Review Summary: On higher ground.... temporarily
It’s not a secret that Skillet is a loathed name these days, both in the general music scene and heavy mainstream rock scene. And indeed, they are a very divisive band: most love or hate them, with very little in the middle ground. Being someone who does consume primarily mainstream rock, especially that of the “Christian rock” variety, I figured it was about time to establish my final stance on Skillet, starting with when they first started really amping up their sound in 2003’s
Collide.
I’ve gotta admit it: John Cooper sounds great on this album, probably the best he ever has or ever will. Yes, his classic smoker-esque grit is present but much stronger, and he even manages to pull off some dirty screams. As a bassist, though, he doesn’t contribute much if anything, preferring mainly to just back up the guitars. The axes are handled by Korey Cooper and Benjamin Kasica for this record, with Korey laying down much of the heavy riffing and Ben often playing a lead that borders on or turns into a full solo on top of it. Ben actually shows off his best chops acoustically, similar to Anthony Armstrong of RED (they will come up a fair bit in this review). The programming and strings that Skillet would later become known and maybe even infamous for don’t really show up here a whole lot, and the production of the album just feels raw. Sometimes this is a good thing, giving some of the heavier moments more push, but sometimes, it’s a little tough to listen to. I would much prefer clearer production and just more strength in the instruments. Speaking of strength in the instruments, Lori Peters blasts through this album and is much stronger than current drummer Jen Ledger. She gives some pretty standout moments and is worth noting for sure, not unlike Joe Rickard.
“Forsaken” and “Savior” are two in-your-face rockers that open the disc on a blaring high note. Both tracks are filled with fantastic clean and dirty guitar work, raspy but controlled and strong vocals, and thrashing drums. Meanwhile, both “Collide” and “Open Wounds” are industrial-tinged numbers that still maintain an alt-metal edge but blend melody with heaviness quite well. The cleaner vocals, string orchestra/programming, and rousing bridge in “Collide” rock hard, while the clever interweaving of schizophrenic synth and cleanly picked guitar notes, and a scream/distortion-wracked ending/chorus rule the day on “Open Wounds.” Also, the emotion packed in John’s vocals throughout “Collide” will imprint the track upon your brain and leave it there for further listens. “Fingernails” is a mid-album rocker that finds John and Ben dueling back and forth through the verses, with John’s shifting, shaking vocals setting the mood and Ben’s crazy, spastic riffing constantly shaking stability. The intro to the track is deliciously eerie and the chorus is anthemic, and the song also packs a walloping scream. “Energy” and “Cycle Down” both close the album out on a heavy, energetic note as well, though not quite as aggressive as the aforementioned songs.
Lyrically, this is a deeply personal album and it shows. The band is a Christian band, yes, but there’s a fair bit of ambiguity that can make the record special for each listener. “Forsaken” deals with broken relationships, “Collide” addresses hope in the darkness, “Fingernails” is an angst-driven number about frustrations with day-to-day life, “Cycle Down” kicks our inner demons in the teeth, etc. You will be encouraged listening to the lyrics of this record and not moment is depressing, a nice touch.
Yes, there are some “meh” moments here. Skillet cannot write a ballad to save their lives, at least for the most part, and there’s no difference here. Lyrically, they’re known for being cheesy nowadays, but there’s no denying that many moments of this record are impactful and maybe even thought-provoking. Skillet is often compared to RED, and both are largely considered heavyweights in the Christian rock scene. Yes, I’m biased so it’s obvious I would think this, but it is the general consensus that RED is much better than Skillet. That still holds true here, but to the least extent possible out of all of Skillet’s heavy outings. If you’re looking for some fairly strong alternative metal, [i]
Collide isn’t a bad place to look at all.
