Skillet Guitarist Announces Departure

Guitarist Ben Kasica has announced his departure from Skillet.

Click read more to view a statement from Kasica.

"Hello panheads. After 10 amazing years of playing with Skillet, as John has told you, I will be leaving the band. This has been an incredible journey for me. Joining the band shortly after turning 16 and basically growing up on the road, I had no idea how long the ride would last but have enjoyed it immensely and been thankful to God for everything I’ve been a part of. We’ve traveled to loads of places, met many many wonderful people, drunk way too much coffee, made tons of memories and hopefully touched lives with eternity. I feel completely blessed and honored to have been a part of Skillet’s history. I want to thank John and Korey for the opportunity of a lifetime. They’ve been encouraging, compassionate, long-suffering with me and it’s been what’s kept me going on all these years. I’m grateful for their years of input in my spiritual, personal and business life. They’re amazing, inspiring hardworking people that i have the utmost respect for. I wish them the absolute best in their future in and outside the band.

After getting off the road, I will be focusing on building my other companies, producing and developing artists at Skies Fall Studios and designing for LifeLoveMusic Clothing. I also look forward very much to being home and catching up on churchlife, family and friends.

I want to thank you panheads for 10 years of incredible support. You’ve been encouraging over the years and made touring an amazing experience. You are the absolute best fans ever.

Thank you.

Benjamin Judah Kasica"

Papa Roach/Skillet US Tour

Papa Roach and Skillet have announced a US tour together.

10/1/10 House of Blues, North Myrtle Beach, SC
10/2/10 Charter Amphitheatre, Greensville, SC
10/3/10 Bayfest, Mobile, AL
10/5/10 Rams Head Live, Baltimore, MD
10/6/10 The Dome at Oakdale Theatre, Wallingford, CT
10/8/10 Northern Lights, Clifton Park, NY
10/10/10 The Palladium, Worcester, MA
10/12/10 Main Street Armory, Rochester, NY
10/13/10 John F. Savage Hall, Toledo, OH
10/14/10 I Wireless Center, Moline, IL
10/16/10 McElroy Auditorium, Waterloo/Cedar Rapids, IA
10/17/10 Midland Theatre, Kansas City, MO
10/19/10 The Pageant, St. Louis, MO
10/20/10 Diamond Ballroom, Oklahoma City, OK

Skillet Offer Fans to Meet and Greet Them

Skillet are offering the chance for one fan plus a guest to meet the band, as well as receive free tickets to the show and the chance to make an appearance in Skillet's video footage, which will be posted online along with a personal shout-out.

Fans can enter here.

Album Review: Skillet - Awake

A quick little search on Google tells me that Skillet's latest release, 'Awake' charted at #2 on the Billboard top 200 and sold 68,000 units in its first week. An impressive feat for this Christian rock band.

'Awake' on the whole sounds very brash and slick with Howard Benson (My Chemical Romance, All American Rejects, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Papa Roach) on producing duities. It all sounds pleasing on the ear, even if you're not a fan of the genre.

Skillet have that somewhat typical mainstream American rock radio sound, heavy guitars, soaring vocals and melodies that some how get stuck in your head. This especially can be said for tracks like 'Monster', 'Hero' and 'It's Not Me, It's You'.

At the other end of the spectrum comes the lighter tracks, 'Don't Wake Me' has that awful power ballad sound, which makes for uncomfortable listening. Whereas 'Believe' has that predictable, radio rock structure, similar to bands like Seether and Flyleaf, along with the predictable screeching guitar solo.

I think you have to be a fan of the band or the genre (Christian rock) to enjoy this, otherwise it quickly becomes tiresome and rather predictable. Nevertheless its impressive production and the bands positive energy, make 'Awake' a record that is worth giving a chance.

2.5/5

'Awake' by Skillet is available now on Atlantic Records/Lava/INO Records

Skillet on MySpace

Buy 'Awake' by Skillet on iTunes here.

Sean Reid

New Skillet Video

Skillet have revealed the new video for 'Monster'.

Skillet To Release New Album This Month

Skillet will release their new album 'Awake' on August 25th.

Make sure to head to the band's MySpace to hear the first single from the new album 'Monster' and upcoming tour dates.