Rise (2013)

Rise is the eighth studio album by the Christian rock band Skillet, released on June 25, 2013 by Atlantic/Warner Records, Word/Curb Records and the band's own Hear It Loud label. The album is produced by Howard Benson.

Skillet returns with their first new album in nearly four years and their first new album of the 2010s. After the success of Awake and touring to promote the album, Skillet took time off and then in the fall of 2012, the band entered into the studio to start work on Rise. It is also the first album to feature new guitarist Seth Morrison, after former guitarist Ben Kasica left the band after the release and tour for the album Awake. Lead singer and bassist John Cooper described to CCM Magazine about Rise: "It's a roller coaster ride. We have aggressive tracks, artsy and musical tracks, which is new territory for Skillet. A couple of songs are classic American heartland anthems, and a couple of songs are signature symphonic-classical rock Skillet. Guitars are dirty and edgier, with absolute shredding solos by Seth." According to producer Howard Benson, the album was not meant to be a concept album at first, but suggested making it one after reading Pete Townsend's book on Tommy and Quadrophenia. Cooper was hesitant because the focus on the concept can result in inferior songs. But as the band fine-tuned the songs, a story began to take shape.

The first rock single "Sick Of It" was released to iTunes Stores on April 9, 2013. The first Christian radio single "American Noise" was released a week later on April 16, 2013. The title song and "Not Gonna Die" were also released as singles all leading up to the album's release. In all, eight songs have been released to both Christian radio and mainstream rock radio and climbing the Billboard charts between 2013 and 2015. Rise charted on the following albums charts:

#1 Billboard Top Christian Albums

#1 Billboard Top Alternative Albums

#4 Billboard 200 Albums

#1 Billboard Top Rock Albums

#1 Billboard Hard Rock Albums

The album sold 61,000 copies in its first week of release. Rise also did well internationally in Canada, Japan and Germany. The album finished on the year-end survey in the Top 10 on the Billboard Top Christian Albums in 2013 (#6) and 2014 (#8). Although not as big a seller as Awake was, nevertheless, Rise was certified Gold by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) by July 12, 2016. The track "Not Gonna Die" was the only Gold certified single. A Deluxe Edition of Rise was released the same day as the standard edition, but with three bonus tracks and a DVD of their concert video Awake and Live featuring concert and behind the scenes footage and a "making of" documentary about the making of the album Rise. In 2014, Skillet won their second Dove Award (their first since 2008) for Rock Album of the Year at the 45th GMA Dove Awards. A year later at the 46th GMA Dove Awards, they won the Rock Recorded Song of the Year Dove Award for "Good to Be Alive."

Track listing on the Deluxe Edition of Rise

All songs were written by John Cooper and Korey Cooper, except where noted.

1. Rise (John Cooper, Scott Stevens) -4:21

2. Sick Of It (John Cooper, Scott Stevens) -3:11

3. Good to Be Alive (John Cooper, Tom Douglas, Zac Maloy) -5:00

4. Not Gonna Die -3:46

5. Circus For a Psycho (John Cooper) -4:32

6. American Noise (John Cooper, Tom Douglas, Zac Maloy) -4:10

7. Madness in Me (John Cooper, Brian Howes, David Hodges) -4:18

8. Salvation -3:45

9. Fire and Fury -3:56

10. My Religion -4:13

11. Hard to Find (John Cooper, David Hodges, John Hartzler) -3:49

12. What I Believe -3:20

13. Battle Cry -3:46

14. Everything Goes Black -4:27

15. Freakshow -4:39

Personnel

Skillet:

John Cooper -lead vocals, bass guitar, string arrangements, writing and

production on all interludes

Korey Cooper -backing vocals, keyboards, programming, keyboard

 programming, rhythm guitars, string arrangements, string arrangements on

track 6

Seth Morrison -lead electric guitars

Jen Ledger -drums, vocals

additional musicians:

Howard Benson -additional programming, Hammond B3 organ

Paul DeCarli -additional programming

Jonathan Chu -violin

Tate Olsen -cello

Zac Maloy and Tim Lauer -string arrangers on track 6

Chris Marvin -backing vocals

Reese Reynolds -"Despair" solo on track 3

Rosalie Marvin, Pietze Duffield, Cath Lalgee, Scotty Rock, Joey Papa – voice

narration for track 1

Teresa Reynolds, Kirsten Reed, Tracey Bloom, Michael Freeborn, Kyle Gumm, Nate

Moore, Josh Pessin – Chamber Choir on track 3

Beth Meekma, Stacey DeGarmo, Brittany Reuwer, Sarah Towle, Shelly Saksa,

Xavier Cooper – cheerleaders and voice narration for track 5

Alexandria Cooper – voice narration for track 7

RIAA certifications

Gold certified in 2016.

"Not Gonna Die" single Gold certified in 2018.

Accolades

Dove Award -2014 Rock Album of the Year (Rise)

2015 Rock Recorded Song of the Year ("Good to Be Alive")

Radio singles

2013 "American Noise" -#34 Billboard Hot Christian Songs, #34 Billboard Christian

Airplay

2013 -2014 "Sick Of It" -#20 Billboard Hot Christian Songs, #9 Billboard Mainstream

Rock Airplay, #36 Billboard Rock and Alternative Airplay, #22 Billboard Hot Rock

and Alternative Songs

2013 -2014 "Not Gonna Die" -#13 Billboard Hot Christian Songs, #9 Billboard

Mainstream Rock Airplay, #28 Billboard Hot Rock and Alternative Songs, #39

Billboard Rock and Alternative Airplay

2013 -2014 "Rise" -#19 Billboard Mainstream Rock Airplay, #31 Billboard Hot Rock

and Alternative Songs

2014 "Fire and Fury" -#34 Billboard Hot Christian Songs, #33 Billboard Christian

Airplay

2014 "What I Believe" -#35 Billboard Hot Christian Songs, #35 Billboard Christian

Airplay

2015 "Good to Be Alive" -#46 Billboard Hot Christian Songs

2015 "Circus For a Psycho" -#45 Billboard Hot Christian Song

Previous release: Awake and Remixed EP (2011)

Next release: Unleashed (2016)

Watch the playlist of music videos from Rise here: