Skillet: Rise review

Four years after their platinum-selling Awake was released, Skillet are back with Rise, their latest full-length and one thing is clear- Skillet are back with a vengeance. Rise is a concept record from the get-go that deals with Christians coming together to rise and form a revival. Songs like “Rise,” “Sick of It” and “Circus for a Psycho” are some of the heaviest on the record and deal up front with Christians overcoming the obstacles of the world. So how does the band come back from a platinum-selling album? Just like this- they put together one of the most mature, powerful and diverse albums they have yet. Rise captures the essence of each “sound” Skillet have put on each album so far- there’s the electronic elements of Alien Youth and albums before it, the heaviness of Collide and the symphonic rock elements of Comatose and Awake. Even with all of those elements and combinations, Skillet have built on everything they’ve already done- with some of the most mature and complex songwriting they’ve produced yet with some of the toughest and heaviest guitar riffs yet, Skillet have put together by far the strongest album, musically, of their career. Drummer Jen Ledger has significantly more vocals on this record than on the last and frontman John Cooper has made a point to show the band’s faith more than they have since the Alien Youth days, with either their faith or scriptures showing on almost every song. That won’t push anyone away, though, with the band offering something for both worlds of fans on Rise. It looks like Skillet have found the perfect line, being able to showcase their faith and keep true to what they believe while not shoving it down anyone’s throats. At the end of the day, Rise is Skillet’s strongest album yet and will find its way into the music players of Christian and mainstream fans alike. Rise is one of the best rock albums that will be released this year. Rating: 9.5/10 -Reggie Edwards