Back To The Rock IS OUT NOW!!!!

[Preacherman777]

Personally, I'm ok with it. Sure I'd have rather had a Bob tune, but "The Rock" was one of my favorite songs from God Only Knows, except it always bugged that it wasn't played heavier like the song "God Only Knows" was and well, that's exactly what they did here. They recorded a heavier version of it, which suits me fine because I already like the song.

[Jonathan]

There's no pleasing some people.

Is it J&H? No.
Is it something new by Petra? Yes, & that's good enough for me.
For the Greg solo stuff, skip those tracks if you don't like them that much.

Matthew, I never thought I'd give you a this.

But this.

Critique away, but they're the artists, they're Petra, they can make it however they want.

[sickasadog]

If you don't like the title track, just skip it and enjoy the OTHER 11 SONGS. Don't react as if something has been taken from you just because you're only getting 1 new track instead of two.

Also, entitling the album "Too Big To Fail" would be an exercise in hubris, in my opinion.

[loengard]

The website for ordering the album does not work. It should never have been put online before it works.
An unsecure page where people can add their credit card numbers is a bad idea when it's not working.!

It's a bad idea even if it is working.... This whole shopping cart system they have has amateur written all over it... It even has an unfinished copyright at the bottom. The merchandise section needs to be SSL.

<EDIT>

Actually, I take that back, if you MANUALLY put in the "s" in the checkout link it is in fact SSL. They need to just fix the links. And the copyright...

[blayze5150]

It's kinda funny: I'm the one Bakersfield was reffering to who ordered it about 2am and had to wait. They had literally just put the download options up. It went from "Comming Soon" to what we have now when I clicked on the music tab. When I couldn't download, I shot them an email, which they responded to immediately, telling me it would be a few hours. I gave up and went to bed around 4am. I got an email first thing this morning, then went to the site and downloaded. It's so awesome to finally have this. The Farewell tour was cool and all, but like everyone here, I never wanted Petra to end. I was at the final concert of the Farewell tour in Murphy, NC, and literally cried. John Schlitt is my hero, and Bob's music has meant more to my life than I can explain. As far as the new disc, do I miss John? Absolutely, but Greg was the singer when I discovered Petra, and the new disc sounds absolutely incredible. Petra has returned! As far as the song "Back to the Rock," I don't care if Greg had recorded it previously or not, it sounds great! Can't wait for the tour. Hope it lasts for a while! Maybe we'll even get a new disc from the reunion lineup if this goes well (I can dream, can't I?).

[p-freak]

i highly doubt that anyone would be stupid enough to put greg's rubbish solo work on this album. That would just kill the legacy. Where are these reports coming from? If it's true they need to halt production and get bob involved...

I wouldn't put it like that, but I do agree. These are not just reports. Listen to the samples at classicpetramerch.com and you'll hear that Back To The Rock is actually The Rock.

Mind you, I did really appreciate Greg X. Volz's album God Only Know and The Rock is a very nice track, but I just totally didn't expect Back To The Rock to be The Rock. Giving the song a new title raises the expectation that it's actually a new song. And I'm just very disappointed that one of the new songs isn't a new song at all.

So I will definitely enjoy the album, but I'm still getting over the fact that I've been cheated out on a new song.

[Preacherman777]

I like your attitude Blayze.

[CatNamedManny]

The most popular song Petra ever recorded ("The Coloring Song," in case the reference isn't clear) was written for Greg Volz's old, pre-Petra band by someone who never had any kind of association with Petra, so I don't see the inclusion of one of Greg's old solo songs as either 1. unprecedented, or 2. anything worth getting upset about.

But then I've always wished they had ditched the two new songs altogether and re-recorded two older tracks instead, so maybe I have a different perspective than others who are all about the possibility of new stuff.

As for the songs themselves, the samples all sound good, including the title track. The mastered tracks sound MUCH better than the demos, particularly "Bema Seat," which is very exciting. I can't afford to buy the same CD twice, so I'm holding out until the TBN show to get my disc, which kind of sucks, but I'll survive.

My biggest complaint: "Too Big" relies on a grammatical error to complete rhymes in the chorus, which means I'm going to be annoyed multiple times every time I listen to it. It should be, "He reigns over you and me," not "you and I," since the speaker is the object of that sentence, not the subject. Oh well. Again, I'll survive.

