Stryper - The Roxx Regime Demos (1983)

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09. Xmas Song (As Stormer) (Bonus Track)
10. Wild One (As Stormer) (Bonus Track)
11. Live Without You Love (As Stormer) (Bonus Track)
12. R.A.D.I.O. (As Stormer) (Bonus Track)
13. Never Again (As Stormer) (Bonus Track)

Band Lineup:
Michael Sweet – Vocals & Guitars
Robert Sweet – Drums
Oz Fox – Guitars
Timothy Gaines – Bass

Flashback to 1983 and the band is named Roxx Regime. In an attempt to get a record deal, the band puts together a demo tape and is subsequently signed to a deal with Enigma Records. Once the deal was ready to sign, the band changed their name to Stryper and the rest is history! This is supposedly the original demo with no overdubs and/or re-recordings. What you get on this disc is a band that is very polished and energetic for a new set of rockers. The quality of the recordings are raw and harder than their commercially released counterparts. It’s pretty good for a demo, very listenable.
Five of the first six songs (‘My Love I’ll Always Show’ being the exception), ended up on the original E.P., THE YELLOW AND BLACK ATTACK (1984). That E.P., along with ‘My Love I’ll Always Show’, and a new song called ‘Reason For The Season’, were re-released as a full album under the same name in 1986 on Hollywood Records after their second album, SOLDIERS UNDER COMMAND (1985) went gold in the U.S.
This version of ‘Honestly’ pre-dates the 1986 version from TO HELL WITH THE DEVIL and it is of poor quality. It could just be the recording because this is damn close to the album version, including the harmonies. The drum solo by Robert Sweet, ‘Tank’, is a throwaway…..I never consider Robert Sweet when the conversation turns to great drummers and I’m not going to start now. Plus, it’s only 44 seconds long!

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