Unseen Power

Unseen Power is the thirteenth studio album of the Christian rock band, Petra. It was released in November 1991 on DaySpring Records.
The album retains a driving edge while veering away from the more commercial pop-metal sound of their previous efforts. Bob Hartman has stated that he and the producers intentionally chose to move in directions they were not instinctively inclined to go.
At the height of its career, the members of Petra were wary of repeating the arena-rock formula that had served the band so well since the mid-1980s. Seeking a way to change directions musically, the band and its producers for their next album hired an outside engineer for the first time, bringing in Neil Kernon, who had previously worked with Kansas, Elton John and Peter Gabriel. Along with its usual hard rock fare, the band added tracks that featured a gospel choir and a bluesy sound, and Kernon's influence led to an album with a stronger emphasis on the band's rhythm section.
Hartman also shifted his songwriting style, moving away from his practice of constructing albums around loose themes and writing tracks more personal in nature. The result was Unseen Power, a Petra album that, for the first time, was distributed by a secular record company, Epic. That, and the immensely favorable reaction to its release, led to talk of Petra following in the wake of Grant and Smith as a potential crossover hit, popular in both Christian and secular circles. "If it happens, then yes, we're ready," Schlitt said of the possibility.
Though the secular breakthrough never came, the album was a hit, allowing Petra to top 6 million records sold since its inception - the most of any Christian artist at the time. The newly formed Hard Rock Café asked the band for materials to include in its restaurant displays, another first for a Christian band. And Petra became the only Christian band to play Farm Aid when it took the Texas Stadium stage before 40,000 people in 1992. Unseen Power opened No. 1 on Billboard's Christian music charts in November 1991 and stayed in the top 10 for seven months. Radio single "Hand on My Heart" was among the top 20 songs on Christian AC radio in 1992, and it was one of five tracks from the album to hit No. 1 on the Christian radio charts.
Unseen Power garnered the band its second Grammy, again winning for Best Rock/Contemporary Gospel Album, and a Dove award, for Rock Recorded Song of the Year.

Lineup

John Schlitt (Head East) - Lead Vocals
Bob Hartman (Classic Petra, II Guys From Petra) - Guitar
Ronny Cates - Bass
Louie Weaver (Randy Matthews, Fireworks, Classic Petra, CPR) - Drums
John Lawry (Forerunner, Classic Petra, CPR) - Keyboards

Guests

Jamie Rowe (Tempest, Guardian) - Background Vocals
Ron Gollner - Background Vocals
Tony Palacios (Guardian) - Background Vocals
Rob Rock (Impellitteri, Driver, Fires Of Babylon) - Background Vocals
Sara Tennison - Background Vocals
Doug Beiden - Background Vocals
Rose Stone (Sly And The Family Stone) - Background Vocals
Alfie Silas - Background Vocals
Olivia McClurkin - Background Vocals
Perry Morgan - Background Vocals
Howard McCrary - Background Vocals
Alfred McCrary - Background Vocals