[Preacherman777]

So I will definitely enjoy the album, but I'm still getting over the fact that I've been cheated out on a new song.

I guess I'm trying to look on the bright side, though. Like you said, "The Rock" was a decent track on God Only Knows and if you ask me they improved it by making it heavier. Yeah, I imagine we're all a little bummed we didn't get an all new track here, but it's not the end of the world.

[Dan]

it's been so long since we were given a new song from bob i guess the excitment was killed finding this out. Still we got some good songs... Just wish they hadn't waited till the last minute with this surprise. If your getting the digital downloads as seperate tracks you don't have to buy these ones problem solved. If the store is having ssl issues warning hold off you purchase until the issue is fixed.

[loengard]

I expect they at least altered the lyrics or wrote some additional lyrics to be able to change the title from The Rock to Back To The Rock. If they didn't alter the lyrics than it doesn't make sense to call the song Back To The Rock.

You are correct.... they changed the first lyric from "Take me to the rock" to "Back to the rock". It's a good song, but I'm in the same group as those who hoped for another completely new song.... So, we got 10 Petra songs, 1 Greg X. Volz solo, and 1 all new song that falls into the "too big" sounds like "stupid" category that Schlitt fell into with one of his solo songs as well. All in all, I do like the tracks, but I want more new stuff. I never have been much of a fan of re-recording classics, but they did do a good job with these.

[executioner]

I guess this is why they didn't release the samples until now for it. I am excited about this project but they did say from the outset that there would be two new tracks and this is very misleading needless to say and IMO a moral issue.
I'm somewhat disappointed that its not a new track, but I'm really disappointed that we were lied too. I'm the type of person just tell me straight up and I can handle the truth better then the other way around.

[blayze5150]

I really like "Back to the Rock." "Too Big" isn't bad, either: It has that distinctive "Bob Hartman" ring to it. Let's not get too legalistic on what should be considered a "new" vs a recycled track. "Back to the Rock" has never been recorded by Petra, so it is a new Petra track. We were not lied to, IMO. Let's be optimistic: we have a new Petra CD.

[Preacherman777]

Well, I downloaded the album and I gotta tell you this thing rocks. "Too Big to Fail" is pretty decent on first full listen and the old songs sound fantastic. Bob had some fun reworking these guitar solos and it's definitely heavier overall.

[p-freak]

I expect they at least altered the lyrics or wrote some additional lyrics to be able to change the title from The Rock to Back To The Rock. If they didn't alter the lyrics than it doesn't make sense to call the song Back To The Rock.

You are correct.... they changed the first lyric from "Take me to the rock" to "Back to the rock". It's a good song, but I'm in the same group as those who hoped for another completely new song.... So, we got 10 Petra songs, 1 Greg X. Volz solo, and 1 all new song that falls into the "too big" sounds like "stupid" category that Schlitt fell into with one of his solo songs as well. All in all, I do like the tracks, but I want more new stuff. I never have been much of a fan of re-recording classics, but they did do a good job with these.

Then it makes sense to call it Back To The Rock, even though it's still weird that the chorus remains unaltered. Usually Petra songs have their title in the chorus.

I still haven't been able to download, because of a mistake in the check out system. I've filled in my normal phone number and it keeps saying that I have to fill in a valid number with area code. Apparently they expect all phone number in the world to live up to American standards. I've e-mailed them and they're working on this issue, so probably tomorrow I'll be able to download and listen for myself.

I guess this is why they didn't release the samples until now for it. I am excited about this project but they did say from the outset that there would be two new tracks and this is very misleading needless to say and IMO a moral issue.
I'm somewhat disappointed that its not a new track, but I'm really disappointed that we were lied too. I'm the type of person just tell me straight up and I can handle the truth better then the other way around.

For many people it is indeed a new song. Only petheads and a few other unsuspecting people would have bought God Only Knows. And compared to the other songs that were written in the early eighties this is indeed a "new" song. And it has never before been recorded by Petra, so in that sense it is "new" as well. So only for true loyal petheads who buy anything that's released by Schlitt, Volz and (Classic) Petra without hesitation, it's not new. And I doubt that there are thousands of those.

And fortunately (Back To) The Rock is one of Greg's better solo tracks.