I grew up on Christian rock. In fact, up until I was about 14, Christian music was the only genre I listened to. I didn’t feel like I was missing out, however, mostly because Christian music has a wider range of sounds to it than people may realize. One genre that drew me in was Christian hard rock. In getting to know this genre, it was inevitable that I eventually found Skillet. I still religiously listen to them and their newest album, “Victorious”, goes hard but also speaks life into the hard situations of life.
Originally founded in Memphis, Tennessee in 1996, Skillet has had a different assortment of band members over the years. The current members, according to Learn Religions, are John Cooper, who is lead vocals and bass; Korey Cooper, who does keyboard, vocals, rhythm guitar, synthesizer; Jen Ledger, on drums and backing vocals; and Seth Morrison, who is lead guitar.
“Victorious” was released in 2019 and the Deluxe version in 2020. Its first track, “Legendary,” has already reached 38 million streams on Spotify. The whole album is filled with their classic sound: a mix of normal vocals and hard rock yelling, with intense drums and guitar. Their sound is similar to Three Days Grace or Breaking Benjamin. However, there are several songs in the album that are also close to normal Christian rock, something that you would hear at a mainstream Christina rock concert.
True to its name, the album touches on many different themes that centralize around one that weaves its way through every song: to keep fighting even in the painful, dark moments because life is worth fighting for. Starting with intense rock songs like Legendary and Victorious, the album moves into its middle section with more heartfelt tracks with slower, deeper beats, talking about demons and fears that come crawling out from the dark. One of these songs, “Terrify the Dark,” becomes an anthem to Jesus and his power to fight back against the darkness and evil surrounding us each day. As Cooper sings “Your light will terrify the dark / I call upon the name / That tears another part / My doubt will answer to your scars / And fear will have no place / No hold upon my heart” it feels like a victory cry to the conquering might of Christ in our lives.
My favorite song on the album was “Save Me” because of its deep, powerful message of struggling to cry out for help in the midst of intense pain. It touches into the central theme of fighting through the pain of life but gives a different feel of agonizing with the battle of the crushing weight of your mind. Its lyrics speak to those who feel the pain and darkness inside and the isolation that brings them. It can all feel like too much sometimes. We all need to be saved. This song especially spoke to me because of my personal battle with mental illness and the stigma about talking about the pain and struggle that mental illness brings within the faith community, which tends to brush over this important topic. This song addressed it head on and didn’t sugar coat anything in their raging lyrics: “I’m closer to the edge tonight / I’m standin’ on the ledge, so why / Hold you, reach out your hand / To save (to save), to save me tonight.”
I absolutely recommend this album to those who are looking for a different type of Christian music that speaks to the deeper, painful struggle inside each of us. The album as whole spreads a message of positivity and hope, while still being real and down to earth about the intense struggle that takes place each day to combat despair, pain, and darkness. Many people don’t know this side of Christianity as a battlefield for those who seek to make a difference through faith while still dealing with their own inner battle. Skillet offers, through “Victorious”, an encouragement to everyone to keep fighting, keep going, even when it seems a constant uphill battle and everything is falling apart. It speaks out that Jesus has already won the victory for us but that doesn’t make our struggles any easier but validates and assures us he is there with us through them, saving us, pushing back the darkness, and, in the end, making us victorious.
The Beat @APU 