Stryper frontman Michael Sweet has revealed why guitarist Oz Fox does not appear on the band’s upcoming eighteenth studio album, Throne Of Thorns, due out September 25. Speaking on The Rock Is George Podcast, Sweet clarified that Fox’s absence from the recordings was not connected to his 2024 brain surgery.
“Well, believe it or not, it wasn’t related to [Oz’s] health issues in terms of his [2024] brain surgery. He’s been doing great with that. He’s been out touring with us and doing great,” Sweet said. “This was something completely different. This was based on the fact that he stopped taking blood pressure medication ’cause he’s supposed to take that every day. He has issues with his blood pressure, like many people do, and he stopped taking it. And we didn’t really know that he’d stopped taking it.”
Sweet explained that drummer Robert Sweet first noticed something was wrong during rehearsals.
“And Rob went into rehearsals with him and discovered, like, ‘Wait a minute. Something’s not right here.’ [Oz] had trouble playing and with his pitch and his hearing. His high blood pressure really affected that, and it was really high — going up, spiky, like go-to-the-hospital high. And we didn’t really know this until he came out to the studio, and he was having issues with it. And it was time for him to start playing, and his blood pressure was checked. We had a way to check it there, and it was through the roof.”
Fox’s blood pressure was later checked at the studio, where it was found to be extremely high. The band got him medication and allowed him to rest, but his condition still prevented him from playing the songs.
“So we were able to get him some medication and get him to lie down and rest and able to get him to feel a little better. But still, when it came time for him to play, he wasn’t able to play. He literally couldn’t go from chord to chord. He couldn’t play. And it was a bad situation. And I knew the songs, so I just said, I suggested, I said, ‘Dude, don’t worry about it. I’ll gladly play the parts,’ and he was very relieved to hear that. And then when we got to the solos, the same thing happened. So I wound up, at that point, having to play all the guitars.”
Sweet also ended up recording the guitar solos after Fox remained unable to perform.
“I wasn’t prepared for it, being honest. I was moving into vocal mode at that time, and I had very little time — not as much time as I would’ve liked — to prepare for all the guitars, having to do that, and think like two guitar players,” he explained. That’s a whole other thing. When you’re playing a certain style and that’s what you do, then you gotta try to think like another player and make it sound like two guys. That’s not an easy task. I did my best. I don’t know if I pulled it off. Fans will determine that. But I think so far people seem to really like the guitars. And I haven’t heard any complaints yet, so it worked out.”
Fox’s absence from the album comes after a difficult period involving several serious health issues, although Sweet stressed that the latest recording problem was related to high blood pressure rather than the guitarist’s previous brain surgery.
Fox underwent another brain surgery in May 2024 after doctors identified a recurring mass. He was released from the hospital shortly afterward and initially expected a relatively short recovery.
The procedure forced Fox to sit out Stryper’s spring 2024 “To Hell With The Amps” acoustic tour. Later health updates indicated that he was recovering and hoped to return to the band’s activities, helping explain why Sweet emphasized that Fox had since been touring and doing well.
Fox’s brain-related health history dates back to 2018, when he suffered a seizure during a performance. Doctors subsequently discovered two brain tumors, including one near his ear and another toward the back of his brain. The discovery led to years of monitoring and treatment.
In 2021, Fox underwent surgery to address the tumor near his ear and reduce the risk of hearing loss, balance problems, vision complications, and spinal issues. The operation did result in hearing loss in his left ear, but his current absence from Throne Of Thorns was not attributed to those earlier neurological problems.
Throne Of Thorns is scheduled for release on September 25, 2026, through Frontiers Music Srl. The album is credited to Stryper’s core lineup of Michael Sweet, Robert Sweet, Oz Fox, and Perry Richardson, with Sweet serving as producer. Fox remains part of the band’s lineup, but Sweet handled all of the guitar parts heard on the new studio recording.
