Long, long ago a Christian metal band sprung up on the music scene and they were called Stryper. They wore yellow and black spandex outfits and had big poofy hair. Well, many years have passed since then and now lead singer of the band, Michael Sweet has released a new project called "Him". Put simply, it is a collection of new arrangements of old hymns that have been sung in churches for years.
The overall tone of the album is worshipful. Only a minority of the tracks are actually upbeat in tempo which may surprise some longtime fans. "Christ the Lord is Risen Today" is here called "Alleluia", while "I Surrender All" goes by "Surrender".
Perhaps the most beautiful track is "Take my Life" which runs over five minutes in length. Even included is the Christmas classic "Oh Holy Night". You'll be hard pressed to find a better version out there than Sweet's!
The hymns of course are rich in lyrical content. On the first track "Calvary" Sweet sings: "And mercy there was great, and grace was free/And pardon there was multiplied to me/There my burdened soul found liberty oh at Calvary". Musically and vocally I recommend this cd to fans of Bon Jovi and Def Leppard's slower material.
I do not believe you can order this one from the Christian bookshops. However, it can be ordered via Michael's website at www.michaelsweet.com, as my brother Mark did for a Christmas gift for me. Thanks Mark! Should you order it, it will be well worth the wait!