Stryper: Knocking On Heathens’ Door

Stryper is a cultural anomaly: a Christian band in an area of rock usually identified in the public mind as heathen. There was no doubt Friday at the Universal Amphitheatre about the band’s Christian ties, as singer Michael Sweet made constant references to his faith. Whether Stryper is truly a heavy-metal band, however, is another issue. The L.A.-based group’s musical soul seems to lie closer to its pop stylings than its big drum sound and hard ‘n’ heavy guitar riffs.

The band’s power is undercut by songwriting limitations and ostentatious staging. Except for the hit ballad “Honestly,” most of Stryper’s material lacks the memorable hooks that make for strong pop tunes. The group’s show-biz extravagance--more than 40 guitar and bass amplifiers, two yellow-and-black-striped drum kits and a garish lighting set-up that spelled out “Jesus”--also belied Sweet’s statement that expensive trappings don’t matter, only “spreading the word.”