Christian rock band, Skillet, delivers a headbanger, with the quartet’s 11th studio album, Victorious (Atlantic). The four-piece, which features husband and wife duo, John (lead vocals, bass guitar, acoustic guitar) and Korey Cooper (rhythm guitar, keys, synthesizers, backing vocals), as well as Jen Ledger (drums, percussion, backing, co-lead vocals), and Seth Morrison (lead guitar). The quartet celebrates their latest album, Victorious, and opens the album with a slick, hard rock number called “Legendary.”
“Legendary” opens with thumping drum beats, synthesizers, and vocals, all reminiscent of bands like Imagine Dragons and Paramore. It feels like the album cut of this track gives the listener a level of energy that one would expect at the band’s live show. Positive themes of overcoming tragedy and hardship stand strong on this record. “Legendary” is a terrific example of never giving up (“never gonna keep me down”).
The third track on the record is the album’s title and is an extravagant track that opens with sweeping strings layered over John and Korey Cooper’s incredibly strong, soaring vocals. The duo sings about feelings of emptiness and loneliness (“and all this loneliness/and all this emptiness/been stuck inside this world/like a prison sentence/I’m not gonna stay/tell me there’s a way”).
“This Is The Kingdom” is a great example of an alt-rock track blended with Christian rock. The four-piece blends the alt-rock of Imagine Dragons with the hard rock sound that only Skillet can deliver. “Blessed are the persecuted,” John sings. “Heaven coming down, to the corners of this Earth. This is the kingdom, it stands forever.”
The positive theme of rising up above hard times continues on “Rise Up.” Electrifying guitars and thunderous bass deliver heart-pounding rock and roll while the Coopers deliver in-your-face vocals on this heavy anthem.
One of the great worship rock songs on the record, “Terrify The Dark,” is a great alt-rock track, where the Coopers sing about how God’s light “will terrify the dark, I call upon the name that tears the night apart/my doubt will answer to your scars/and fear will have no place/no hole upon my heart/your light will terrify the dark.”
The third single from Victorious is the song “Anchor”, a beautiful ballad that has John Cooper singing about “making it shore, but I’m falling short, I need You more.” He continues and praises God singing “You are my anchor/so steady me, steady me now/you are my anchor/you’re keeping my feet on the ground.”
“Finish Line” is a triumphant song that delivers a song of hope while John Cooper sings: “heroes never die/gonna make it to the finish line/we know we survive/even if we crawl to the finish line.”
Victorious is an excellent Christian rock/alt-rock record filled with songs of hope, positivity, and love.
