Welcome Return
Michael Sweet is best known as the singer, guitarist, songwriter and producer for Christian rock pioneers Stryper, selling over 10 million albums worldwide. In addition to Stryper, Sweet has had a successful solo career, and he served as the guitarist and co-vocalist for the legendary classic rock band Boston from 2007-2011.
It's a busy, busy time for Michael Sweet. A live Stryper CD/DVD for Frontiers; a super-group recording with Messrs Lynch, Lomenzo and Tichy; his first autobiography, Honestly: My Life and Stryper Revealed(due May 6th), and this, I'm Not Your Suicide, his long awaited and highly anticipated solo album.
Sweet leans on a few of his mates to wade in for an added bit of clout – Tony Harnell's unmistakable tone hollar's out on the opening and quite heavy Taking On The World Tonight, and trades vocal riffs with Sweet. Few people today have a voice as good as they did 30 years ago, but these two stalwarts of rock still cut the metal mustard! For a moment, on This Time, it felt like Sweet was duetting with Freddie Mercury. It even starts a little like The Show Must Go On. You may have never heard anything by Kevin Max before, but if Taylor and May ditched Adam Lambert, one of their first numbers to call to replace should be Max's! Sweet has great control with his vocals, holding back when needed, not always relying on the high notes to do his songs justice. This Time talks about never letting it slip away and whilst most of Sweets content revolves around a higher purpose, its not carried out in a 'preachy' way.
All That's Left (For Me To Prove) again sets its sights on the darker and heavier side of Sweets style, and this one chugs along quite nicely with a catchy chorus. With I'm Not Your Suicide, the recent new single, it again follows a similar format to The Cause stating, "no matter what someone may say or do to you to try to belittle and beat you down...and through the strength that you have and that God gives to you, rise above and remember there is a long life and a great, perfect, beautiful plan for you." pointing towards Michael's proud support of www.childhelp.org.
Coming Home is a song that could easily cross over to Country especially with that nice lap steel guitar resounding in the background. Any song about 'Home' in the US is something that resonates with people, this is one song that should be a single without doubt.
How To Live features Sweet's Stryper alumni's Robert Sweet and Tim Gaines. It's a power ballad of the highest order and again builds crescendo throughout the course of the song whilst Heart Of Gold shows that Nashville influence in his songwriting. Anybody Else features Whitesnake's (and potential Stryper guitarist many years ago – read the book!) Doug Aldrich and Chris Jericho (Fozzy vocalist), and proves to be a definite highlight on the album. The star count obviously increased the 'rock-out' ratio considerably, with Jericho showing that he's a perfect foil (and match) for Sweet. Unsuspecting is THE killer, 'rock out with your cock out' track on ...Suicide, and sees Sweet hitting all the high notes, but its driven by a full on riff and doesn't abate from start to finish.
There's a bonus track to finish the album off – Dave Mustaine's daughter Electra sits on for a duet on Heart Of Gold, and adds a delicate and nice twist to the sole Sweet version and is a 'true' bonus song
Its been a while coming from Sweet, but this will definitely please the Sweet and Stryper faithful. He's an honest performer who wears his heart (of gold) on his sleeve, and writes meaningful and lyrics. Whether or not you choose to listen to them and extract your own meaning is entirely up to you as the listener but I'm Not Your Suicide is chock full of big tunes either way.