover of Neil Young’s
‘Heart of Gold’. It includes these
iconic words: “I’ve been to Hollywood, I’ve been to Redwood/I crossed the ocean
for a heart of gold/I’ve been in my mind, it’s such a fine line/That keeps me
searching for a heart of gold/As I’m getting old/It keeps me searching for a
heart of gold and I’m getting old”.
‘Anybody Else’ is a groove-laden rocker that includes the
talents of Whitesnake guitarist Doug Aldrich and Fozzy frontman and
professional wrestler Chris Jericho. The
song seems addressed to Michael’s critics: “I’ve seen the middle, the ups and
downs/I’ve been a targeted man/It’s been hot and colder than hell/And just for
making a stand/I’ve learned to shake the dust from my clothes/As I get back on
my feet/I’m here to tell you, nobody knows/Just how to fight like me”. ‘Unsuspecting’ begins and ends with signature
Michael Sweet screams. This fast-paced
heavy metal gem is a strong statement of faith in God: “You’re unsuspecting/So
I’ll put my trust in You/You’re resurrecting/Every bit of good I failed to do/I
hear Your voice and I am taken/To a land that’s built on mercy/You are the
pinnacle of why/I once was blind/But now I can see/I never thought/That I’d be
glorified and everything in between/But now I know/That I’ve been bought and I
was washed beyond pristine”. Last up is
a bonus track. It is a duet version of
‘Heart of Gold’ with Electra Mustaine, daughter of Megadeth frontman Dave
Mustaine. I prefer this version to
Michael’s solo version earlier.
Michael shares: “I’m extremely thankful to have the greatest
fans in the world. God has blessed me
with this talent and I plan to continue on this path as long as I can draw
breath”. There are a few songs on this
CD that would fit nicely on a Stryper record with heavy electric guitars and
strong vocals. That being said, Michael
experiments with a variety of musical styles here and does them all quite
well. The album sounds contemporary and
relevant. This is a very well thought
out, cohesive album, giving the listener glimpses into Michael’s relationships
with both God, and his wife Lisa Champagne-Sweet. These songs are delivered with passion and
are fun to listen to! I’m rating I’M NOT
YOUR SUICIDE 90%. For more info visit: www.michaelsweet.com and www.big3records.com.