If any band proves the existence of God, it’s Stryper. Not because of their against-the-grain Christian beliefs, yellow-and-black outfits or penchant for hurling bibles into audiences, so much as the fact they sucked so badly that their 80s success could only have been down to divine intervention.
Unhappily, they’re still here, clinging on with the tenacity of a biblical plague. This flat, unvarnished album/DVD combo, recorded at noted Sunset Strip den of sin the Whisky A Go Go, is more Songs Of Praise than Live And Dangerous.
The indigestible likes of Marching Into Battle and Soldiers Under Command are stripped of their pomp but not their piety, while there are Sunday school tombola draws that fizz with more excitement than Calling On You.
If there is a hell, it must sound something like this./o:p
