Christian metal veterans STRYPER have announced their 18th studio album, "Throne Of Thorns," set for release on September 25 via Frontiers Music Srl, and shared the title track alongside the announcement. The record continues the band's decades-long run of blending heavy riffing with the polished, melodic hooks that have defined their sound since the 1980s.
Drummer ROBERT SWEET expressed strong confidence in the new material, telling fans, "I really believe you're all going to love it," and noting that he considers it among the band's finest work to date. Frontman MICHAEL SWEET spoke specifically about the meaning behind the title track, framing it in explicitly religious terms: "'Throne Of Thorns' is a powerful message. Christ is on the throne, and we are redeemed because of the crown of thorns that He endured."
"Throne Of Thorns" will run eleven tracks: "Throne Of Thorns," "Here In Your Heart," "Falling," "I'm Alright (I'm Okay)," "Waiting For You," "Carry The Flame," "Hollywood," "Beautifully Broken," "Ashes To Roses," "Alone Again" and "Shadowbreaker." The album marks the latest release from the band's current lineup of MICHAEL SWEET on lead vocals and guitar, ROBERT SWEET on drums, OZ FOX on vocals and guitar, and PERRY RICHARDSON on bass and vocals.
STRYPER will back the release with an extensive U.S. tour beginning July 17 in Arlington, Texas, with dates running through December and stretching as far as Puerto Rico — giving the band ample opportunity to debut the new material well before the album's official arrival in the fall.
Formed in 1983, STRYPER built a singular niche in heavy music by pairing arena-ready hard rock and metal with overtly Christian lyrical content, a combination that made them one of the most commercially successful acts to emerge from the genre's yellow-and-black-clad corner in the '80s. Four decades on, "Throne Of Thorns" finds the band still leaning into that identity without compromise, betting that longtime fans — and the extensive touring cycle ahead — will carry the record to a warm reception.