Rock Overdose has issued a new interview conducted with MICHAEL SWEET, frontman for Christian metal act STRYPER. An excerpt follows:

Q: Which are the Stryper characteristics today? Why should someone listen to your music?

A: "We strive to produce and perform great music and a positive message. Stryper is here to inspire and encourage the world through the power of rock/metal music, We’re just as relevant as we were 30 years ago."

Q: From the very beginning up until now, you have continued following a specific ideology in your lyrics regarding Christianity, despite the various reactions, a fact that made you in the end a truly respected band. What gave you strength to continue and overcome the difficulties? What is your secret for being alive after all these years?

A: "Staying true to our faith and beliefs and staying focused on the task at hand. We hold each other accountable and support one another through the good times and the bad times."

Read the full interview at this location.

Michael Sweet will release his new solo album, I'm Not Your Suicide, in May. Completed two years ago, Sweet shares his thoughts on finally getting this material out there:

"It's an opportunity for me to express myself in new ways, and experiment a little more musically. As a writer, I respect all styles of music and although hard rock/metal is where I lay my head, it's cool to be able try different things and reach outside the box. Stryper has a particular style and sound and it's important that we don't venture too far away from that."

"My new solo album has some heavy music on it and at the same time, it also has a little more diversity and different instruments going on which makes it very interesting. I used steel guitar on a few tracks, 12 string guitar here and there, mellotron, live cellos, B3, and all kinds of instruments that you don't or most likely here on a Stryper album. It's exciting for me to be able to go into a studio and have the freedom to incorporate new sounds, techniques and instruments. I also brought in quite a few guest singers and musicians to add to the overall sound of the album. Kevin Max, Electra Mustaine, Tony Harnell, Chris Jericho, Doug Aldrich, Kenny Aronoff, Paul McNamara, Charles Foley, John O'Boyle, and Pete Adams all helped to make this album the best solo album to date and a record that I'm most proud of. I look forward to all of you hearing it and I want to thank you all for being friends and fans, solo or not."