Review

Whoa! If there was ever a CD that deserved the label of 'Modern Worship' it would certainly be this live worship release from Skillet. After the double-barreled explosion of the first two tracks, you’ll be pulled into a sonic swirl of intense and joyful praise.

The band’s own 'Who Is Like Our God' opens the disc in a cathartic, open-hearted declaration of God’s awesome power. Just before you can catch your breath they follow up with a feedback-enhanced version of Brian Doerksen’s 'Your Name Is Holy' that will certainly get your feet moving. Still, this is a band that knows how to worship and it shows on their renditions of 'Holy And Anointed One' and the timeless 'Shout To The Lord'.

Being a live recording, you get a sense of the incredible awe in the quiet moments, as well as the intense abandon expressed in the band’s more dynamic songs. You also start to wish that you could’ve been there in person to experience this night of worship firsthand. The incredible thing about this recording is that Skillet never loses sight of the target here. Whether it’s the intimate whisper between the songs, or the raw-throated shout of praise against a wall of distorted feedback, the message is clearly heard from the singular desire to glorify God and to worship Jesus Christ.

Of course, it doesn’t take a talented band to worship God, nor does an excellent musician instinctively understand how to honor God with a fervent heart. So, it’s quite rare to hear a band so young, and so talented lifting up genuine songs of worship with such skill and sincerity.

Skillet’s own songs of worship here are actually some of the best on the record, and that’s quite a compliment when you realize that they’re covering songs here from the likes of Doerksen, Zschech, Barnett, and Townend!

If you’re someone who really loves Modern Worship, then this CD is absolutely a 'must-buy' for your collection. If you know a young person that needs to hear worship that will reach them and change their minds about what worship can be, then this CD is a great place to start.

Review by Keith Giles