Christian rockers Skillet will release its first independent record, Revolution, on November 1st – the follow-up to 2022’s Dominion.
The first single off Revolution, titled “Unpopular,” is available now. The song was teased in Skillet’s new app, which will give fans early access to tickets, exclusive content, message boards, and more. Says lead singer John Cooper: “‘Unpopular’ is lighthearted, but there’s a clear message. So many people don’t have a place to belong. You used to know your neighbors. Our communities are online now, which contributes to the loneliness. You have powerful people telling you what reality is, what you should eat, what you should drive, and how you should live. They deem us ‘unpopular.’ In reality, we agree more than we disagree as a society. The majority of people just want to be free and they don’t really care whether or not you agree with them about everything.”
After 20 years on Atlantic Records, Skillet has opted to go independent. Shared Cooper: “We made records on the same label for 20 years, and it was a great experience. 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 peoples 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.’”
Skillet also announced that they will hit the road this fall with 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.
Stream “Unpopular” – HERE.
Check out the accompanying video for ‘Unpopular’ via YouTube.
To pre-order Revolution head HERE.
Editorial credit: Sergiy Palamarchuk / Shutterstock.com