Search - Petra :: Not of This World

Possibly the best Christian rock album ever

Brian Hulett | Oinklahoma | 04/24/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Well, that's a heady statement to make, I realize. And I must admit I've not followed the genre closely for a few years. Still, I would easily rank this up there with anything by Degarmo & Key, Larry Norman, Carman, etc.Petra's style at the time of this release (1983) was straight-on mainstream rock'n'roll, and you could possibly make a case for comparing their style to Kansas, Styx, Foreigner, etc., of the same era. But it's not quite fair to say "they sound like so-and-so," because Petra clearly had an original sound that keeps them from being so easily pigeonholed. My wife, the lucky bird, got to see them in concert when this recording was brand new. I could have too, but was far from God at the time and was totally uninterested. Such is life.There is not a weak track on this CD, either lyrically or musically. I just relistened a few days ago and currently "Blinded Eyes" is looping through my head. Very nice. The tunes are all full of memorable hooks and inspiring lyrics, including possibly my favorite Petra track, "Graverobber," a song about the Lord's return when he'll open the graves and reunite the bodies of the saints with their souls and raise them up to meet Him in the air.If you like your rock solid with a pop edge, and are always happy to hear such a sound being presented with a clear gospel intent, this is a must-own CD."

The best petra album before John Schlitt

Michael Jones | Cambridge, MD | 09/23/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This in my humble opinion is the best Petra album of the Greg x voltz era. His vocal talent really shines on this one. This is a must have for any petra fans.



The only thing I did not like was the fact that it was really not a band effort.



Louie Weaver did not play on this one. I dont know who else didn't, but I do know that not everybody in the band was apart of this. Or had very little to do with it.



Bob did tell me though that since Louie was a live drummer he played relativly few albums. But dont let that stop you from buying this album in anyway"

CrutcHead's fave Christian rock LP

chris banez lim | Philippines | 04/22/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Personally, for me this is the best record ever unleashed by Christian Music's perennial rock act - the band Petra, which serves as their worthy follow up for their grand classic album MORE POWER TO YA, that forever laminated the band in their premiere status, stretching their career to a thirty year plus lifespan.



Packaged as the third one to appear with their spaceship-guitar mascot of sorts (this time all set up flying over into space in full ignition (first appearing on their fourth LP, the similarly Black Sabbath LP titled Never Say Die, wherein the Guitar-ship is flagging up not to totally sag down)), going on the similar vein as that of Queen's A DAY AT THE RACES (also a certain follow up LP to another monumental classic album A NIGHT AT THE OPERA, and also there's Aerosmith's PUMP) it is one of those albums which comes as a semi-concept album, containing a track which closed its entirety by the same portion which started the LP - in this case a good rendition of the traditional church tune Doxolgy by PETRA's then-unsung keyboard wiz John Slick, who sadly left the band after this effort.



A leverage of indispensable sound is found entirely on this album incorporated within its melodic rock delivery, that matches the equally insightful and powerful lyrics within each song, being that an improved quality (production-wise) is made possible due to a more expensive budget that's been made affordable from the success of their previous release MORE POWER TO YA to this one -- which claims in retrospect a straightforward thematical structure of christian messages, that are found from the initial title track that'd segued from the introduction of Slick's Doxolgy rendition, to the album's closer "Godpleaser" with its clear crystalized perspective of keeping a keen insight on eternal values within its scope. The band also lambasted matters regarding personal motives with the hard-rocking track "Bema Seat" with a no-holds-barred delivery, just as it suddenly clicks from the relaxed ambience of the very thoughtful title track, and drove again into the similar vein with the song "Grave Robber" - which peculiarly may have been among one of those songs which are intended to the memory of one among Christian music's finest the late Keith Green, who've died on a plane crash accident just a year before this album's release (along with Petra's then-co-STAR SONG label mate Twila Paris' "Do I Trust You"). Then it moved on to end its first side with a carrion call for those who 'do not see' with the track "Blided Eyes"; which afterwards turned to open up the platter's other half with Slick's "Not By Sight", continuing the band's awesome energizers by their lyrical structures for christians to continue on the path. What's outstanding as well is the track "Pied Piper" which speaks of so-called preachers who are more on the interest of propagating corporate means than for those matters with spiritual value.



What's really apparent in this album is Petra's sonic sincerety not only for what christian ideals they try to propagate, but also in their sheer integrity as a solid rock format unit for what they are packaged in at the time. It's a surprise that by the following year Petra pale-out quite instantly with their album BEAT THE SYSTEM - which is an attempt (I bet given by some unknowledgable executive's concept) to change their format vying for the so-called new-wave sound that was then prominent at that time, perhaps driven as well by certain ideas of certain religious communities ... but obviously that's just not what the band should've dealth themselves into, winding Petra to gradually progress to move on as a band in their continuity, but perhaps only just for the sake of making it so, if not for the better as a result.



However, Petra's NOT OF THIS WORLD is just about the simplest hard-rock album and yet undoubtably heavy when it comes to its impact of message and musical clarity.



A real classic.

"