So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love (1 Corinthians 13:13). It’s right there on their flag. In a time when bands shed their Christian image for an opportunity at greater album sales, it is hard to say that it has hurt Skillet. Doubling down on a career that obstinately keeps a Christian image, they have moved away from a 20-year relationship with a major record company to release “Revolution” on their Hear it Loud imprint.

Lauding over 10 million monthly listeners on Spotify, this is easily the most popular band that I’ve reviewed, or probably will ever. That fact is in stark contrast to my taste for bands in the less than 50K range makes for an interesting review ahead of me. The band’s lineup is the same since their landmark 2009 release “Awake” which speaks to their chemistry where they seem like family. The foundation is in the husband and wife team of John on bass and lead vocals and Korey on rhythm guitar and keyboards, with drummer and singer Jen Ledger and lead guitarist Seth Morrison rounding out the lineup.

“Revolution” is a solid Skillet album, pulling through infectious choruses, arena stomping tunes that have the sonic promise of metal with a pristine commercial shine. Having listened through both “Awake” and “Unleashed” as a comparison, this album fits in nicely with its own unique character. Although it sounds like nothing is new from the Skillet family, that is only half true as the staying power for the band is not musical progressiveness, but their bold convictions and hope.

If you have previously written off Skillet because they were not metal enough, “Revolution” may change your mind. I still wouldn’t call it metal, but it is heavy enough for me to enjoy several revolutions of the album (I know, bad joke). There is a ubiquitous heavy tone driven by the guitars and intervening keyboards that set the stage for John’s aggressive vocal delivery. The guitar solos that come through are quite appropriate even if a little too square for my liking. Their songs don’t require nuanced technique, however I did like the brief moments of palm-muted picking on “Not Afraid,” guitar riffing in “Defector,” and the walking bass in “Revolution.” Although they have a reputation of pulling on the heartstrings, there is only one ballad on the album leaving most of the time rocking hard.

This album shows that executing the simple things well pays dividends. The rhythm and melody are naturally catchy where every chorus has been in my head at one time or another. The songs flow organically with varying textures to pull the listener along, optimizing the ear candy per minute ratio. There are some nice artistic flashes that add intrigue such as the juxtaposition of the sustained singing and the exacting musical rhythm underneath in “Revolution” and the imagery played in the outro of “Ash in the Wind” flowing into “Fire Inside of Me.”

But it is not Skillet without a ballad. “All That Matters” gives the first hint with an impassioned declaration with from John, but it is “Happy Wedding Day” that really pulls all the stops. It is an acoustic ballad that is sure to pull tears from any parent that has had to let their child go, either in joy or in sorrow, lamenting the simpler times that have gone by too quickly.

John mentioned that much of the lyrics were a reaction to nihilism in the world, hoping that this album will spark a revolution of love. This is most evident in “Revolution,” however most of the other lyrics are pointed societal commentary on how backwards the world’s values are compared to living as a simple Christian. “Unpopular” hits on this especially hard, while “All That Matters” lays down the line on what John will fight for. There is a heavy helping of Southern attitude in the delivery that is as comforting to me as a blanket in winter.

Coming in to the review I had mixed feelings. This isn’t the genre I grab for, but I was eager to give Skillet a fair shake. In the end I got more than I bargained for, that’s for sure. Although this is in many ways the same album the band has done for years, I can tell subtle energetic differences that make this more enjoyable than their previous efforts. It is a quicker listen, clocking in at 35 minutes, but I think what is here is solid material, optimized for maximum enjoyment. If you haven’t tried Skillet for a while, this one is well worth the time.

Rating: 9.0/10

Written by Sean Bailey

Tracklist
1 – Showtime
2 – Unpopular
3 – All That Matters
4 – Not Afraid
5 – Revolution
6 – Ash in the Wind
7 – Fire Inside of Me
8 – Defector
9 – Happy Wedding Day (Alex’s Song)
10 – Death Defier

Skillet is:
John Cooper – bass and lead vocals
Korey Cooper – rhythm guitar, keyboards, backing vocals
Jen Ledger – drums and female lead vocals
Seth Morrison – lead guitar

Release Date: November 1, 2024

Record Label: Hear it Loud

Discography:
1996: Skillet
1998: Hey You, I Love Your Soul
2000: Invincible
2000: Ardent Worship
2001: Alien Youth
2003: Collide
2006: Comatose
2009: Awake
2013: Rise (review)
2016: Unleashed (review)
2019: Victorious (review)
2022: Dominion
2024: Revolution

Social Media: Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Spotify

Videos for Unpopular

Video for All That Matters (Visualizer)

Lyric video for Ash in the Wind