The Lost Archives Surfacing the reviews of our forgotten youth
    HM Magazine #72
    HM Magazine #72/Petra
    Petra — God Fixation cover

    Petra

    God Fixation

    Reviewed by Brian Vincent McGovern

    Listen on Apple Music
    Label Word RecordsHM Magazine #72July 1998
    rockcontemporary christian

    These guys just keep on going... Having all but lost credibility with much of generation X when the guitars creep to the back and ballads take center stage, Petra has marched on. There are a few rockers here, but pale in comparison to the band's hard rock glory days of On Fire. Nowadays, Petra seems to remain Christian rock for kids whose parents don't let 'em listen to rock & roll. Guitars here, for the most part, have safe tones, and John Schlitt's vocals reach his famed passion in just a few songs. Poised to reach the already churched, or rather, the longtime Petra fan, a few tracks ("A Matter of Time," "Set For Life," etc.) are of note, primarily for the quality guitar and bass tones, and a few songs show something different for the band in that lyrical direction takes on more of a first person story format ("Falling Up," "St. Augustine's Pears"), with a nice absence of clichés. Still, nothing groundbreaking is heard. While some may receive encouragement from the content, many a learned listener will hear a typical confirmational drivel that soaks most of Christian radio... Yet, the title typifies exactly what the band has been preaching for the past 25 years, which is to further one's relationship with God as much as possible, and to be completely "on fire," as it were.

    More from Petra

    Petra — Petra Means RockPetra — Petra Praise: The Rock Cries OutPetra — Unseen PowerPetra — Back Stage Pass (Video)Petra — Beyond Belief (Video Album)Petra — Beyond BeliefPetra — Wake Up Call

    Also in HM Magazine #72

    Crooked Smile — A Million Things to SayThe Raid Rockers — When the Show Is OverKat Marco — Maiden VoyageCrow — Where Oblivion FlowCharizma — To Be Continued…Cybershadow — Social ConditioningEli — Things I Prayed ForThomas Moody — Just Me and My GuitarAudio Paradox — Audio ParadoxParis by Night — Dawning