Review: Skillet- Victorious
23 years since the release of their debut self-titled record, Skillet are still running stronger than ever with the unveiling of their 10th studio album- Victorious– a record that meshes almost every sound of Skillet’s career into one cohesive sonic attack that appeals to every corner of their diverse and vast fanbase.
Lead single, “Legendary” opens the record in dominant fashion, with an arena rock anthem that gets your blood pumping and gets you amped up for what’s coming next.
“You Ain’t Ready,” keeps the onslaught going with an even more powerful track that gets you addicted and makes you fall in love with this album from an early start. This one combines early Skillet with the current sound and it’s just awesome.
With Victorious, for every heavy song, Skillet gives us an equally-strong power ballad and the title track, “Terrify The Dark,” and “Anchor” are prime examples of this. Each one has its own identity and sounds completely different than the other.
“This Is the Kingdom” is a very different musical approach for Skillet, almost going down an Imagine Dragons road and is a dramatic, almost-haunting track that you can’t help but love, which leads into “Save Me.”
“Save Me” is one of the darkest lyrical songs Skillet have ever written but its one that everyone can relate to and talks about things a lot of Christians are afraid to be open about. Whether its issue with intimacy or depression, “Save Me” is a home run and one of the best songs Skillet have ever written.
“Never Going Back,” “Reach,” “Finish Line” and “Back to Life” close the record out in such strong fashion, you’ll get pumped up, adrenalized and feel like you can conquer the world. While Skillet have never made the same record twice in a row, each record has shades of the previous one and Victorious is no exception.
Victorious shows Skillet taking you on a journey through some of the darkest times in your life and show you that there’s hope and a light in the darkness that, if you just reach for, you can get to. With John and Korey Cooper taking hold of the production reigns solely on their own shoulders this time around, they were able to get their own sound and their true vision across and this is a record they can be proud of and fans can love every minute of, and is a record that solidifies Skillet\’s place at the top of the rock ranks- Christian or mainstream.
Rating: 9/10
-Reggie Edwards