Ardent1
08-07-2003, 04:43 PM
from CMcentral.com:Ardent Records rock band Skillet will return this November with its most ambitious project to date, Collide. Never ones to sauté the same sounds perpetually on each release, the members of Skillet are in the constant pursuit of variety, and as its name so appropriately implies, a sensory overloading hybrid of diverse tastes, scents, and styles. That said, Collide takes a decidedly different turn for the band musically, a sound that the few who have heard the project are praising.
Collide is a punch-packed collage of sounds marinating since we last heard from the group two years ago (with the top-selling Alien Youth CD and the subsequent concert/behind the scenes DVD The Unplugged Invasion). The lengthy break has paid off for Cooper and company, who not only had time to take fine comb all of the details on this career cornerstone release, but welcome the Cooper family’s first baby.
“With Korey pregnant, we took it easy for a bit and had time to really get into the meat of songwriting,” John explains. “By the time we were ready for the newest sessions, I had a solid 25-30 songs written and a backlog of others that we had time to fine tune and start from scratch on occasion.”
Much of the ensuring songwriting superiority stems from the ongoing support and coaching by the project’s acclaimed producer Paul Ebersold, who after working with the likes of Three Doors Down and Sister Hazel sure knows a hit when he hears one. “He was able to challenge me and stretch me in ways I never was before,” Cooper relates. “After all he’s worked on in the past and the friendship we’ve built, I really trust his judgment and was open to him telling me flat out how he felt about every song I presented.”
In the end, ten soon to be Skillet classics made it onto Collide, uniting around yet another stylistic direction for the band -- one that sees its departure from keyboard driven sounds and delving into a grittier, guitar-dominated pedigree. “It’s definitely a lot louder than ever before without any of the techno or industrial elements,” Cooper confirms. “In one sense it’s stripped down from the keyboard stuff, but it’s definitely more loud and aggressive than before.”
Fans need not fear this new direction getting in the way of the band’s pre-existing chemistry as such thunderous instrumental clashes and deep-throated vocal roars propel the album’s adrenaline rushes from start to finish. Take for instance the deafening gun slinging guitars and husky vocal roars throughout “Forsaken,” the haunting energy spurts within “Savior,” and the eerie no nonsense barn-burner “My Obsession.” Other examples of genre variation include the progressive groove drenched “Cycle Down,” the retro influenced mayhem mechanism “Energy,” and the musically intense but lyrically beautiful love song “A Little More.”
Besides that commitment filled stance, other heavy lyrical hitters include the epic title cut that references believers’ balance between maintaining a worldly presence and immersing themselves in God’s Word, along with the belligerent bare knuckled blasts on “Imperfection,” during which Cooper delicately addresses self-esteem.
Unlike the thematic similarities between tunes on Alien Youth, the cuts on Collide don’t have a specific concept or logo-worthy icon in mind, but there’s still a unifying thread. “The only real focus that I wanted to have for the record was to write songs that deal with modern day issues,” he concludes. “We’re addressing recurring situations that God’s put in our heart to help young people deal with them. Collide fits into our overall focus, which has always been singing passionate songs about God that people can relate to and be inspired by. It’s always been our hope that those who hear about Christ for the first time on one of our records will find something of life changing dimensions revealed to them.”
Since 1996, the John Cooper led quartet has bounced between modern rock urgency on its self-titled debut, the electronic domination of Hey You, I Love Your Soul, the pulsating techno explosions throughout Invincible, the prayerful reverence on Ardent Worship, and the intense industrialization on Alien Youth, earning a vast army of “Panheads” and a respectful amount of industry acclaim in the process. With five number one radio singles under its belt, eleven Dove nominations, and over 200 jam packed concert dates a year, the group is amongst Christian music’s alternative elite with a solid commitment to artistic excellence and evangelistic relevance.
Fresh from rocking the summer festival circuit, Skillet will co-headline the Shoutfest Tour with Tait this fall, and further fall tour plans will be announced soon.
Collide is a punch-packed collage of sounds marinating since we last heard from the group two years ago (with the top-selling Alien Youth CD and the subsequent concert/behind the scenes DVD The Unplugged Invasion). The lengthy break has paid off for Cooper and company, who not only had time to take fine comb all of the details on this career cornerstone release, but welcome the Cooper family’s first baby.
“With Korey pregnant, we took it easy for a bit and had time to really get into the meat of songwriting,” John explains. “By the time we were ready for the newest sessions, I had a solid 25-30 songs written and a backlog of others that we had time to fine tune and start from scratch on occasion.”
Much of the ensuring songwriting superiority stems from the ongoing support and coaching by the project’s acclaimed producer Paul Ebersold, who after working with the likes of Three Doors Down and Sister Hazel sure knows a hit when he hears one. “He was able to challenge me and stretch me in ways I never was before,” Cooper relates. “After all he’s worked on in the past and the friendship we’ve built, I really trust his judgment and was open to him telling me flat out how he felt about every song I presented.”
In the end, ten soon to be Skillet classics made it onto Collide, uniting around yet another stylistic direction for the band -- one that sees its departure from keyboard driven sounds and delving into a grittier, guitar-dominated pedigree. “It’s definitely a lot louder than ever before without any of the techno or industrial elements,” Cooper confirms. “In one sense it’s stripped down from the keyboard stuff, but it’s definitely more loud and aggressive than before.”
Fans need not fear this new direction getting in the way of the band’s pre-existing chemistry as such thunderous instrumental clashes and deep-throated vocal roars propel the album’s adrenaline rushes from start to finish. Take for instance the deafening gun slinging guitars and husky vocal roars throughout “Forsaken,” the haunting energy spurts within “Savior,” and the eerie no nonsense barn-burner “My Obsession.” Other examples of genre variation include the progressive groove drenched “Cycle Down,” the retro influenced mayhem mechanism “Energy,” and the musically intense but lyrically beautiful love song “A Little More.”
Besides that commitment filled stance, other heavy lyrical hitters include the epic title cut that references believers’ balance between maintaining a worldly presence and immersing themselves in God’s Word, along with the belligerent bare knuckled blasts on “Imperfection,” during which Cooper delicately addresses self-esteem.
Unlike the thematic similarities between tunes on Alien Youth, the cuts on Collide don’t have a specific concept or logo-worthy icon in mind, but there’s still a unifying thread. “The only real focus that I wanted to have for the record was to write songs that deal with modern day issues,” he concludes. “We’re addressing recurring situations that God’s put in our heart to help young people deal with them. Collide fits into our overall focus, which has always been singing passionate songs about God that people can relate to and be inspired by. It’s always been our hope that those who hear about Christ for the first time on one of our records will find something of life changing dimensions revealed to them.”
Since 1996, the John Cooper led quartet has bounced between modern rock urgency on its self-titled debut, the electronic domination of Hey You, I Love Your Soul, the pulsating techno explosions throughout Invincible, the prayerful reverence on Ardent Worship, and the intense industrialization on Alien Youth, earning a vast army of “Panheads” and a respectful amount of industry acclaim in the process. With five number one radio singles under its belt, eleven Dove nominations, and over 200 jam packed concert dates a year, the group is amongst Christian music’s alternative elite with a solid commitment to artistic excellence and evangelistic relevance.
Fresh from rocking the summer festival circuit, Skillet will co-headline the Shoutfest Tour with Tait this fall, and further fall tour plans will be announced soon.