Skillet, “Revolution.” Skillet took on a Revolution of its own while recording its 12th album. The hard rock band took out the middleman—a label—and went the independent route. The quartet then worked at its own pace, with guitarist Korey Cooper and longtime collaborators producing. The result brings a familiar…

Tool performs during Aftershock Festival at Discovery Park in Sacramento on Oct. 6, 2023. SACRAMENTO — Business picked up substantially at Discovery Park for the sold-out second day of Aftershock Festival. The crowds were bigger, the acts’ productions were more ambitious—and the sweltering heat had no intention of leaving.…

The best albums of 2022 include Orville Peck, Bruce Springsteen, … And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead, Ozzy Osbourne, Phoenix, Eddie Vedder, Aurora, Death Cab for Cutie, Skillet and Halestorm. We’re now well into our countdown of our list of the best albums of 2022.…

Skillet, courtesy Jimmy Fontaine. For Skillet frontman John Cooper, finally unleashing the band’s new record to the world was a bit like having a child. “The baby’s finally here!” Cooper said enthusiastically, not long after Skillet released Dominion in January. Cooper said the band got the album recorded faster than ever.…

Skillet. “Dominion.” For Dominion, its dynamic 11th studio album, Skillet takes a familiar formula while adding some extra ingredients that elevate the Wisconsin band’s sound to both heavier and softer directions. Dominion Skillet Atlantic, Jan. 14 8/10 For example, opening track “Surviving the Game” is a soaring, uplifting anthemic rocker like…

Metallica performs at Aftershock Fest in Sacramento on Oct. 8, 2021. Photos courtesy Aftershock. SACRAMENTO — Metallica frontman James Hetfield was clearly back in his element performing in front of tens of thousands of fans at a sold-out Aftershock Fest at Discovery Park. “Are we having a good time?”…

Lacey Sturm, courtesy. Initially, Lacey Sturm wasn’t quite ready for the release of her latest two singles, “State of Me” and “The Decree.” The duo of songs are heavy, aggressive, and some of her most hard-driving tracks of her career, like her earliest work. “I was not wanting to…

Long Live Rock…Celebrate The Chaos, courtesy. Is rock dead? The question, seemingly an early point of new documentary “Long Live Rock…Celebrate the Chaos,” only works rhetorically. “Long Live Rock…Celebrate the Chaos” Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Halestorm and more, director Jonathan McHugh  Watch Now @ Home Cinema, Abramorama, March 12…

SACRAMENTO — Jen Ledger is in an upbeat mood hours before her evening playing double duty: drumming for Skillet and fronting her own band, which will open the show at Ace of Spades. The band just arrived after a nine-hour bus ride from Portland the night before. Ledger doesn’t…

Skillet. Photo courtesy of Chrissy Knix. John Cooper speaks with enthusiasm about Skillet‘s status as “the biggest-selling band you’ve never heard of.” Earlier this summer, the band’s frontman and cofounder received a call he never expected. The caller, from Pandora, informed him that Skillet had been inducted into the…