Originally known as ROXX REGIME, STRYPER was the first Hard Rock band to truly take The Word to an audience way beyond the already converted. In the band's formative years they were often criticised by a suspicious media for merely using Christianity as a tool to further their careers but their sincerity would undoubtedly prevail. The STRYPER tale began in 1981 when the Sweet brothers, Michael and Robert, formed ROXX REGIME. At one stage C.C. DeVille (a.k.a. Bruce Anthony Johannesson), active on the Los Angeles circuit with SCREAMING MIMI, ST. JAMES and LACE SLIP, was briefly involved on guitar prior to his exit to find fame with POISON. The Sweet siblings later joined up with guitarist Oz Fox (a.k.a. Richard Martinez), a school friend of the brothers from Pioneer High School in Whittier, California joining two years later. As ROXX REGIME, the band recorded a six track demo. The transformation to STRYPER (an acronym for "Strength Through Redemption Yields Pure Everlasting Righteousness", later subtly changed to "Salvation Through Redemption Yielding Peace, Encouragement and Righteousness") took place in soon after Fox joined in 1983.

The Sweet brothers would actually credit their friend and mentor Ken Metcalf with providing the impetus to pursue an objective of a totally Christian band. Apparently Metcalf's persistence in preaching the lord to musicians was, over a period of a year, so determined that eventually a day came when the group dropped to their knees as one, prayed and accepted Christ.

Bassist Tim Gaines, a Portland native and previously with WHITE LACE and YANKEE ROSE, joined the Sweet brothers and Fox from his previous group STORMER in August 1983. The quartet then concocted an image involving heavy use of stripes to establish the fact that the band name would, in normal circumstances, be spelt STRIPER and not STRIPPER! The band adopted the number 777, the number of God and perfection, as opposed to 666, the number of the beast, and the colours yellow and black. The latter of course, are used in caution signs on U.S. highways, meaning that, if you're tempted by the devil then check out what STRYPER has to say first...

The STRYPER concept was further enhanced by discovering Isaiah 53:5 in the bible ("But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and by his stripes we are healed") and quickly realised that the band's stripes could represent the marks made on Christ's back from flogging at his crucifixion.

Claiming to have got the deal with Enigma in answer to a prayer, the label became interested in STRYPER after Robert Sweet was introduced to some representatives from the company by one of his friends in the Enigma signed SSQ. 'The Yellow And Black Attack' was released in 1984. A six track affair, the vocals of Michael Sweet were melodically laid back in the extreme. However, the hard nature of their music caught the attention enabling the band to seriously make the all important breakthrough to the secular markets that Christian Rock bands had been either afraid or unable of exploiting previously. For live work to promote the record STRYPER pulled in their friend Ken Metcalf in the keyboard role.

A full blown album, the glossily packaged 'Soldiers Under Command', a record initially pressed on angelic white vinyl, appeared in 1985. The success of 'Soldiers Under Command' allowed Enigma to re-issue 'The Yellow And Black Attack' album, the original of which had become difficult to obtain even after two years, in a revised, circular shaped sleeve with the tracks re-mixed during 1986.

Gaines amazingly quit the band with rumours persisting that he was kicked out for alleged drink driving offences. He was briefly replaced by Matt Hurich who had quit LEATHERWOLF to take up the position, but, bizarrely, Tim was invited back into the fold after a mere four months and Hurich was out of a job. Whilst Tim Gaines appears on the cover of the platinum 'To Hell With The Devil' album the bassist didn't play on the record. Neither, for that matter, did Hurich, the tracks being recorded by an unidentified session player. The 'To Hell With The Devil' tour was due to kick off, somewhat aptly, the day after Christmas in December 1986. The band played a highly successful, one-off show at London's Hammersmith Odeon on May 30, 1987. Oz Fox was tapped by fellow Christian Metal act GUARDIAN's 'First Watch' album, released by Enigma in 1989.

Quite incredibly, with STRYPER at the height of their commercial success, the group found itself assailed by Christian organisations for their "Satanic" behaviour. Religious groups objected openly to STRYPER's choices in touring partners such as W.A.S.P. and WHITE LION and even analysed the album cover for 'To Hell With The Devil', claiming that the band members were depicted with pentagrams and rather than casting the Devil into Hell were inviting their audience to follow them into Hell. Others stated the bible itself had placed warnings about the band in Revelations 9:7-8 with the line "their faces were as the faces of men. And they had hair as the hair of women".

MICHAEL SWEET struck out with a solo record, 'Unstryped', in 1992. In 1993 the band split up after a compilation album was offered through Hollywood Records. MICHAEL SWEET immediately made plans for a full-time solo career busied himself with a sophomore outing, simply billed as 'Michael Sweet'. The singer signed to the Christian label Benson and eventually released his third solo offering, 'Real', in 1995 having collaborated on material with ex-BLUE TEARS frontman Greg Fulkerson. Tim Gaines would work with a succession of outfits including NO STRANGER, DANGER ANIMAL and INERTIA and in 1994 collaborated with WHITECROSS and FIERCE HEART guitarist REX CARROLL in the ST. JAMES project.

