Classic Petra released BACK TO THE ROCK in 2010. It was comprised of ten re-makes of Greg X. Volz era Petra classics, plus a new song 'Too Big To Fail', and the title track which was actually a re-working of 'The Rock' from a 2009 Volz solo album entitled GOD ONLY KNOWS. Fast forward to 2017 and we have CPR releasing BACK TO THE ROCK II (Lamon Records). At the time of its release CPR was: John Lawry (keys and bgvs), Greg X. Volz (lead vocals and bgvs), Ronny Cates (bass and bgvs), Louie Weaver (drums) and Kirk Henderson (guitars and bgvs). Henderson is the only guy who was never a part of Petra, although he has played with Volz before. It should also be noted that Ronny Cates has already resigned from the band to allow them more flexibility in booking dates. He has other commitments. Other Petra members who appear on this album are: Greg Bailey (cellos and violas) and Cristian Borneo (percussion). The album was produced by John Lawry and CPR BAND. Classic Petra Returns is set to play Creation Northeast this June!
1. 'Hollow Eyes' is one of seven songs on this project written by Petra co-founder Bob Hartman, and is one of nine songs that are updates of Petra songs. This one is a classic rock ballad that focuses on poverty: "Another day in Nigeria, the children beg for bread/The crops failed, the well ran dry when they lost the watershed/A baby dies, its mother cries, the children gather 'round/They're wondering what the day will bring/Will they be the next one found?/Do you dare to gaze into their hollow eyes, hollow eyes?/Are they staring holes in you with their hollow eyes/Hollow eyes, hollow eyes, hollow?"
2. 'The Coloring Song' was originally recorded by Greg X. Volz's former band 'e'. It was written by that band's drummer Dave Eden. Petra recorded it on 1981's NEVER SAY DIE and it became their first big hit. This easy listening ballad focuses on Jesus: "Red is the color of the blood that flowed/Down the face of someone who loved us so/He's the perfect man, the Lord's own Son/The Lamb of God, He's the only one/That can give us life, make us grow/That can make the love between us flow".
3. 'Not of this World' was the title track of Petra's 1983 album. Here, this easy listening ballad speaks of our true identity and our task on earth: "We are strangers, we are aliens/We are not of this world/We are envoys, we must tarry/With this message we must carry/There's so much to do before we leave/With so many more who may believe/Our mission here can never fail/And the gates of hell will not prevail".
4. 'Dream On' was penned by Steven Tyler and was on Aerosmith's self-titled debut album in 1973. Greg X. Volz recorded it on his 1988 solo album COME OUT FIGHTING. Now CPR covers this classic rocker here: "Dream on, dream on, dream on/Dream until your dreams come true/Dream on, dream on, dream on/Dream until your dreams come true/Dream on.../Sing with me, sing for the year/Sing for the laughter, sing for the tear/Sing with me, just for today/Maybe tomorrow the good Lord could take you away!"
5. Kirk Henderson's electric guitar playing on the meaty rocker 'Judas Kiss' is exceptional. The song is addressed to God and speaks of His people betraying Him: "I wonder how it makes You feel when no one seeks Your face/I wonder how it makes You feel when they give up in the race/I wonder what it's like for You when they willingly disobey/I wonder what it's like for You when they willingly walk away/It must be like another thorn stuck in Your brow/It must be like another close friend's broken vow/It must be like another nail right through Your wrist/It must be just like, just like Judas' kiss".
6. 'Beat the System' is an energetic rock number that was the title track of Petra's 1985 studio album. It speaks of standing up for what one believes in, no matter what: "Caught in the undertow, swept downstream/Going against the flow seems like such a dream/Trying to hold your ground when you start to slide/Pressure to compromise comes from every side/Wise up, Rise Up (2X)/You can be more than a conqueror, you will never face defeat, no!/You can dare to win by losing all/You can face the heat, dare to beat the system/Face the heat, dare to beat the system!"
7. 'For Annie' is an easy listening track about suicide: "No one ever knew her desperation/People couldn't hear her cry out silently/Locked inside the bathroom she grabs a jar of pills/The medicine that cures becomes the poison that kills.../And it's too late for Annie, she's gone away for good/There's so much we could tell her and now we wish we could/We've gotta tell her Jesus loves her, tell her Jesus cares/Tell he He can free her and her burdens bear/But it's too late for Annie".
8. 'All Over Me' is a splendid bluesy rock song from 1982's MORE POWER TO YA. The song is largely about Calvary: "All over me, all over me/I've got the blood of an innocent man/All over me.../They nailed His hands and His feet to the wood/At the foot of His cross all His enemies stood/He said 'Father, forgive them'/He gave them all He could give them/Then He gave up His life and they watched Him die".
9. The youthful praise rock song 'Praise Ye the Lord' written by Greg X. Volz is next up: "The Word of the Lord shall endure forever and ever/His merciful kindness is great toward us/With us to the end/Praise ye the Lord/Praise ye the Lord/Praise ye the Lord forever!"
10. Last up is 'It is Finished'. It's a lively rocker about the crucifixion of Jesus Christ: "They saw the bloody woven thorns with which His head was crowned/They watched the bloody cross of wood/Be dropped into the ground.../It is finished/And the sky grew black as the night/It is finished/And the people scattered in fright/The work had been done/Redemption had been won/The war was over without a fight/It is finished".
BACK TO THE ROCK II is a welcome CD release for me as the only Greg X. Volz fronted Petra cd I own is BACK TO THE ROCK. If you already own all or most of the actual Petra albums Greg fronted back in the day you will have to ask yourself if you want to pay for updated, re-recorded versions of the nine Petra songs here. In my opinion the songs stick pretty true to the originals with some variations. Lyrically, the most common theme is that of Christ purchasing our redemption and salvation at Calvary. The social issues of suicide, poverty, and starvation are documented. Believers in Christ are presented as visitors on this earth who can make a difference for the good in this world by standing up for Jesus and doing His will here before going to heaven. There are an equal number of slow and fast songs presented, with classic rock and easy listening being the musical genres presented. The addition of 'Dream On' is a nice touch, In fact I'd like to see Greg X. Volz go back and re-record some of the material from his older solo albums. I'm rating BACK TO THE ROCK II 95%. Some may say this isn't Petra without Bob Hartman on guitar, but Kirk Henderson holds his own. For more info visit: www.cprband.rocks.