Reviewed by Mike Rimmer

Without doubt John Cooper, the creative force behind Skillet, has the heart of an evangelist. He always has and always will have and yet there are some longtime fans of the band who haven't liked the transition of the band from the cosy Christian rock scene into a credible mainstream rock act. There's a sense in which because they are no longer writing obvious "Christian" material, somehow they have sold out. The reality is the band have entered into a new phase of reaching out to the disaffected, struggling, damaged youth of the current generation and they're offering an alternative to the prevalent nihilism and delivering songs that are infused with hope and the possibilities of change. And they're delivering it in an album which rocks hard! The title cut which opens the album is a call to rise in revolution to "unite and fight to make a better life". It places the individual within a wider decaying society and a "world gone mad" and encourages them not to give up. In case you missed the idea, the breakdown at the end of the song brings a montage of modern woes via dramatic clips and the obvious intention that we can rise and make a difference. The power of that message continues into "Sick Of It" which delivers that message of hope to the individual who is sick of the empty life that comes with the pursuit of worthless things or who has been abused or damaged. If you're sick of the way your life has turned out, Skillet offer an alternative to "raise your hands and get rid of it" - a metaphor for turning to God and allowing him to bring life change. The powerful video that accompanies the song spells out the message even more clearly. Later in the album, "American Noise" continues the theme of 'Rise' with the plea to "let love cut through the American noise" and once again Cooper is advocating that the individual can make a difference. Thankfully the album doesn't continue at the level of intensity of the opening two cuts or I'm not sure I would have survived to the end! "Good To Be Alive" is a lighter celebration of the simple joys of living. The band's new guitarist Seth Morrison stamps his mark on the sound of the album with shredding solos and powerful thumping riffs and Korey Cooper's keyboards and vocal input simply widens the range of the band and brings added melody. Those who worry the band have sold out should check out the prayerful psalmlike "Salvation" or the groovy "My Religion" which is effectively a modern update of "Nothing But The Blood Of Jesus" where Cooper nails his colours to the mast: "Who's gonna heal my pain? Nothing makes me feel like you do." He even breaks out into a verse of "Amazing Grace". So perhaps the accusations of a sell out are a bit premature! This is spiritual and cultural revolution disguised as a rock album and it's dangerous stuff. The message may be cleverly packaged up for the mainstream but the underlying intention of the band is as powerful as ever. For those who have ears to hear, there's enough here to radically change lives.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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