Robert Sweet returned to action in 1997 with Las Vegas Heavy Metal band TITANIC, featuring on a two track demo and performing one gig with the band. He then formed up a new band billed BLANK, initially cutting demos with TITANIC members vocalist Simon K. Tyler and bassist Raymond H. Kilsdonk. Fox and Gaines worked on their new band SIN DIZZY and in 1997 Gaines sessioned on TOURNIQUET's 'Crawl To China' album. Meantime, SIN DIZZY's 'He's Not Dead' album emerged in 2000. Paying due homage in STYPER's absence, another prominent Christian Metal band GUARDIAN released their own version of 'The Yellow And Black Attack' album.

STRYPER reformed for reunion show in New Jersey upfront of a gig in Costa Mesa during December 2000. The event would prove such a success organizer Rich Serpa scheduled another 'Stryper Expo' at the Felix Event Center at Azusa University in Azusa, California in May of 2001.

Other Christian acts on the same billing included OIL, JOSHUA, Death Metal band ULTIMATUM, PRIESTHOOD, SOLID MIND, EAST WEST and DISCIPLE. Oz Fox would also perform with his SIN DIZZY band and Tim Gaines performed live with Irene Kelly. If the showing of bands was not enough STRYER even arranged for skateboarding facilities!

The rejuvenated STRYPER would contribute an exclusive live version of 'You Won't Be Lonely' to the WDHA radio station compilation 'The Tour Bus- Road Trip'.

August of 2001 found Robert Sweet in the studio with STATIC laying down guest drums for their 'Justice' album. The drummer would also be revealed as working on a new project band BLISSED and performing live work with Cincinnati acts PLANET SCREAM and 7 HOURS LATER. During 2001 German Metal band POWERGOD would cover 'Soldiers Under Command' on their 'Bleed For The Gods' album.

All four original STRYPER members - Michael Sweet, Robert Sweet, Oz Fox and Tim Gaines - would be announced as returning to the studio in January of 2003 to cut two brand new tracks for a 'best of' compilation. STRYPER revealed plans for a full blown reunion tour later in the year and as these dates were solidified it became apparent the band believed the shows, which produced the album '7 Weeks: Stryper Live in America 2003', were part of their preparation for the biblical 'end times'. With tickets in high demand this run of shows would be extended well into late November with a second leg scheduled into 2004. The 6th March performance at the Tito Puente Amphitheatre in San Juan, Puerto Rico would be filmed for a DVD release.

In May it was revealed that Tim Gaines was in the recording studio cutting a new album in collaboration with his wife Irene Kelly. STRYPER made a return to action in September, putting in a gig at the 'Night Of Joy' festival held at the unusual venue of the Magic Kingdom Park at the Walt Disney World resort in Florida. However, that same month STRYPER issued an official statement revealing Gaines was no longer part of the band, cryptically relating "After much prayer, deep consideration, conversations, and deliberation, it has been decided, by all four of the original members of STRYPER that bassist Timothy Gaines will not be performing with the band during any upcoming concerts." Nevertheless, the band confirmed an appearance at the first international 'Revolution Metal Fest' held at the Palacio de los Deportes in Mexico City, Mexico on November 20th alongside fellow Christian artists SAVIOUR MACHINE, NARNIA, MORTIFICATION and EXOUSIA. Installed on bass would be Tracey Ferrie.

In December STRYPER entered the recording to craft a new album, their first since 1991. Unfortunately though the band pulled out of this concert leading to some unsavoury media repercussions.

'Reborn' would be offered to pre-order customers complete with an autographed STRYPER pocket bible. To promote the album to distributors, STRYPER's Michael Sweet and Oz Fox took the unorthodox but personal approach of meeting with EMI branch employees in early May in both Atlanta and Philadephia to perform acoustic renditions of 'Open Your Eyes', 'Make You Mine' and 'Passion'. MTM Music took the album for Europe, this version released in completely different cover art. The initial pressing of US copies would unexpectadly give early purchasers a collectors item, as the manufacturer pressed the CD with an incorrect running order to that detailed on the sleeve. 'Reborn' sold over 8,000 copies in its first week of US sales to debut at no. 111 on the Billboard charts.

Notably STRYPER was set to co-headline what was billed as "Hell and Heaven United" alongside arch nemesi SLAYER and DEICIDE for the 'Monterrey Metal Fest', on September 23rd at the Coca Cola Auditorium in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. However, SLAYER withdrew, quoting "personal reasons". Whilst retaining ties to STRYPER, Oz Fox joined the ranks of BLOODGOOD in December.

In early 2007 Sony BMG released a new STRYPER live album, entitled simply 'Extended Versions', featuring live performances from the 2003 reunion tour.

To celebrate thier 25th anniversary, STRYPER embarked on a tour of the United States in September 2009, hitting approximately 50 cities across America. This was followed by international tour dates in January and February of 2010. The tour featured a two-set show, with the first set being new STRYPER material and including bassist Tracy Ferrie, along with original members Michael Sweet, Robert Sweet, and Oz Fox. The second set compiled classic STRYPER hits with all four original members, including original bassist Tim Gaines. Michael Sweet Jr.'s band was the opening band on the tour.

Somewhat controversially Oz Fox scored mainstream press attention for STRYPER when on 5th June 2009 he married 41 year old Annie Lobért, founder of the 'Hookers for Jesus' organisation, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

'Murder By Pride' was released on 31st July via Big 3 Records in the USA and given a European release through Frontiers Records on 28th August. The latter version hosted an exclusive track, 'My Love, My Life, My Flame'.