SKILLET - "AWAKE"
Label: Atlantic, Ardent, INO Records
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Comments: My memoires not as good as it once was, but I'm pretty sure that the first time I heard about the band Skillet was while watching one of the original Christian videos shows, Lightmusic. The show was hosted by Tom Green, no not the zany comedian/actor, but a dedicated servant for the Lord. Unfortunately shortly after leaving the show and moving to New Zealand at age 55 Green died after having heart surgery in 2003.
Getting back to my review for Awake, the 7th studio project from Skillet. I don't think that any currently active Christian band has a bigger or more loyal following then Skillet fans that are affectionately known as, 'Panheads.' The band has also been able do what few others have making the crossover into the mainstream secular market while not watering down their Christian message. They've also managed to have success getting their songs into the, television, film, and video game markets.
Over their many years of performing Skillet has managed to change their style of music without alienating their following. While the band's music has always had a solid foundation of rock on top of it over the years they've layered it with, lighter electronic elements, while at other times pushing it in a harder direction to a dark industrial rock style. What you'll find on Awake is a mixture of both edgy rock songs along with several melodic ballads.
The songs found on Awake can be broken up into three distinctive categories. Songs like, "Hero", "Monster", "Awake" and Alive", "Believe", "Never Surrender" and "Sometimes" are heavy hitters that will get your rawk fists pumping. Then you have songs like, "It's Not Me It's You", "Should've When You Could've", and "Forgiven" that take the musical middle ground. Lastly, "Don't Wake Me", "One Day Too Late", and "Lucy" go for the ballad/power ballad route.
"Hero" and "Monster" get the release off to a rocking star with their hard edged thick guitar and heavy drum beats. "Hero" deals with all the crazy things that are going on in the world and that Christ is the one who gives us a reason to live and is the true 'Hero,' who fights against the injustices and oppression that are happening in the world today. "Monster," has a similar sound to that found on "Hero," with lyrics that deals with the monster of sin, that how we as Christians have to everyday deal with the nature of sin pulling against our Christian faith.
I also enjoyed the almost symphonic rock sound found on "Forgiven", largely thanks to its keyboard parts. The song deals with forgiveness and being able to work through the feelings that you have when you've either let yourself or someone else down.
The last song that I would like to talk about is, "Lucy." This song was written purposely with an open ended meaning so that the listener could interpret it to mean what they wanted it to. The song is about loss, mistakes, and second chances. Many people after listening to it though have come away with the thought that the story of the song revolves around an abortion and regret.
Skillet's music has a, 'Midas-like gold touch', and Awake is no exception, the music found on it is very good and the song lyrics will really reach out and touch a lot of people.
Style: Rock
Songs:
1. Hero
2. Monster
3. Don't Wake Me
4. Awake and Alive
5. One Day Too Late
6. It's Not Me It's You
7. Should've When You Could've
8. Believe
9. Forgiven
10. Sometimes
11. Never Surrender
12. Lucy
Favorite Songs: Hero, Monster, Forgiven, Lucy
Overall: 9 out of 10 | 
| Format: Audio CD
