Petra - The Early Years (Repackage)

Reviewed by Chris Sharp

This particular compilation was originally released back in 1996 and this is simply a re-release with new album artwork. This doesn't quite constitute a 'Best Of Petra' collection as all the tracks here are taken from the albums 'Washes Whiter Than' (1979) and 'Never Say Die' (1981). So if you are a Petra fan and already own those albums then this would not be recommended. If like me however your introduction to Petra came much more recently and you're interested in their musical beginnings this may be of interest. The likes of the funky "Taste And See" may cause you to raise an eyebrow if you're expecting something a little more rocky, but with other tracks such as "Chameleon" and "Praise Ye The Lord" (that has vocals Justin Hawkins would be proud of!) you'll be satisfied on that front too. In representing early Petra music this album does its job, and for that reason if you're new to Petra I would suggest you pick up more recent material as your first experience.