Customer Reviews

Wake-Up Call

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I never thought I would rate this album as high as four stars. When I first bought it in 1993, I would've given it 3 stars, at the most! However, isn't it a funny thing when a band's newest release is pretty bad, and you end up going back to listen to their earlier works? That happened to me with Van Halen, and that is now what happened to me with Petra after their horrible release called "Double Take"! "Wake-Up Call" had to grow on me for a few years, but since it was released 8 years ago, I have learned to appreciate the genuine creativity and excellent diversification that the band displayed in this album.

There is an excellent mix and arrangement of good, hard rockers and profound, moving ballads. The album starts with "Midnight Oil" , a fast-paced rocker introducing driving electric guitars and intense drumwork. Other good rocking songs are "Good News", "Strong Convictions", and "Underneath The Blood". The latter song is an AWESOME combination of all the band's talents: drums, guitar, vocals, bass, and keyboards. "Praying Man" is an intense creation...the band keeps true to its roots in this song with heavy keyboards and guitar. The song is reminiscent of their earlier works! The best song on this album is "Sleeping Giant". This song rocks with ease, has phenomenal build and energy, and Louie Weaver's drumming is fantastic! Even with all those pluses with the song, there is one flaw: no guitar solo. The song loses a little intensity there, but the vocals and drums make up for that mistake.

The ballads are not as powerful as their earlier works, but they are good, and the lyrics speak volumes. "He's Been In My Shoes" and "Marks Of The Cross" are both remarkable reflections of Jesus' life and sacrifice. "Believer In Deed" starts out slow, but eventually builds as a melodic rock song. What makes this song even better is Bob Hartman's guitar solo. It has a beautiful melody in this song and exquisite flow! Lastly, "Just Reach Out" ends the album, and this is one of John Schlitt's (lead vocals) first songs written for Petra. Actually an acoustic compilation, it is a mellow, but moving ballad that tells someone who to turn to in times of trouble and despair.

My only problem with this album is its production. John and Dino Elefante produced most of Petra's albums, but since Petra wanted to work and stay in Nashville, TN instead of California, they chose Brown Bannister to work on "Wake-Up Call". Prior to this album, he also produced some of Amy Grant's albums. This was a mistake...NEVER get a pop music producer to work on a hard rock band's album. The ending result was an album that lacked the distinctive "arena rock" Petra sound. The production took away some of the edge and intensity from Bob's guitar. Also, Louie's drums were not as hard; they were crisper and lighter, which doesn't blend as well with arena rock keyboards.

Despite the blemishes, get this album as soon as you can, especially if you've heard songs from the "Double Take" album. It demonstrates what Petra used to be and what they still could be!

Over the last two decades Petra has become an institution in Christian music. After dominating the 1980s, Petra entered the new decade with their finest album, "Beyond Belief." Their follow-up, "Unseen Power" was solid, but not a spectacular follow-up. It seems a change of producers was all it took. Brown Banister, who did wonders for Whiteheart on "Freedom", does a similiarly masterful job on Wake-Up Call. The sound is definitely "90s", and guitarest Bob Hartman shows he still one of the best in the business. The intense "Midnight Oil", catchy "Praying Man" and powerful "Sleeping Giant" makes this one of the top Petra albums of all time. One of the most pleasent surprises is Petra moving away from outdated 1980s keyboard style ballads. Instead, singer John Schlitt writes a fresh masterful acoustic based tune, "Just Reach Out" that closes the album leaving the listener wanted for more. "Wake Up Call" shows that once again this veteran band can change their music to fit the times. The MVP award goes to producer Brown Bannister, who took an established band to a newer, crisper sound, as well as drummer Louie Weaver, who's intense drumming paced the whole album.

Petra was one of those nostalgic 80's Christain groups who took their message and their music/ministry very seriously, and rightly so! Much like the Christain group "Stryper" many of Petra's songs are passionate and these songs hunger for a closer (non-superficial) relationship with Jesus Christ.

"Wake Up Call" in my opinion, was one of Petra's best albums.
Songs like "Praying Man", "Sleeping Giant", "Believer In Deed" pack so much Holy Ghost anointing and fervor they will rock you outta your seat! These songs are really intended for the church as a reminder to wake up and stand firm in your calling in Christ, a true "no compromise" message.

