Stryper's new album will be released on April 20th.
Expressing concern over the title of Stryper's new album, God Damn Evil , Walmart, the largest retail chain in the United States, and Christian stores refused to stock the album, saying the band had gone too far in choosing the name. ("Goddamn" is often interpreted as a swear word).
“We are disappointed ,” said vocalist Michael Sweet. “Stryper has always been about making people think outside the box. The title of our new album, God Damn Evil, is a statement that is necessary in our society. We have seen evil rise to new levels and this title is simply a prayer asking God to condemn all the evil around us. The strange thing is that of all the [retail] chains, we thought Walmart would be one to understand exactly what our goal and purpose is. Unfortunately not. While we respect their decision, what’s done is done. It’s frustrating to see something that was done for good be misinterpreted and misunderstood.”
Asked by All That Shreds what made Stryper choose such a seemingly provocative title, Sweet said: “We didn’t do it just to shake things up. A few years ago we thought about using this title, but we felt it was a bit much for that time. Now in 2018, with everything we’ve seen in the news, the evil we’re facing daily is growing to new levels, it made perfect sense for us to have an album called God Damn Evil. It’s a prayer request. That’s what it is. It’s not a swear word, it’s not just a shock statement, it’s a prayer request, and we’re asking God to condemn the evil we see. It should be a prayer for everyone. Some people are freaking out thinking ‘you’re taking the Lord’s name in vain,’ and it’s nothing like that.”
Stryper's new album will be released on April 20th.
