7 Weeks Live in America

Stryper | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 18, 2004)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Fifty-Three Five
• ASIN: B00022XEJA
• Also Available in: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #174,557 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Return Of Righteous Metal!!, July 7, 2004

By 

Ken Pierce "Editor, PiercingMetal.com" (Brooklyn,, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 7 Weeks Live in America (Audio CD)

Originally posted on www.MaximumMetal.com

Late last year Christian Rockers Stryper reunited for a small tour of the States. It was the first time in twelve years as a band that they had done this. I was able to catch one of these shows when they hit New York City. As a matter of fact, there is a review of this show elsewhere on the Metal Circus site (check Conciertos). This CD entitled "7 Weeks: Live in America 2003" is a souvenir to the fans of Stryper music to mark this tour happening. I enjoyed seeing the band reunite because of their positive message in a time where the world is full of so much less than that. So as a result, I also enjoyed the aspect of having the performances represented on a CD to keep in my music collection.

The CD begins with the "Sing A Long Song" and everyones voice comes through nice and clear. The production is fine on this disk. I found the drums a little overpowering sometimes on the CD, but as a drummer this did not bother me all that much. The guitar work of Oz Fox is not lost amidst any of the songs, and pretty much every level is on an equal. No overproduction on the vocals as was sometimes seen on the studio releases, and not as much effects on them either which I enjoyed. Better t hear the band sing normally and in great harmony without the aid of too much processing. Some of my favorites on the CD are "More Than A Man", "Soldiers Under Command" and "Calling On You". OK, I also enjoyed "Honestly". The CD runs about 63 minutes which is not bad, but could have thrown a bonus track in there. At least a different tune that might have been done on another set of nights.

I did have a gripe about the book being so minimal. I would have liked it to include a lot of the pictures taken across the duration of the tour. Inside it opens to a two-page foldout which is in black and white. I felt it would have been nice to have a lot more of these pictures in color, with more than the two sentence liner notes about the tour. They do include the complete venue list so fans can see where they played. I attended the 3rd performance on the tour. I found the sound on the CD to be a little tighter bandwise since it was recorded a lot later on. At the third show there were of course light tweaks being worked out after so long an absence from live performance. I think it would have been smart to include a DVD of the live stuff from various locations if it was available, because these days so many bands are trying to include stuff like this to add to the value of the customer dollar.

Casual fans of the band can enjoy this release since there is no live Stryper album before this one. However, this is more for the fans who must have everything that is released. If this is a first time to try them, great go for it. Yet you might wanna grab the recently released "7: The Best Of Stryper" before you get anything else. The metal music arena and the world itself is a far different place since Stryper first came around. Perhaps it is good for their message of hope and love to have returned at this time. Check it out, and read more about updates and their activities by looking at the site link provided below.

Track Listing:
1.Sing Along Song
2.Makes Me Wanna Sing
3.Calling On You
4.Free
5.More Than A Man
6.Caught In The Middle
7.Reach Out
8.Loud N Clear
9.The Way
10.Soldiers Under Command
11.To Hell With The Devil
12.Honestly
13.Winter Wonderland
14.Closing Prayer

www.stryper.com

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Still great after 20 years, June 8, 2004

By 

Brian Reaves (Anniston, AL USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: 7 Weeks Live in America (Audio CD)

When I was a teenager, Stryper had just started to make their name in music. They were misunderstood and feared by most church folks I knew, but their music was incredible. At the time, they were one of the few Christian bands who had successfully "crossed over". Now they are back for their 20 years anniversary with a live CD from their reunion tour last year, and you'd never know they left.

The music kicks, and is as sharp now as it was then. The only thing that betrays their age is Michael Sweet's voice. He doesn't hit every high note he used to, but he can take most of them on with no problem. Favorites like "Soldiers Under Command", "Sing Along Song", and even the quirky "Winter Wonderland" are here (though "Reason for the Season" would have been a better Christmas song--and an original of theirs). I don't really know why they'd go with "Caught in the Middle" and "More Than a Man" rather than the two new rockers they did on their last "Best Of" cd though (those two songs would have cooked, where the others sort of drag things down just a little). The only major deviation from the album versions comes with "Honestly". This one make take a couple of times to appreciate, but it's good. Give it a chance. They close out the CD with an awesome prayer for the audience, and you really get a feel for what a night at the concert would be like.

It was good to see the band steer clear of their "Against the Law" cd for the most part, though "Shining Star" would have been a better choice for the concert than "Caught in the Middle". Unfortunately, their most radio-friendly cd "In God We Trust" doesn't get a single song in here.

All in all, the boys proved they can recreate the sound from their albums live and just as strong. I can't wait to see the DVD when it comes out! Highly recommended.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stryper still rocks, July 13, 2004

By 

Ed M. "mredwrdo3" (Lancaster area, PA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 7 Weeks Live in America (Audio CD)

I like to think I am fairly picky about what music I listen to. I am a christian, but usually don't listen to christian music because of its general lack of quality. Stryper however is the exception, and I think this live collection from their recent tour proves it. I saw them in Asbury Park, NJ in Nov. last year and it was one of the best concerts I've been to in my life. This CD shows not only how great they still sound, but how they sound even better now than 12 years ago. Not only can Michael Sweet still hit those high notes(including the jaw-dropping, 14 second note at the end of "The Way"), but he and Oz Fox also still have the ability to shred lightning fast guitar solos and the dual-guitar harmony between them is very tight and is added in places that actually improves the quality of the song, in this listener's opinion. The only time the pace really slows down during the concert is on their token ballad, "Honestly." While not a bad song, I don't really listen to this one cause after listening to so many heavy songs, I'm not really ready to listen to a song that's sounds like it's out of a school dance, but this is a guy's opinion. Then they cover "Winter Wonderland", which, though they do heavy it up, doesn't really seem to fit unless you were there or are in a Christmasy mood. These aside, the majority of the CD, for lack of a better term, rocks, and if you are a Stryper fan in any sense of the word(and maybe if you aren't)it will have you singing along on nearly every track. Very few CD's do that for me, and that's why I give it five stars. I can't stop listening to it.