Stryper to preview "Murder By Pride" on iTunes

BIG3 Records has announced plans to “preview” Stryper's upcoming studio album Murder by Pride at iTunes.com. With this groundbreaking new promotion, Stryper fans will have an opportunity to purchase the album song-by-song, one week at a time, until the album's release on July 21, 2009.

Every Tuesday beginning May 5th, a new song from the upcoming album will be released at iTunes – for one week only – until the album's July 21st release date. Each week, the song will be replaced by another, giving fans a chance to purchase the complete album one song at a time until the album hits stores.



Murder by Pride iTunes Release Schedule:
Tuesday, May 5 - "Eclipse of the Son"
Tuesday, May 12 - "Murder By Pride"
Tuesday, May 19 - "4 Leaf Clover"
Tuesday, May 26 - "The Plan"
Tuesday, June 2 - "Alive"
Tuesday, June 9 - "I Believe"
Tuesday, June 16 - "Love Is Why"
Tuesday, June 23 - "Mercy Over Blame"
Tuesday, June 30 - "Run In You"
Tuesday, July 7 - "Everything"
Tuesday, July 14 - "My Love (I'll Always Show)"
Tuesday, July 21 - FULL ALBUM IN STORES AND AT iTUNES

Murder by Pride also includes a cover of the BOSTON song "Peace of Mind" featuring BOSTON guitarist Tom Scholz. “Peace of Mind” is already available at iTunes.

Stryper will hit the road this fall with a 25th Anniversary Tour, hitting 50 cities in North America before going international in January and February 2010. Launching in September, the tour will be a two-set show. The first set will feature new Stryper material and include current bassist Tracy Ferrie, along with original members Michael Sweet, Robert Sweet and Oz Fox. The second set will feature all four original members, including original bassist Tim Gaines, wearing the original yellow and black stage outfits and performing the band's hits from the last 25 years.

In 1984, Stryper broke on to the scene with their debut EP Yellow and Black Attack, and have since gone on to sell 8 million albums and tour the world spreading an inspirational message through their branded sound of rock songs, heavy guitars and pristine harmony vocals. The group's unprecedented 1986 album To Hell with the Devil went platinum and was named one of the “100 Greatest Albums in Christian Music” by CCM Magazine.

In 2008, Michael Sweet joined legendary band BOSTON on vocals and guitar for their 54-city summer headlining tour of North America, performing the band's classic hits like "More than a Feeling," “Peace of Mind,” “Amanda” and “Don't Look Back.” BOSTON has sold over 30 million albums worldwide, including the band's 1976 self-titled debut, which has sold over 17 million copies to date and was the highest selling debut of all time. Sweet is currently in the studio recording the upcoming BOSTON album, due next year.

Stryper Announces 25th Anniversary Tour

Legendary Christian rock band Stryper has announced plans for a 25th Anniversary Tour, hitting 50 cities in North America this fall before going international in January and February 2010. Stryper's upcoming studio album Murder by Pride (Big3 Records) will be released in July.

The 25th Anniversary Tour, scheduled to launch in September, will be a two-set show. The first set will feature new Stryper material and include current bassist Tracy Ferrie, along with original members Michael Sweet, Robert Sweet and Oz Fox. The second set will feature all four original members, including original bassist Tim Gaines, wearing the original yellow and black stage outfits and performing the band's hits from the last 25 years.

"After recently learning about how precious life is and how often we take for granted the time that we have here on earth, I realized that this tour may very well be the most important tour in the history of Stryper," said Michael Sweet. "Tim, Robert, Tracy, Oz and myself are all stepping out together to show the importance of unity and forgiveness and the only way to show this is to live it. We've been faced with challenges over the past 25 years but two things have remained certain within our hearts and within our lives - the power of God's love and the beauty of God's grace."

The tour will be a family project, with Michael Sweet Jr's band Flight Patterns opening all dates. Their debut album will release on Fifty Three Five Records in July.

In 1984, Stryper broke on to the scene with their debut EP Yellow and Black Attack, and have since gone on to sell 8 million albums and tour the world spreading an inspirational message through their branded sound of rock songs, heavy guitars and pristine harmony vocals. The group's unprecedented 1986 album To Hell with the Devil went platinum and was named one of the “100 Greatest Albums in Christian Music” by CCM Magazine.