My personal favorite: "Just Reach Out" at the end of the album is a beautiful ballad. I believe this song is intended to bring comfort and solace to a hurting and brokenhearted world (through the message of Christ). This song's message and music truly reflect the inner peace that we can experience as a natural result of "reaching out" to Him in our time of need. It's magnificent!

If you enjoy Christain rock, you won't wanna miss this album, the music is rockin' and the message is timeless!

Petra are a rock group, yeah that is right. But Change is good. If a band does all the same sounding music after a while it gets tedious! But luckily Petra are not like this. Petra seem at home with making fresh and new music every time they record a CD. This Cd is my favourite Petra Cd ever. OK, Maybe the songs aint as heavy as songs on On Fire and Beyond Belief but it is the message that counts anyway! And the message is always brought through with Petra in such massive ways! I think Bob reached his peak as song writer on this album. The lyrics are brilliant and uplifting and also the sound is brill! And this album is the first where Petra had a Big backing group! This cd has many highlights especially !"Underneath the Blood" and "Marks Of The Cross". These are two of my favourite songs ever. Ronny makes a big entry with his tunes on these two songs and Sleeping Giant!!
This album is Petra's bestest yet to this date despite what other people say. The music is not out of date at all! PICK IT UP NOW PEOPLE!

Throughout their thirty-plus years as a band, Petra has had quite a number of member changes. With that, of course, comes a varied musical styling on each of their albums. "Wake-Up Call" falls into the heavier category of Petra's catalogue of albums. Although their last studio album, "Jekyll and Hyde," is probably their heaviest album, "Wake-Up Call" is not too far behind. This is shown through powerful arena rock tunes like "Sleeping Giant" and "Midnight Oil." Other heavier tunes on this album include "Strong Conviction" and "Underneath The Blood." Of course, no Petra album would be complete without a couple of ballads, and the tunes that fit the bill here are "Just Reach Out" and "Marks Of The Cross."

Fans of Petra's "Beyond Belief" album and "No Doubt" will definitely enjoy this album. It has a very good balance of powerful arena rock and lighter ballads. It's one of Petra's best John Schlitt-era albums and is definitely worthy of purchase.

Highly recommended.

Thiis is the best Petra Ive heard, better than Not Of This World, Back To The Street and Beyond Belief. The classic 1980s rock and hair metal formula is followed here, with ten songs in total, number one being the fastest track, number six the heaviest and best, and number ten a power ballad. The opener Midnight Oil is fast and its got a good fast and I think original riff that just repeats many times. Reminds me of Aces High by Iron Maiden on Powerslave with one simple fast riff being repeated with and without the vocal backing.

Theres a few ballad-type songs here such as Marks Of The Cross, Just Reach Out and He's Been In My Shoes, that are highly effective, but overall the album is pretty much on the heavy side. Underneath The Blood is most likely Petra's heaviest ever song, one of their few that seems heavy to the extent of making a point from the heaviness, but lyrically and musically its a fantastic song, my favorite ever from this group. The guitars sound less sugary than on Beyond Belief. Much better.

As usual, from Petra, lyrically the album is full of great helpful, positive and detailed christian teaching. There's more spiritual food here in the lyrics than youd get at good many churches over a three month period. Its practical, accurate and encouraging christian teaching.

Underneath The Blood of course is about salvation through faith in the blood of Jesus, He's Been In My Shoes is about Jesus walking the path in life before that we walk now, Midnight Oil is based on Matthew Chapter 25, about how we need the Holy Spirit Oil on a regular basis and Marks Of The Cross is about serving others with the right heart.

The lyrics on all the songs are not seemingly about the same topic but they seem to sit well together and compliment each other. Better lyrics than on Beyond Belief and Back To The Street by a long way, or maybe just more relevant for me personally.

If your in a down place in your life or need direction, read the lyrics here from start to finish, and play this album many times. For sure, you will be blessed and encouraged. GodBless

At the time I was enjoying this album, I did not know that Petra as I had come to love it would never be the same again. This album came on the heels of back to back powerhouse albums Beyond Belief and Unseen Power. Along with a new producer, this album was a crossroads for Petra. It showed they could conform to a different sound and style, yet still keep the Petra essence that we long time fans have come to expect.

