Listen: Sevendust’s Clint Lowery Co-Wrote a Song for Stryper

Sevendust guitarist Clint Lowery is an insanely talented songwriter. Sevendust fans know well how important his role in that band is, but the point was underscored when he left the band for three albums and the quality and complexity of their songs noticeably suffered (meanwhile writing an album just FULL of A+ songs for Dark New Day and releasing some stellar solo material under the Hello Demons Meet Skeletons banner). I’ve always thought that Lowery’s been one of those guys who could co-write or even fully write songs for other artists; metal bands, hard rock rock bands, even pop artists. He just intrinsically understands what makes a good song and he’s got that touch.

Lowery’s finally trying out his co-songwriting chops on a new song with Stryper. Yeah, it’s a bummer that friggin’ STRYPER of all bands on planet earth are the ones he’s lent his talents to, but hey, whatever, let’s give him the benefit of the doubt, yeah? Lowery met Stryper frontman Michael Sweet by chance on an airplane and the two exchanged contact info, which eventually resulted in Lowery sending Sweet some riffs and Sweet extrapolating a song out of them.

And ya know what? “Yahweh,” the song Lowery penned with Stryper frontman Michael Sweet, sounds a whole lot like Sevendust! I’m not just saying that.

The intro riff and opening harmonized guitar sequence are eerily similar to “Splinter,” the opening track from Sevendust’s Cold Day Memory (incidentally the album for which Lowery returned to the band after his leave of absence). But if you’re not sold on that, wait until you hear the verse; the chugged guitar part and vocal melody are near dead-ringers for those of “Splinter”!

Listen below and compare and contrast the two. I promise you won’t get cooties from listening to Stryper. In fact, the Stryper jam is actually pretty good! I can’t believe I just wrote that.

Stryper’s new album Fallen comes out on October 16th. Sevendust, meanwhile, are gearing up to release a new album as well but haven’t announced the details yet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQts7LMT5g8