Some hair metal bands hail Satan—but not Stryper. These proud soldiers in God’s army are one of Christian metal’s earliest and most beloved pioneers. Coming together in the early ’80s, they hammered out a melodic fusion of screaming guitars and angelic meditations on faith and mortality that served as a righteous counterpoint to the decadence and sleaze of their Sunset Strip rivals. Secular audiences embraced them, too, helping to transform singles like “Honestly” and the Queen-inspired “Calling on You” into crossover pop hits. Not only did Stryper outlive the hair-metal era, but their sound turned fiercer as they entered the 21st century.