GRAMMY-nominated band Skillet is winning praise and national media attention for the band's first album in four years.

USA Today gave Rise (Atlantic Records/Word Records/Word Distribution), released June 25, three out of four stars, and the album debuted in the top five of iTunes.

The album has a coming-of-age theme relating to 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 observed. "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 (Atlantic/Ardent/INO Records/Provident Distribution), and the hit single "Monster." The recognition represents 1 million units sold of the band's 2009's album.

Skillet also was recognized with RIAA Gold certifications for the singles "Hero" and "Awake & 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 our June digital issue.

• Prev
• Next