When someone thinks about classic Christian power metal of the 80's, Stryper will most likely come to mind. In 1988, they released their fifth album, In God We Trust. The album very quickly got attention of not only Christians but the secular market as well - and rightfully so. The record starts off with the title track in typical Stryper style with a strong melody and killer soloing, basing the song off of a the all-too-cliche phrase: In God We Trust. Following it, Stryper shifts gears, touching on their familiar pop side with "Always There For You." Continuing with the same styling, but with a little more of a rock edge, comes "Keep The Fire Burning," a ballad encouraging Christians to stay strong in their faith no matter what the world may think. "I Believe In You" is another sugary ballad, but with a good message nevertheless. Switching back into metal-mode, "The Writings On The Wall" is a powerful metal anthem, delivering wholesome lyrics with great guitar playing. It is a definite highlight on the album, and one of my personal favorites. Following the song are two more ballads, "It's Up To You" and "The World Of You And I." The album closes with the rock-ballad "Come To The Everlife," "Lonely," and the fast paced "The Reign," another highlight.

The album as a whole represents the sound of Stryper the best. It has a little of everything from Heavy metal songs like "The Reign," to the softer "Always There For You." This album not only was one of Stryper's best sounding albums, but also their most successful. It caught the attention of MTV with "Always There For You" becoming a hit single. In addition, the album was certified gold and is considered the peak of Stryper's success. Where the album falls short, however, is in its lack of strong metal songs that Stryper became known for after their albums, Solders Under Command, and To Hell With The Devil. The latter featured powerful metal anthems and strong rock ballads while In God We Trust focused on more pop-saturated ballads. Nevertheless, the metal songs present on this album are some of Stryper's best. Overall, In God We Trust is undoubtedly one of Stryper's best albums to date and is a definite must-hear for Stryper and non-Stryper fans alike.

Review date: 3/17/07, written by Elmer Frank for Jesusfreakhideout.com