Description
This Means War! is the ninth studio album by the American rock band Petra, released on StarSong Records in August 1987, distributed by Sparrow/StarSong Distribution. The album was recorded and mixed by Dino Elefante, John Elefante and Mike Mierau at Pakaderm Studios in Los Alamitos, California; with the Elefante brothers producing. According to CCM Magazine, This Means War! was the third-best selling album of 1987 in the Christian music market. (The label had 170,000 orders in pre-sales for the Aug. 1 shipping of the album, according to a note featured in the Oct. 10, 1987 issue of Billboard Magazine.) The album garnered a nomination for a GRAMMY Award for Best Gospel Performance.
If ‘Back to the Street‘ revitalized Petra after losing vocalist Greg X. Volz to solo work, ‘This Means War’ establishes this “new” Petra in territory at once familiar, yet vaguely more assertive and more clearly defined than where the band has been since ‘More Power to Ya‘. While ‘Street’ seemed to make crossover claims the band had no intention of fulfilling, ‘This Means War’ is a thematic collection of songs for Christians looking for a call to a militant, aggressive faith. Petra has always been a pop/rock band for the more churchified, and since they’ve accepted that role, ‘This Means War’ is all the better.
Truer to the current formula for AOR success of bands like Starship and Journey, Petra holds to that highly recognizable “sound” that is finally its own. The brothers Elefante have given the band its biggest drum sound ever, while avoiding the cluttered sound of ’70s dinosaur bands. Louie Weaver sets the call to battle with the marching snare of the title track, and guitars and keys are kept secondary to John Schlitt‘s graveled, melodic lead vocals. John Lawry‘s keyboard flourishes are ever-present, while Bob Hartman’s guitars are a touch too polite and contained for such aggressive emotions.
The two big differences worth noting on ‘This Means War’ are Hartman’s growth as a pop songman, as seen in the ’80s rhythms and impeccable hooks of «He Came, He Saw, He Conquered» and «Get on Your Knees and Fight Like a Man» (maybe next time he’ll shorten his titles), and Schlitt’s gritty vocal delivery, seasoned and strengthened by 18 months of touring. While Petra’s 10th album is no new revelation (this is basically the same band that made ‘Never Say Die‘ – in fact, the themes remain the same), the one claim ‘This Means War’ can make is that this is essential Petra at the peak of the band’s maturity, the height of its potential.
Finally one must note that on ‘This Means War’, Petra serves up just what the doctor ordered. At a time when fans and retailers are crying out for projects that are specifically Christian (as opposed to the crossover movement of recent years), Petra has delivered its most accessible, direct, and radio-ready record in years. Almost comforting in its predictability, ‘This Means War’ proves Petra means business. [Brian Quincy Newcomb, CCM, September 1987]
Girder Music Promo, 2021
When Petra regathered for their second project with new vocalist John Schlitt and producers John and Dino Elefante, they ditched the flying spaceship guitar, pushed the keyboards way back in the mix in deference to highly processed and crunchy guitars, and embraced a militaristic lyrical and visual theme that was perfectly in step with the Reagan era. On This Means War The Elefantes brought the rock in a big way, with monster drums, stacked vocals, and everything sounding like it was born for arenas. Hartman’s fist-in-the-air, slogan-ready lyrics continued to define the Christian rock template and Schlitt’s vocal found the perfect balance between sneer and smile. It all came together perfectly and a new era was born for the band. Petra meant rock after all.
> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/this-means-war-25th-anniversary-edition/716381393)
LP tracklist:
Side One
A1. “This Means War” – 3:30
A2. “He Came, He Saw, He Conquered” – 4:10
A3. “Get Down On Your Knees And Fight Like A Man” – 4:32
A4. “I Am Available” – 4:27
A5. “Kenaniah” – 3:43
Side Two
B1. “You Are My Rock” – 4:21
B2. “The Water Is Alive” – 3:48
B3. “Don’t Let Your Heart Be Hardened” – 3:41
B4. “Dead Reckoning” – 3:23
B5. “All The King’s Horses” – 4:17
Note: Simultaneously released on cassette, 12-inch vinyl LP, and CD by StarSong Records. A 25th Anniversary Edition was released on CD in July 2012 by StarSong Records, digitally remastered and featuring three bonus tracks (originally released as a part of the live album Captured In Time & Space): Bob Hartman’s Solo (2:26), John Lawry’s Solo – The Race (1:52) and Louie Weaver’s Solo (2:04). Remastered by Rob Colwell of Bombworks Sound and re-issued on both 12-inch vinyl LP (pressed on Military Green Vinyl) and CD in 2021 by Girder Music (through Limited Run Vinyl/Limited Run Music).
This Means War!, Remastered and pressed on Military Green Vinyl, Girder Music, February 2022
A full-page advertisement for Petra’s This Means War! was featured in the August 1987 issue of CCM Magazine.
CREDITS. Produced by Dino and John Elefante. Recorded and mixed at Pakaderm Studio, Los Alamitos, CA. Engineered by Dino Elefante, John Elefante and Mike Mierau. Arrangements by John and Dino Elefante and Bob Hartman. Computer programming by John Lawry. Additional programming by John Elefante, Tim Heitz, Bob Hartman and Louie Weaver. Mastered by Steve Hall at Future Disc, Los Angeles, CA. Art direction and Design by Dave Rogers. Illustration by Chris Hopkins.
Musicians: John Schlitt (Lead Vocals), John Lawry (Keyboards), Bob Hartman (Lead Guitar), Mark Kelly (Bass), Louie Weaver (Drums). Background Vocals: John Lawry, John Elefante, Mark Kelly, John Schlitt. “This Means War!” drum section: Tom Hrbacek, Los Alamitos High School Marching Drummers.
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