Unleashed

by Skillet

Overview

Skillet's tenth LP, Unleashed, continues the journey that began on 2003's tonal shift Collide. The Nashville-based Christian band has always set itself apart from the CCM masses -- touring with secular hard rock bands and drawing huge festival crowds -- while sustaining an undying message of positivity and hope. Unleashed is aptly titled: two decades into their existence, Skillet have made their biggest album yet, an explosion of bombast and scope that draws on mainstream influences without wavering from their wholesome values. With contributions from Brian Howes (Halestorm, Daughtry), Kevin Churko (Disturbed, Five Finger Death Punch), Neal Avron (Linkin Park, Fall Out Boy), and Seth Mosley (Newsboys, TobyMac), Unleashed is also Skillet's most polished effort. Korey Cooper and Seth Morrison's riffs maintain the energy at caffeine-highs, while Jen Ledger's drumming pounds with precision intensity. Vocalist and sole founding member John Cooper holds everything together with a full-bodied delivery and consistently strategic lyrics that are subtle enough to please fans of any faith. The best moments on Unleashed are high-octane turbo blasts like "Feel Invincible," "Undefeated," and "Out of Hell," churning tracks that echo the fury of Muse or even, on the latter, Slipknot. They even borrow directly from Orgy's cover of "Blue Monday" on the bouncing "Burn It Down." Cooper's vocal interplay with his wife Korey and Ledger adds a brightness and cohesion similar to the best moments on 2009's Awake. Meanwhile, the orchestration and gravity that infused the Evanescence-lite Comatose layers stadium anthems like "I Want to Live" and the epic closer "The Resistance." All of these heavier moments elicit purely physical responses, but there are also breaks to pause and contemplate. Stripping back the headlong rock charge, Skillet include a few purely praise & worship breathers like the polished Killers-synthy "Stars," the Hillsong-with-bigger-amps "Lions," and the gorgeous "Watching for Comets." Whether in a giant mosh pit or a congregation of the faithful, Skillet know how to play a crowd and Unleashed succeeds on both fronts. ~ Neil Z. Yeung

Product Details

Release Date:	08/05/2016
Label:	Atlantic
UPC:	0075678664342

Tracks

1. Feel Invincible
2. Back From the Dead
3. Stars
4. I Want to Live
5. Undefeated
6. Famous
7. Lions
8. Out of Hell
9. Burn It Down
10. Watching for Comets
11. Saviors of the World
12. The Resistance

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Skillet   Primary Artist
Mike "X." O'Connor   Guitar,Keyboards
Asa Wiggins   Vocals (Background)
Sarah Blackbuurn   Vocal Group
Nick Lewkowski   Vocal Group
Mattias Johansson   Violin
Nalle Karlsson   Keyboards,Vocals (Background)
Shawn McGhee   Guitar
Jen Ledger   Drums,Vocals
John Cooper   Bass,Lead,Vocals,Bass,Vocals
Dave Eggar   Cello,Strings
Seth Mosley   Guitar,Keyboards
Lacey Sturm   Featured Artist
David Bukovinszky   Cello
Kane Churko   Guitar,Vocals (Background)
Chuck Palmer   Strings,Strings
Jerricho Scroggins   Vocal Group,Vocals (Background)
Seth Morrison   Guitar,Keyboards
Korey Cooper   Guitar,Strings,Keyboards
John L. Cooper   Bass,Vocals
Brian Howes   Guitar,Vocals (Background)
Jason "JVP" VanPoederooyen   Keyboards
Mattias Bylund   Strings
Kevin Churko   Keyboards,Vocals (Background)
Antoine Silverman   Violin
Anthony Delia   Director
Tobias Karlsson   Keyboards

Technical Credits

Khloe Churko   Studio Assistant,Assistant,Studio Manager
Adam Chagnon   Engineer
Mike "X." O'Connor   Engineer,Producer,Programming,Additional Production
Michael Sanders   Editing
Chuck Plamer   Arranger
Johnny Nick   Editing,Engineer
Y2K   Remix Engineer
Misha Rajaratnam   Digital Editing
Nalle Karlsson   Composer,Vocal Arrangement,String Arrangements
Shawn McGhee   Editing,Pro-Tools,Additional Production
Zachary Kelm   Executive,Executive Producer
Jen Ledger   Group Member
Dave Eggar   Leader,Arranger,String Arrangements
Anne Declemente   A&R
Nick Rad   Engineer
Seth Mosley   Composer,Producer,Programming,Bass Programming,String Programming,Additional Production
Sam Tinnesz   Composer
Lacey Sturm   Engineer
Misha Rajartnam   Digital Editing
Rob Gold   Art Manager
Kane Churko   Composer,Engineer,Producer,Additional Production
Chuck Palmer   Arranger,Arranger
Jerricho Scroggins   Engineer,Assistant,Assistant Producer,Production Assistant
Seth Morrison   Programming,Group Member
Scott Skrzynski   Mixing Engineer,Mixing Assistant
Nick Schwarz   Vocal Editing
Jason Ingram   Composer,Composer
Ted Jensen   Mastering
Soli   Remix Engineer
Korey Cooper   Arranger,Composer,Programming,Group Member,Bass Programming,String Programming,String Arrangements,Additional Production
Johnny Nice   Editing,Engineer,Recording
John Cooper   Composer
John L. Cooper   Composer,Group Member
Brian Howes   Composer,Producer,Additional Production
Mia Fieldes   Composer
Andy Karp   A&R
Jason "JVP" VanPoederooyen   Engineer,Producer,Programming,Digital Editing,Additional Production
Chris Lord-Alge   Engineer
Mattias Bylund   String Arrangements
Kevin Churko   Mixing,Editing,Composer,Engineer,Producer,Recording,Programming
Neal Avron   Mixing
Joseph Cultice   Photography
Mark Obriski   Design,Art Direction
Tobias Karlsson   Composer,Producer,Programming