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- This article is about the music album. For the TV series, see Against the Law (TV series).
Against the Law is the sixth release, and fifth full-length album, from the Christian metal band Stryper, released on August 21, 1990 (see 1990 in music).
This album marked a radical change in the musical and visual direction of the band. Gone were the bumblebee-colored 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 and Fire song.
[edit] Track listing
All songs by Stryper 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" (Bailey, Dunn, 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
[edit] Personnel
[edit] Stryper
[edit] Additional musicians
[edit] 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
[edit] Miscellanea
The limited-edition cover artwork for
Against the Law.
- The limited-edition version of Against the Law also included a 14-minute interview with the band, presumably to explain their radical change in appearance and musical direction.
- Stryper has been the target of criticism for the lack of overtly Christian content on this album, when compared to previous albums. This album deals more with relationships and rock and roll, but from a decidedly Christian viewpoint.
