Rise by Skillet

Rise arrived in 2013 as Skillet's eighth studio album. The band had grown into an arena act, and this record aims at the world a young listener actually lives in: school, the news, fear, and the will to stand back up. It is a concept album of sorts, and that shape is what drew me in.

Why listen?

The sound is big, polished hard rock with strings and choirs stacked behind the guitars. The production is loud and clean, built for a crowd. The lyrics speak to anyone worn down by anger or grief, and they keep pointing toward hope rather than despair. There is a real arc across the songs, from the breaking point to the resolve to carry on. It is heavy music that wants to lift you, not bury you.

Favourite song: Not Gonna Die

This is the record's spine, a plain refusal to give in. It gathers all the noise into one defiant line and holds it there.

No, not gonna die tonight
We're gonna stand and fight forever
(Don't close your eyes)
No, not gonna die tonight
We're gonna fight for us together

The song builds the whole band behind that promise until it feels less like bravado and more like a decision. It reminds me of the last stretch of a hard climb, when the body wants to quit and you choose the next step anyway. To rise is not to feel strong; it is to keep moving while afraid.

Key takeaway

Rise is Skillet at full volume with a clear heart. A good record for anyone who needs loud encouragement to keep going.

Tracklist

• Rise
• Sick of It
• Good to Be Alive
• Not Gonna Die
• Circus for a Psycho
• American Noise
• Madness in Me
• Salvation
• Fire and Fury
• My Religion
• Hard to Find
• What I Believe

Details

Listen on

• Apple Music
• Amazon
• Spotify

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