Skillet will release their first independent album, “Revolution”, on November 1 via their Hear It Loud imprint. The official visualizer for the project’s second single, “All That Matters”, can be seen below.
“Revolution” is expected to only extend Skillet‘s formidable legacy. As of 2024, the band has received two Grammy Award nominations, picked up a Billboard Music Award, and landed three albums in the Top 5 of the Billboard 200. Selling over 22 million units worldwide with over 24 billion global streams to date, Skillet has notched multi-platinum, platinum, or gold RIAA certifications for a total of 12 singles and four full-length albums. Their latest RIAA gold certifications just hit this summer with the tracks “Legendary” and “Stars”. Not to mention, they have regularly attracted 10 million monthly listeners on Spotify alone, boasting “one of the most-streamed rock songs of all-time” with the five-times-platinum “Monster”.
Pre-order “Revolution” HERE.
After an incredible 20 years on Atlantic Records, Skillet has built this new vision entirely by hand, intentionally opting to go independent at the end of their last contract and developing a solid indie team. Bolstered and galvanized by the support of a fervent global base, they took advantage of this newfound freedom, writing and recording the album at their own pace on the road and at home as well as in studios across Milwaukee, Canada, and Nashville.
“We made records on the same label for 20 years, and it was a great experience,” says John. “Since this was the first independent record, it put some pep in my step, so to speak. We did exactly what we wanted to do. If I was on the road and felt inspired to write, I just did. In the past, we’d make a bunch of ideas and whittle everything down for the album. This time, we only wrote and recorded 10 tracks, but it was all we needed. Musically, there are a lot of flavors on the record. It’s got the arena songs, but it also has some tunes that are more nostalgic and throwback Skillet.”
He continues: “Thematically, there’s so much nihilism in our culture. Depression and teen suicide are at epidemic levels. We’re revolting against a culture that creates nihilism, nothingness, and materialism. The album is poignant, but it’s also very confident and inclusive as well. It’s a record saying, ‘We have to be willing to stand up for what we believe in — even if it might be unpopular in some circles, but hey, maybe we could have a revolution of love, you know, a revolution of understanding, of tolerance towards people that we don’t agree with and come back to some human dignity and respecting people’s rights and where they’re coming from. And so, it’s kind of speaking to the division and the polarization that is happening, which I think is a really good message and what the whole ‘revolution’ thing is all about. We allude to it on the record cover where there’s a Skillet flag, and in the corner it lists I Corinthians, 13:13, a verse that says, ‘Hold onto these things: faith, hope, love. But the greatest is love.'”
Ready to play new music for their fans, Skillet recently announced that they will hit the road this fall with another one of the best-selling rock bands of the 21st century, Seether, followed by their first-ever tour of the Middle East in November, where the band will be playing in Turkey, Kazakhstan, United Arab Emirates, and more.
From there, Skillet will support Black Stone Cherry on a handful of dates across the UK. Tickets for all shows are now available HERE.
