MICHAEL SWEET Wants To Record Three New STRYPER Albums In 2027: 'The Reason Being Is To Reach That 21-Album Goal', He Says

In a new interview with Lots Of Muzik, guitarist/vocalist Michael Sweet of Christian metal pioneers STRYPER, whose 18th studio album, "Throne Of Thorns", will arrive on September 25 via Frontiers Music Srl, confirmed that there are plans for him and his bandmates to return to the recording studio as early as January 2027. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah, that's what we're talking about doing. We're trying to work out all the details right now. But if it works out, we're gonna go in the studio in January and track three albums' worth of music. So the reason being is to reach that 21-album goal. This one's number 18, so three more would be 21."

Regarding why he wants to record so much new music at once as opposed to following a traditional album cycle by making a new LP every one or two years, Sweet referenced his battle with papillary thyroid cancer and STRYPER guitarist Oz Fox's ongoing health issues. He said: "I suggested to the label, like, 'Get us while you can.' Get us at this stage of our lives while we can still perform at this level, because in a year or two or four, we might not be able to — Ozor me. I don't know. It's possible. For example, if I have to have another surgery, the doctor said it's more high risk, in terms of damage to the vocal cords, my vocal folds. So, there's always the what-ifs. If I have to have that and I can't sing or whatever — I mean, granted, I put my faith in God, but things happen. That's reality. So I suggested this to the label, and they didn't know what to think at first. They were a little thrown off by it and thought, 'Well, okay, this is interesting. Wow.' And then by the end of the meeting, they really liked the idea. They thought it was a great idea, and I do too. I think more bands might wanna take note and try it as well."

Asked if those three albums will be released in the span of several years or all at once, Michael said: "Yeah, in a span [of several years], like they normally are. So if we record albums next year, the first album will come out the following year, two years from this album roughly. And the next album a few years after that, and the next album a few years after that. But they would be done, and we wouldn't be concerned about, in four years or five years, if Oz can play or if I can sing or if Perry [Richardson, STRYPER bassist] is gonna retire or if Robert [Sweet, STRYPER drummer]... You know what I mean? All these things."

Michael is currently battling papillary thyroid cancer, the most common type of thyroid cancer. Michael's diagnosis came last fall, less than a month after he underwent a biopsy of a nodule in the right lobe of his thyroid.

Sweet had part of the left side of his thyroid removed in December 2023 and has been candid with fans about how the condition has affected his voice.

According to the Columbia University Department Of Surgery, papillary thyroid cancer makes up about 80% of all cases of thyroid cancer. It is also the thyroid cancer with the best prognosis and most patients can be cured if treated appropriately and early enough.

In 2018, Fox fell during an onstage performance as a result of a seizure. Doctors soon discovered the musician had two tumors in his brain. By August 2019, Fox said the tumors had grown.

Fox's two tumors — one by his ear and the other in the back of his brain — were discovered when he suffered his first seizure in August 2018 while performing with SIN CITY SINNERS at Harrah's in Las Vegas.

In October 2020, Fox was briefly hospitalized after suffering another massive seizure.

Within weeks of Fox's original August 2018 seizure, STRYPER toured Australia and Japan as a three-piece, and later recruited Howie Simon to fill in while Fox was unable to go on the road.

Oz's latest brain surgery forced him to sit out STRYPER's spring 2024 "To Hell With The Amps" acoustic tour.