Album that made me a Skillet fan
R. Bacon | Kentucky | 05/07/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is the first Skillet album I bought and my favorite CD has a great mix of different jams. This album has a great mix of different sounds one of which your sure to love wheather you like rock, techno, or smooth worship songs."
Stellar industrial rock, with unashamed lyrics.
Kevin Lemley | 07/04/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Skillet got a start back in 96, with a grunge sound, before moving onto more Alternative, Techno music. Some fans miss the heaviness of their debut. Others love the techno. This album combines the best of both worlds. Hard rock, laced with samples and techno.
Alien Youth, for me anyway, is the ONLY Skillet ablum where I do not feel the need to skip a single song when listening to it.
The title track kicks off the sound, with an anthem feel to it, and makes it clear exactly where the band stands: "Worldwide Jesus domination, love conqueres all" The next song, Vapor, is an undeniable rocker, talking about how fleeting life is, but how much of a different we can make while we are here. Following Vapor is Earth Invasion, a little more of pop feel to it, it follows the concept of Alien Youth, by comparing the coming of the Kingdom of Heaven to an Alien Invasion. The next song is a soft, worship tune, You Are My Hope.
The next song, my personal favorite, is entitled Eating Me Away. Talking about how all our humanity and imperfections eat at us, accompanied by militant, fast paced music after a little bit of a slow start. Kill Me, Heal Me starts before you know Eating Me Away is over, and it is another heavy rocker. The epic Thirst Is Taking Over follows, speaking of Demonic Posession, accompanied by creepy music to fit the mood, eventually slamming into nice, heavy, chaotic rock for the last 2 minutes or so.
The next song, One Real Thing, is my favorite ballad on the album. It's basically a straight-up praise song. Afterward is Stronger, which is the last real face-melter on the record. Ripping Me Off is next, with quite an interesting story. John Cooper atteneded a Marilyn Manson show prior to the writing of this record to see what all the hype was about. He found out. He found out that Manson is teacing kids that God is dead, or worse, and was filled with an anger, that he describes in this song. The song begins with the HEAVILY distorted line "I will always believe" (I've also heard "I must believe", but I think the first one sounds closer), before proclaiming "You say that God is dead, but you're ripping me off!" Will You Be There?(Falling Down) is next, and it's a ballad, and a plea to God during a time of hardship. The final song, Come My Way, is a piano ballad, and my least favorite on the record, but by no means a bad song."