The Grammy-nominated band Skillet is winning praise and national media attention for its first album in four years. USA Today gave Rise, released June 25, three out of four stars, and the album debuted in the top five on iTunes.
The album has a coming-of-age theme that relates the story of an average American teenager coming into adulthood and being faced with the world’s problems.
“Along with Mumford & Sons and the Black Keys, Skillet was one of just three rock acts to get a platinum album in 2012,” USA Today observes. “They achieved this by finding the common ground between disaffected hard-rock fans and their Christian-rock counterparts. On its eighth album, the band pushes its musical limits with a coming-of-age tale that begins in a world that appears irreparably broken.”
Atlantic Records hosted a party recently at New York City’s Hudson Hotel to commemorate the band’s new project and the RIAA platinum certification of Skillet’s previous album, Awake, and the hit single “Monster.” The recognition represents 1 million units sold of the group’s 2009 album.
Skillet also was recognized with RIAA gold certifications for the singles “Hero” and “Awake and Alive,” indicating more than 500,000 units sold.
The band features singer/bassist John Cooper, guitarist/keyboardist Korey Cooper, drummer Jen Ledger and guitarist Seth Morrison.
To read our extensive Skillet Q&A, visit www.christianretailing.com for the June digital issue.
