Rock giant Petra returns with a new album, and it’s not boring.
After signing off in an era-ending 2005 farewell, the band just surprised the world with ‘Hope.’
Characteristically energetic and lyrically sharp, the 35-minute January 2026 release is dominating top tens and reviews.
Noting frontman John Schlitt’s age, CCM magazine said the 75-year-old could still belt out “heat, grit and high notes.”
That’s a fair call.
With almost a decade outside of the studio – if you don’t count solo albums, Go (2020), and The Christmas Project (2013) – Schlitt more than shows he’s still got “Skin in the Game.” (Track 4)
‘Hope’ is classic Schlitt-era Petra, packed with a surprise hint of Hartman, Hough and Volz nostalgia.
Described by CCM as “iconic”, they added that “the timing of the band’s first full feature album in 20 years feels right.”
“The Christian music industry,” CCM reflected, “is finally re-embracing the pioneers who built the road we’re all still driving on.”
Right to pay tribute to Petra’s pioneering in the realm of Christ-centred musical engineering, CCM said that without Petra’s breakout success in the 80s, a dedicated platform for Christian music wouldn’t be the same.
Despite a range of obvious distinctions, including genre, the pioneering market presence of Petra is unmistakable.
While not accurate to say Petra paved the way for Stryper, P.O.D., and Skillet, it’s appropriate to acknowledge the band’s historical role in opening hearts to the Gospel through rock music.
For example, as a “Christian rock band”, Petra opened the door for audiences to pick up the “Christians in a rock band” genre.
As Stryper frontman, Michael Sweet told the Revival Town Podcast in 2024, “Petra is legendary.”
Going further, Skillet’s John Cooper said in a December 2025 interview with The Christian Post, “that Petra helped him in a big way.”
Elsewhere, Cooper also recalled, “growing up listening to Petra and others, saying they had changed his life.”
“I learned a lot about Christ from Christian music,” he said.
“And thought, if I ever had the chance to play music, I am going to use that same philosophy: use songs to change people; to help people in their hard times.”
Petra’s new album embodies exactly that.
‘Hope’ delivers.
Hinting in a podcast that the album might be the final one, Schlitt said, if so, ‘Hope’ was a beautiful way to close out a 50-year career.
Another Petra album wasn’t on the cards, he added, sharing that it was momentum from the band’s 50th anniversary and requests for fresh content that sealed the deal.
Talking about the band’s ‘Hope’ tour, Schlitt said track 10, ‘Deliver Us’ wasn’t planned to be released as a single.
Looking at what was going on at the time in the world, they decided to release it early because it was “what needed to be said at the time.”
The band is also working with the movie “Beyond Belief”, which features music from Petra’s 80s catalogue.
Like Sweet and Stryper, Hope suggests that Schlitt and Petra won’t be signing their brand over to the Christian Contemporary Music Museum any time soon.
To use a cringey quote from Petra lore – because it fits the 80s theme – Hope is where never say die meets, Never Say Dinosaur!