In 2008, Michael Sweet joined legendary band BOSTON on vocals and guitar for their 54-city summer headlining tour of North America, performing the band's classic hits like "More than a Feeling," “Peace of Mind,” “Amanda” and “Don't Look Back.” BOSTON has sold over 30 million albums worldwide, including the band's 1976 self-titled debut, which has sold over 17 million copies to date and was the highest selling debut of all time.

Murder by Pride will include a cover of the BOSTON song "Peace of Mind" that features BOSTON guitarist Tom Scholz on the recording. Ironically, Stryper had recorded "Peace of Mind" and planned to put it on their 2009 release long before Michael Sweet was even considered as a new member of BOSTON.

In 2008, BOSTON's Tom Scholz and Gary Pihl joined Stryper on stage to perform “Peace of Mind” for VH1 Classic's After Math: The Station Fire Five Years Later – a televised benefit concert also featuring performances by John Rich, Dierks Bentley, Gretchen Wilson, Aaron Lewis (Staind), Tesla, Twisted Sister, Winger and more.

"This record is a true miracle," said Michael Sweet. "We began rehearsing the new material in 2006 and now here we are looking at a 2009 release. It's been an extremely difficult process yet through this came one of the most powerful records that we've ever made. We decided to go back to what we were known for - vocal harmonies, guitar harmonies, solid grooves and melodic melodies and arrangements. We put our hearts and souls into making this record and we can only hope that it changes a few lives along the way. If so, it was all worth it!"

Michael Sweet's wife dies

Kyle Rae Sweet has passed on and is now at peace with her Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ. Please continue to pray for the Sweet family. We ask that if you wish to express your sympathies within an e-mail that you send them to the following e-mail address: thesweetfamily@michaelsweet.com.

Kyle was diagnosed with cancer in February 2007. She passed away at 8:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, March 5, 2009.

Kyle's life was dedicated to caring for her husband and home-schooling their two children. Her heart's desire was for their children to attend college. To best honor Kyle's work as a home-school mom there has been a fund set up called The Sweet Children's College Fund.

Donations to this fund can be made payable and mailed to:
Sweet Children's College Fund
Sovereign Bank
50 Cohasset Avenue
Buzzards Bay, MA 02532

A private funeral service will be held in the coming days.

Michael Sweet is a well-known musician and vocalist, best known as the co-founder and frontman of the band Stryper. Sweet is also a guitarist and vocalist for BOSTON.

Stryper lead singer Michael Sweet to perform with Boston

Stryper frontman and accomplished solo artist Michael Sweet is touring with the legendary band BOSTON this summer on a headlining tour of North America. Sweet is sharing lead vocals and playing guitar, performing the band's classic hits like "More than a Feeling," “Peace of Mind,” “Amanda” and “Don't Look Back.” Boston has sold over 30 million albums worldwide, including the band's 1976 self-titled debut which has sold over 17 million copies to date, and was the highest selling debut of all time.

The tour kicked off in Thunder Bay, Ontario on June 6th, and will take the band to 54 cities throughout the USA and Canada before wrapping up in San Juan, Puerto Rico on August 31st. Joining Boston on the tour is equally legendary rock band Styx.

"The tour has been a breath of fresh air and yet so surreal," says Michael Sweet. "I'm standing next to Tom Scholz, trading guitar solos and having the time of my life. Boston is such a big part of my musical background and this music helped shape who I am as an artist, writer, producer and musician. It truly is 'More Than a Feeling!'"

Prior to the commencement of the 2008 Boston tour, Stryper put the finishing touches on a brand new studio record to be released in 2009 and titled "Murder By Pride." The album will include a cover of the Boston song "Peace of Mind" that features Boston guitarist Tom Scholz on the recording. Ironically, Stryper had recorded "Peace of Mind" and planned to put it on their 2009 release long before Michael Sweet was even considered as a new member of Boston. Stryper's "Peace of Mind" featuring Tom Scholz is now available on iTunes and other digital stores.

With Stryper, Sweet has sold more than 8 million albums worldwide. The group’s unprecedented 1986 album "To Hell with the Devil" went platinum and was named one of the “100 Greatest Albums in Christian Music” by CCM Magazine.

"I've been blessed with the opportunity to be a member of Boston," adds Sweet. "I feel that it's a new chapter in my life and I also feel that it's part of Gods plan upon my life at this time. My wife Kyle has been so supportive and it's quite astonishing - I couldn't do this without her."

Photo Credit: Andy Argyrakis, Charter One Pavilion in Chicago - July 23, 2008