Petra Returns with Hope: The Long Awaited Studio Album

Some things never change. One of them is the unmistakable rock vocal power of John Schlitt. At 75 years old, Schlitt is still bringing the heat, the grit, and yes, the high notes. This is not studio smoke and mirrors either. I’ve heard John live, both solo and with Petra in recent years, and it is Read More

Some things never change. One of them is the unmistakable rock vocal power of John Schlitt. At 75 years old, Schlitt is still bringing the heat, the grit, and yes, the high notes. This is not studio smoke and mirrors either. I’ve heard John live, both solo and with Petra in recent years, and it is genuinely remarkable. The voice is still there, the conviction is still there, and the fire has not dimmed.

This week marked something many fans honestly never thought they would see, a brand-new studio album from one of the most iconic bands in Christian rock history, Petra. Hope arrives more than 20 years after the band’s last full-length studio release, and its timing feels right. The Christian music industry is finally re-embracing the pioneers who built the road we’re all still driving on.

Without Petra’s explosion in the 80s and 90s, it is hard to imagine the Christian rock landscape as we know it today. Entire generations of bands were inspired because Petra proved it could be done. Their influence stretches far beyond nostalgia, something artists like Skillet frontman John Cooper have openly acknowledged. Petra didn’t just rock, they showed that Scripture-forward, unapologetic faith could coexist with loud guitars and arena-level ambition.

There’s also a persistent narrative in music culture that once an artist passes their so-called “peak years,” they no longer have much to say. I’ll admit, I’ve been guilty of defaulting to nostalgia myself, showing up for the classics while treating new material as a snack-break moment. We’ve all seen it, phones go dark, concession lines fill up, and the new songs politely pass us by.

That mindset deserves to be challenged with Hope.

Available now across streaming platforms and in beautifully produced collectible physical editions from Girder Music, Hope sounds exactly like what it is, a veteran band fully aware of who they are and why they still matter. Yes, it feels nostalgic, but in the best possible way. This is the 50th Anniversary touring lineup firing on all cylinders, Bob Hartman delivering signature riffs and sharp lyrical focus, John Lawry flooding the songs with unmistakable 80s-inspired keys, Greg Bailey locking in with metallic bass authority, Cristian Borneo bringing explosive, modern energy on drums, and Schlitt still commanding the mic like a frontman who never forgot his calling.

And yes, all the verbs are earned here.

“Filthy Lucre” kicks the door down as the opening track, a proper needle-drop moment that reminds you why album sequencing still matters. In a singles-obsessed world, this track sets tone, attitude, and mission in one shot.

“Oxygen” might be the biggest curveball on the record. Petra doing reggae was not on my 2026 bingo card, but it works. Shockingly well. If you’re into island or tropical vibes, congratulations, you can now add Petra to your summer pool playlist without irony.

“Skin in the Game” will immediately resonate with longtime fans. If you remember the Carman and Petra collaboration “Our Turn Now,” this feels like a spiritual and musical cousin, bold, declarative, and built for communal sing-alongs.

“We Rejoice in Hope” is pure joy. What could have drifted into pop-punk worship territory is elevated by Lawry’s unmistakable keyboard work, giving the song an almost 8-bit, vintage video game texture that feels warm, playful, and intentional.

“Deliver Us,” the radio single written by Hartman, is classic Petra in the best sense. It confronts darkness directly, frames its chorus as a corporate prayer, and never loses sight of its theological center. It is accessible without being watered down, familiar without feeling tired.

There are five additional tracks that round out the album, and taken as a whole, Hope absolutely rewards a full listen. If I had one note, it would be the modern slickness of the production, which at times creates a slight disconnect from Petra’s earlier work. That said, this isn’t a Petra-specific issue. Across rock music as a whole, a certain live, analog quality has largely disappeared, and I’m not sure it’s something that can truly be recaptured. Many of my favorite classic rock bands are still writing strong songs and producing excellent records, but personally, I miss the grit, the rough edges, and even the imperfections that defined the old days. Still, in an era of technical wizardry, it’s hard to fault artists for using the tools available to them. Maybe I’ll just have to start lobbying Girder to release a cassette version, if only to get a little extra hiss, warmth, and distortion back into the mix.

No, this album is not trying to reinvent Christian music or rewrite the rules. That is not the point. Petra has always been about pointing people directly to Jesus, and Hope does not shy away from that calling for even a second. It’s a reminder that conviction does not expire, that calling does not age out, and that sometimes the bands who helped build the foundation still have something vital to say when the noise gets loud and the world feels unsteady.

Rock music is quietly on the upswing again. New artists are plugging guitars back in, screaming their vocals, and chasing something real. Radio may not be fully there yet, but it feels closer than it has in years. The real question is whether there is space for a legacy band like Petra on modern Christian radio and playlists in 2026.

I Hope there is.