However, this album would be the last time that the players who helped make Petra THE top Christain rock band in the world would play together. Hartman and Lawry were out of the touring picture on the next album (Lawry totally out of the picture). It is a sad album for me because of my love for the group of guys who helped lay the foundation for today's Christain bands.

Schlitt proved with this album that he could contribute more than fabulous vocals. "Just Reach Out" was a major departure for the band sound wise, yet it is by far the gem on this CD. "Midnight Oil" is as hard rocking, spirit moving a song as Hartman has ever written. Again, I really like this album, but it is a bitter sweet admiration.

Petra is an unusual band in two respects: they've been around since 1974, and as a Christian ministry, their music is mainly a vehicle for their message. They've had to periodically re-invent their sound in order to keep reaching as wide an audience as possible. If you listen to their back catalogue in order (which will take a while!), you can identify the records on which the musical chameleon that is Petra changes colour. "Wake Up Call" is one of them.

As a rabid fan of Petra's late '80s stadium rock sound (think "On Fire", "Unseen Power" and the incomparable "Beyond Belief"), I still remember shoving in my new cassette (!!) back in 1993 and listening in shock to their tight, stripped-down, bluesy new sound.

Bob Hartman takes a few licks out of Angus Young's book, while experimenting with guitar sounds from heavy blues to airy pop-rock. Louie Weaver enjoys all the extra drum notes he can play now that there isn't 3 seconds of reverb on each one. Ronny Cates keeps his tasty 5-string bass grooves tight and in the pocket. John Lawry (keys) adds colour and reminds us that the '80s weren't that long ago, and John Schlitt puts in his usual powerful performance behind the mike.

There are enough good tunes on this record to provide some good highlights for just about any listener, but for me there are two big ones. The smooth, driving groove in the verse and catchy chorus of "Praying Man", and the moving gospel-rock anthem "Just Reach Out" which still leaves me moist-eyed after a good listen.

I didn't give it five stars for a couple of reasons. I've always been a fan of Bob's guitar work. And I've always admired and appreciated his no-nonsense lyrics which make such a change from the vague wish-wash a lot of Christian artists sing. The problem is that Bob is a slave to rhyme, which results in quite a few lyrics that are awkward or trite. "Unseen Power" has more of these than most Petra records, but quite a few managed to sneak onto "Wake Up Call": "The wedding's gonna be so royal / So we gotta keep stayin' loyal / 'Cause our feet are gonna leave this soil..." Oh dear. The other reason is the lack of musical innovation on this record. A lot of the licks and chord sequences just leave me wondering where I've heard them before.

Overall, this is definitely worth a listen, both for the powerful spiritual message and foot-tapping bluesy rock hooks. If you want to hear Petra at their best, however, get "Beyond Belief". Then maybe get this.

It all began in 1985 with their "Beat The System" album. It was o.k., but then I went back to listening to my 60's music like The Doors, Grateful Dead, and alot of 60's garage bands. In 1994 when I was at my lowest it was Petra that got me thinking about Jesus again. I saw the video to "Praying Man", and the tune was pretty good. A few days later I borrowed the tape, and listened to it all the way through, and revival came into my heart, and I started checking out other Christian artists. As for this album it does rock a little, but it's also has some slick production as the instruments are lush sounding instead of rocking and rolling. I won't let this take away from the message that's still relevant today in 2009. We still need Jesus, and Petra is one of the ways Jesus uses us to get the word about him out. There's some rocking tunes on here like "Midnight Oil", "Praying Man", "Sleeping Giant", and then there are the ballads like: "He's Been In My Shoes", "Just Reach Out" and "Nails On The Cross". In 2009 I wish I was a spiritual giant, so I can show my son Jesus, so I have to do as the song says "Just Reach Out". It's not classic Petra, but it's one of the best albums of the 90's.

This album came out when I was 5. I remember listening to the songs on the radio and my mom's cassette player. I loved it then and I love it now. I'm a drummer and this is a great CD to play to! My favorite songs are "Sleeping Giant", "Underneath the Blood", and "Praying Man". Classic Petra.